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This shrimp boil is a classic Southern summertime favorite. A good shrimp boil features tender shrimp, some potatoes, smoked sausage, and of course corn on the cob for that extra sweetness. It’s a great dish to bring to a barbecue or cookout!
Shrimp Boil Recipe
Summertime. Pool parties. Outdoor events. Simple, delicious seafood dinners. Shrimp boil is deceptively easy to make. It seems really impressive and complex, but like much of the best down-home soul cooking of the South, it’s pretty easy to put together in your own home. With a perfectly chosen blend of spices, this is a surefire hit.
This dish does a great job of combining light, delicious shrimp, perfectly spiced, smoked sausage, and some sweet corn with tender potatoes. It’s easy to love, easy to make, and makes great leftovers.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s fast and filling. Your shrimp boil will be ready in only twenty minutes, and you don’t need much prep work at all.
- It’s perfect for parties. If you’re looking to feed a big crowd at a summer party, you won’t be slaving away in a hot kitchen for that long.
- It’s a great dish for kids. You don’t need to be making multiple dinners for picky eaters. Kids absolutely love this colorful, flavorful shrimp boil.
You’ll Need ( Notes)
- Shrimp, as you’d expect, is the key ingredient in this dish. Like they said in Forrest Gump, shrimp is the fruit of the sea. It’s versatile, tasty, and cooks in a matter of minutes. You can always try adding other seafood, like crab legs. We love using larger shrimp for this recipe. Different sizes of shrimp have different properties, so we recommend using larger shrimp if you can.
- Andouille sausage is a Cajun specialty. It adds plenty of extra spice to the recipe, and they vary in spiciness quite a bit. If you prefer milder flavor, use a milder andouille sausage. On the other hand, spice lovers can crank up the heat with a hotter sausage. If you can’t find Andouille sausage, any smoked sausage will work.
- Potatoes are a huge piece of the shrimp boil. The yellow or red potatoes are great, holding up to the high heat of the boil.
- For your corn cobs, chop ears of sweet corn into smaller chunks for faster cooking and easier serving.
- Our secret seasoning weapon is Greole Seasoning. It’s great store bought, or you can try making it at home, too! You probably have all the necessary spices sitting on your spice rack.
- Garlic
- Onion
- Lemon wedges are absolutely critical in this recipe. They add brightness and acidity to the mix, helping bring the best out of the flavor palate.
- The final piece of the puzzle for a decadent, heartwarming shrimp boil is melted butter. It takes your shrimp boil from good to great.
- Olive oil
How To Make Shrimp Boil
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Lightly grease a large baking sheet with butter or nonstick cooking oil spray.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and onion wedges; cook for 4-5 minutes. Add in corn, mix and cook further until the potatoes are tender, about 7 minutes. Drain well.
- Arrange the cooked corn, onion, potatoes, shrimp and sausage on the prepared sheet.
- In a small bowl combine the melted butter, garlic, olive oil and Creole seasoning. Pour over the mixture and toss with your hands to make sure all the ingredients are evenly coated.
- Bake until shrimp have curled and turned pink and corn is tender, about 8-10 minutes. Remove the sheet from the oven, scatter the lemon wedges on top and broil for 1-2 minutes.
- The final step is to season and serve your delicious shrimp boil. Scatter everything on a nice big serving platter or paper, drizzling with melted garlic butter, lemon juice, Creole seasoning, black pepper, green onions and chopped parsley.
Tips and Tricks
- Be careful not to overcook your shrimp. Shrimp can go from tender and juicy to rubbery and chewy quite easily when subject to heat for too long.
- You can bulk this dish up by adding more seafood, or more vegetables. Classic green veggies, like beans, broccoli, asparagus, and brussels sprouts are a great addition. Okra and pearl onions do well in this recipe, too.
- You can also make your shrimp boil on the grill. Any heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven will heat up nicely on a grill so you can cook your shrimp boil outdoors. It definitely makes for a smokier dinner!
Frequently Asked Questions
Shrimp cooks really fast. Raw shrimp only needs 8-10 minutes in the oven before it’s ready to eat. The best test is to look: if the shrimp is pink and opaque, it’s ready to eat.
This is a one pot meal packed with meat and vegetables. You can, if you want, serve it alongside tangy coleslaw or a simple summer watermelon salad.
More Shrimp Recipes
Creamy Shrimp and Broccoli Pasta
If you make this recipe be sure to leave a comment or give this recipe a rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐! I will be happy to hear from you!
Shrimp Boil
Ingredients
- 1 pound 500 grams yellow or red potatoes, halved or quartered
- 1 medium onion, peeled and cut into wedges
- 4 ears fresh corn on the cob, cut into 4 pieces crosswise
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
- 1 pound 500 grams shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 12 oz 350 grams Andouille sausage or any smoked sausage, sliced
- 1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
Serving
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Fresh cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon green onions, sliced
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Lightly grease a large baking sheet with butter or nonstick cooking oil spray.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and onion wedges; cook for 4-5 minutes. Add in corn, mix and cook further until the potatoes are tender, about 7 minutes. Drain well.
- Arrange the cooked corn, onion, potatoes, shrimp and sausage on the prepared sheet.
- In a small bowl combine the melted butter, garlic, olive oil and Creole seasoning. Pour over the mixture and toss with your hands to make sure all the ingredients are evenly coated.
- Bake until shrimp have curled and turned pink and corn is tender, about 8-10 minutes. Remove the sheet from the oven, scatter the lemon wedges on top and broil for 1-2 minutes.
Serving
- In a small bowl mix together melted garlic and butter.
- Season shrimp boil with pepper if desired.
- Garnish with parsley and green onions. Serve with a tin of Creole seasoning and melted garlic butter.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This was a seafood feast! The shrimp were perfectly seasoned, and everything came together in one easy pot. Definitely making this for my next gathering!
That sounds amazing, Brandon! Shrimp boils are perfect for feeding a crowd. So glad you enjoyed it!