Making a shrimp and sausage boil couldn't be easier! Shrimp, sausage, corn, and potatoes with a flavorful Old Bay, lemon & garlic butter sauce. All in under 30 minutes!
It's not quite summer here - in fact, it's about 30 degrees outside - but we've been craving summer flavors so we decided to buck the trend and make a shrimp and sausage boil for dinner. Usually we enjoy this dish outdoors with newspaper laid out over the table, but today we'll be enjoying it by the fire. Anything to fool us into believing that summer isn't too far away!
The only out-of-season ingredient is the corn. Supermarket corn is nowhere near the same as fresh summer corn, but it's still darn good. (Incidentally, did you know that if you add a little sugar to the water when you're boiling corn that it helps to make it sweeter? It's true, try it!)
How do you make a shrimp boil from scratch?
Here's a quick version: Simmer the potatoes and corn in a seasoned broth until they're tender, add the sausage and shrimp for the last 1-2 minutes, then toss everything in a quick Old Bay-lemon-garlic butter sauce. So simple!
You basically "boil" just four ingredients: corn, potatoes, sausage (I used homemade Andouille sausage), and shrimp with some Old Bay seasoning. Then you make a quick sauce with butter, Old Bay, fresh lemon juice, and garlic to drizzle over everything. Add a little chopped parsley and you're good to go!
This recipe is scaled down so it feeds 4 people (that could easily stretch to 6 with a few sides). If you're feeding more than that, double or triple it but make sure you have a big stockpot for it. This is one of those recipes that can be scaled up to feed as many people as you want - you just need a vessel that will hold it all!
We've even made this while camping since it's so quick and easy. Just put a big cast iron pot over the fire and you'll have a delicious meal in no time at all.
How long should shrimp boil?
Shrimp takes just 1-2 minutes to cook through in boiling liquid. I normally sauté or roast my shrimp since it's just as easy to do that as boiling it. But when I already have a pot of hot, flavorful liquid then it just makes sense to boil it.
It only takes a minute or two to cook your shrimp completely, and you'll want to watch it carefully to make sure it doesn't overcook. The time it takes depends on how big your shrimp are.
Can you boil frozen shrimp?
Yes, you absolutely can boil frozen shrimp! I do this often if I don't have the time to thaw them first. It will take a small amount of extra time but be sure to watch them carefully - just as you would if they were thawed - since even frozen shrimp cook quickly in a hot liquid.
WHAT KIND OF SAUSAGE GOES BEST WITH A SHRIMP BOIL?
The most important thing to keep in mind is that you want to start with cooked sausage. Raw/uncooked sausages won't get enough time in the pot to cook it completely (and safely), plus it'll release a lot of fat into your broth.
As for the type of sausage, Andouille and kielbasa are both great choices. Andouille gives you more smoke and spice, while kielbasa is milder and a little garlicky. Either works well as long as it's a fully-cooked smoked sausage.
Is this Shrimp and Sausage Boil low-carb?
Most shrimp and sausage boil recipes you find likely won't be low carb due to the potatoes and corn. However, I've tested this recipe with cauliflower for the potatoes with great success.
WHAT SIDES GO WITH SHRIMP BOIL?
Since seafood boils are typically a Southern thing, I like to serve Southern sides whenever possible. Sides like cornbread or sweet corn cake, baked beans, cole slaw, and a stuffed garlic bread make a really nice meal.
Can you make this ahead, or reheat leftovers?
You can technically make this ahead of time, but this dish is really best when eaten fresh. The shrimp especially turns rubbery if it sits around too long, even in the fridge. If you do want to make it ahead of time, here's what I recommend:
- Making ahead: You can cut the potatoes, corn, and sausage a day in advance and store them in the fridge in an airtight container. Just don't add the shrimp until you're actually cooking. The butter sauce (garlic, lemon, Old Bay, parsley) can also be made a few hours ahead and reheated just before serving.
- Storing leftovers: Let everything cool, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. I don't recommend freezing this one (the potatoes get grainy and the shrimp gets tough once thawed).
