The Seafood Boil is a Louisiana special made with shrimp, crabs, potato, corn, celery and whole-spice crab boil. This recipe is so delicious and easy to make that it takes just 30 minutes from start to finish.
We are using a large stockpot for seafood boil but you can use any deep pot to boil the seafood and vegetables. If you do not want to boil seafood, you can make this dish in the oven as well. Spread everything on a sheet pan and bake for 12 minutes at 425F.
The aromatic flavor of seafood boil comes from the seasoning blend known as crab boil. You can find whole-spiced crab boil packages in any nearby grocery store. Serve seafood boil with slices of crusty bread.
Enjoy the best summer dinner with friends and family.
Ingredients
- 5 lb. large shrimp, with heads attached
- 24 live blue crabs or 4 to 6 small live Dungeness crabs
- 6 ears of corn, husked and halved crosswise
- 2 to 3 lb. small potatoes, unpeeled
- 4 celery stalks, halved crosswise
- 8 quarts water
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 6 yellow onions, unpeeled
- 2 lemons, quartered
- 12 garlic cloves
- 5 bay leaves
- 2-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced
- 6 oz. package whole-spice crab boil
- 1/2 cup sea salt, or to taste
- 1 tbsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns, or to taste
How to make seafood boil
Pour water into a large stockpot and add oil, onions, celery, lemons, garlic, ginger, bay leaves, crab boil spice mix, cayenne, black peppercorns and salt. Bring to a boil on high heat then reduce heat and boil for 10 minutes.
Add potatoes and boil for 5 minutes then add crabs and boil for another 15 minutes. After that, add corn and boil for 5 minutes.
Now, add shrimp and boil for 1 minute and turn off heat. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes in the stockpot.
Take the seafood and vegetables out of the stockpot and transfer them to a serving platter. Use a table knife to crack the shells.
It is recommended to serve them warm but you can serve at room temperature or chilled as well.
Louisiana Seafood Boil Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 lb. large shrimp, with heads attached
- 24 live blue crabs or 4 to 6 small live Dungeness crabs
- 6 ears of corn, husked and halved crosswise
- 2 to 3 lb. small potatoes, unpeeled
- 4 celery stalks, halved crosswise
- 8 quarts water
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 6 yellow onions, unpeeled
- 2 lemons, quartered
- 12 garlic cloves
- 5 bay leaves
- 2-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced
- 6 oz. package whole-spice crab boil
- 1/2 cup sea salt, or to taste
- 1 tbsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns, or to taste
Instructions
- Pour water into a large stockpot and add oil, onions, celery, lemons, garlic, ginger, bay leaves, crab boil spice mix, cayenne, black peppercorns and salt. Bring to a boil on high heat then reduce heat and boil for 10 minutes.
- Add potatoes and boil for 5 minutes then add crabs and boil for another 15 minutes. After that, add corn and boil for 5 minutes.
- Now, add shrimp and boil for 1 minute and turn off heat. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes in the stockpot.
- Take the seafood and vegetables out of the stockpot and transfer them to a serving platter. Use a table knife to crack the shells.
- It is recommended to serve them warm but you can serve at room temperature or chilled as well.
