Description
A flavorful Cajun Seafood Boil featuring snow crab legs, shrimp, mussels, and andouille sausage, all simmered with baby potatoes and corn in a spicy seasoned broth, then tossed in a rich garlic butter sauce with fresh herbs and a hint of lemon. Perfect for a communal, fun dining experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Seafood and Meat
- 1 pound snow crab legs
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
- 1 pound mussels, cleaned and debearded
- 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
Vegetables
- 4 ears of corn, cut into halves or thirds
- 1 pound baby red potatoes
- 1 lemon, halved
Seasonings
- 4 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, divided
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
Garlic Butter Sauce
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Prepare the Boiling Stock: Fill a large stockpot with water, ensuring there’s enough space so the ingredients won’t overflow once added. Squeeze the juice from the lemon halves into the water, then add 2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning, Old Bay seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Bring the water to a vigorous boil.
- Cook the Potatoes: Add the baby red potatoes to the boiling water and cook for 10 minutes, allowing them to soften as they absorb the seasoning flavors.
- Add Corn and Sausage: Next, add the cut corn halves and sliced andouille sausage to the pot. Continue boiling for another 5 minutes to infuse the sausage and soften the corn.
- Cook the Seafood: Carefully add the snow crab legs, shrimp, and mussels. Boil for 5 to 7 minutes until the shrimp turn pink and opaque, the crab is heated through, and the mussels have opened — discard any mussels that remain closed.
- Make the Garlic Butter Sauce: While the boil is cooking, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant but not browned. Stir in the lemon juice, paprika, remaining Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper if you’re using it, and the chopped parsley. Keep warm until ready to serve.
- Serve: Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the cooked seafood, sausage, corn, and potatoes to a large serving tray or bowl. Drizzle the prepared garlic butter sauce generously over everything and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly. Serve immediately with extra lemon wedges and crusty bread, if desired.
Notes
- You can substitute snow crab legs with king crab or crawfish depending on availability and preference.
- Adjust the heat by increasing or omitting the cayenne pepper to match your spice tolerance.
- Serve the boil family-style over newspaper or butcher paper to make cleanup easier and enhance the communal dining experience.
- To make it dairy-free, swap unsalted butter with a plant-based butter alternative.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Cajun
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 1180mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 36g
- Cholesterol: 210mg