- Reheating: Add a portion to a skillet preheated over medium-low heat, along with some of the sauce. Stir it occasionally just until everything's warm. If you want it even quicker, you can also use the microwave (a skillet is still best though). Reheat your portion with a little sauce in 30-second bursts at 50% power just until it's warm.
How Do I Make a sausage boil For a Bigger Group?
I wrote this recipe for 4 people, but I've tested it several times with a large group and it comes out great! You don't need to change the method at all, just do some basic multiplication. I've made triple and even quadruple batches of this for parties with zero issues (you can also use the recipe card below to do the math for you).
Just double or triple every ingredient in the same proportions, and be sure to use a big enough pot that everything has room to cook evenly.
For 8 people: double everything (2 lb sausage, 2 lb shrimp, 2 lb potatoes, 8 ears corn, etc.) and use at least a 12-quart stockpot.
For 12 people: triple everything and move up to a 16- to 20-quart pot, or use two pots on two burners if you don't have one that big.
For a crowd of 20+: this is where a turkey fryer/propane burner setup with a 30-quart pot comes in handy (it's basically what people use for a backyard crawfish or shrimp boil anyway).
A few things that change when you scale up:
Cooking times stay roughly the same (potatoes still need about 8-10 minutes and shrimp still only needs 1-2 minutes), no matter how much you're making. What changes is how long it takes the pot to return to a boil after you add each batch of ingredients, so give yourself a few extra minutes between steps for a bigger pot.
Don't overcrowd the pot! If the liquid can't fully cover the potatoes and corn, add extra broth or water rather than cramming everything in.
Sauce scales the same way, but taste as you go. A tripled batch of Old Bay can taste more intense than you expect, so start with slightly less, then taste and add more if necessary.
Serve it the traditional way for easy cleanup! For a big group (or just for fun even with just a few people), drain everything and dump it straight onto a table lined with newspaper or butcher paper instead of trying to plate it. And it means no dishes to wash!
More shrimp recipes
Shrimp and Sausage Boil
Shrimp, sausage, corn, and potatoes with a flavorful Old Bay and lemon butter sauce. All in under 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- For the Shrimp and Sausage Boil
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 4 ears corn, each cut into 3 pieces (12 pieces total)
- 1 pound baby red potatoes, approximately 1 inch in diameter (halve or quarter larger potatoes)
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1 pound fully cooked smoked sausage, such as andouille or kielbasa, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 pound easy-peel shrimp
- For the Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce
- ½ cup (8 tablespoons) butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) chopped fresh parsley
- Coarse salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the broth: Pour the chicken broth into a large stockpot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Add the corn, potatoes, and 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning. Stir gently to combine.
- Cook the vegetables: Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low, maintaining a steady simmer. Cook for 8–10 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Larger potatoes may need additional time.
- Add the sausage and shrimp: Add the fully cooked smoked sausage and shrimp to the pot. Simmer for approximately 1–2 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink, opaque, and firm. Larger shrimp may take longer.
- Drain the boil: Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage, shrimp, corn, and potatoes to a large serving bowl. Carefully discard the cooking liquid.
- Make the garlic lemon butter sauce: Return the empty pot to medium-low heat and melt the butter. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring frequently until fragrant. Stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning, lemon juice, and parsley. Season with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Combine and serve: Pour the garlic lemon butter sauce over the shrimp, sausage, corn, and potatoes. Toss gently to coat and serve immediately.
Notes
- Be sure to use already-cooked sausage, as raw won't have enough time to cook through completely (and safely).
- Old Bay and smoked sausage both contain salt, so taste the finished butter sauce before adding additional salt.
- When I serve this I put newspaper or parchment paper down since it's a bit messy. It's a fun way to eat it though, especially if you put it all in the center of the table and let everyone grab it a little at a time. A serving bowl works really well, too.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 850Total Fat: 55gSaturated Fat: 27gUnsaturated Fat: 28gCholesterol: 330mgSodium: 1900mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 5gSugar: 8gProtein: 48g
These amounts include the liquid that's discarded after cooking so they're not entirely accurate. Calculated by Nutrionix.
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