If you love a seafood boil loaded with buttery Cajun flavor, this one might become a favorite. Lobster, shrimp, crab, and optional crawfish all get boiled with potatoes and corn, then finished in the oven with a generous coating of Cajun garlic butter that soaks into every bite.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Four kinds of seafood in one boil. Lobster, shrimp, crab, and optional crawfish make this feel like a true feast.
- That Cajun garlic butter sauce. Rich, buttery, and packed with seasoning, it coats everything generously.
- A finishing bake locks in flavor. The oven step after boiling helps the garlic butter really soak into the seafood and vegetables.
- Great for gatherings. Serves 6, perfect for family dinners or a festive seafood night with friends.
Ingredients
- 2 lobster tails, split
- 1½ lb large shrimp
- 1 lb crab legs or crab clusters
- 1 lb crawfish, optional
- 1 lb baby potatoes
- 3 ears corn, cut into pieces
- 1 lemon, sliced
- 1 small onion, quartered
For the Cajun Garlic Butter Sauce
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
- 1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt, to taste
How to Make Cajun Garlic Butter Seafood Boil
1. Cook the potatoes and onion. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the baby potatoes and onion and cook for 10 to 12 minutes. Add the corn and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.
2. Add the lobster and crab. Add the lobster tails and crab legs to the pot. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, allowing the seafood to begin cooking with the vegetables.
3. Cook the shrimp. Add the shrimp and crawfish, if using. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and cooked through.
4. Transfer the seafood boil. Drain everything well and transfer the lobster, shrimp, crab, crawfish, potatoes, corn, and onion to a large foil tray or baking dish.
5. Make the Cajun garlic butter. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes without letting it brown.
6. Season the butter. Stir in the Cajun seasoning, Old Bay seasoning, smoked paprika, onion powder, black pepper, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, and parsley. Add salt only if needed.
7. Coat everything. Pour the Cajun garlic butter generously over the seafood, potatoes, and corn. Toss gently until everything is coated in the seasoned butter sauce.
8. Bake the seafood boil. Cover the tray with foil and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 10 to 15 minutes, allowing the lobster, shrimp, crab, and vegetables to absorb the garlic butter flavor.
9. Finish and serve. Remove the foil and finish with fresh parsley and lemon slices. Serve the Cajun seafood boil hot with extra garlic butter sauce on the side.
Tips for the Best Cajun Seafood Boil
- Don’t overcook the shrimp in the boiling step. They cook fast, so pull them as soon as they turn pink to avoid rubbery texture.
- Watch the garlic closely when making the butter. Cooking it gently over medium-low heat prevents it from browning or turning bitter.
- Toss gently but thoroughly when coating everything in butter. This ensures every piece of seafood and vegetable gets covered.
- Cover with foil while baking. This helps trap steam and lets the flavors really soak into the seafood during the final bake.
What to Serve with a Cajun Seafood Boil
Crusty bread is a must for soaking up the extra garlic butter sauce, and a simple coleslaw on the side adds a cool, crisp contrast to the rich, buttery seafood.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen seafood?
Yes, just thaw everything completely before cooking for the best texture and even cooking.
Can I make this without crawfish?
Yes, the crawfish is optional. Lobster, shrimp, and crab alone still make a hearty, flavorful boil.
Can I skip the final bake and just serve it straight from the pot?
Yes, though the finishing bake helps the garlic butter soak in more deeply. If skipping it, simply toss everything with the warm garlic butter before serving.
Cajun Garlic Butter Seafood Boil
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the baby potatoes and onion and cook for 10 to 12 minutes. Add the corn and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.
- Add the lobster tails and crab legs to the pot. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, allowing the seafood to begin cooking with the vegetables.
- Add the shrimp and crawfish, if using. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and cooked through.
- Drain everything well and transfer the lobster, shrimp, crab, crawfish, potatoes, corn, and onion to a large foil tray or baking dish.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes without letting it brown.
- Stir in the Cajun seasoning, Old Bay seasoning, smoked paprika, onion powder, black pepper, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, and parsley. Add salt only if needed.
- Pour the Cajun garlic butter generously over the seafood, potatoes, and corn. Toss gently until everything is coated in the seasoned butter sauce.
- Cover the tray with foil and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 10 to 15 minutes, allowing the lobster, shrimp, crab, and vegetables to absorb the garlic butter flavor.
- Remove the foil and finish with fresh parsley and lemon slices. Serve the Cajun seafood boil hot with extra garlic butter sauce on the side.
