Description
A spicy, savory, and communal one-pot Cajun-style shrimp boil featuring blackened shrimp, smoked sausage, potatoes, and corn, ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3–4 pounds live or large raw shrimp (31–40 count), peeled and deveined
- 1 pound smoked sausage (Andouille or Kielbasa), sliced into thick coins
- 2 pounds red potatoes or baby Yukon Golds, left whole or quartered
- 4 ears corn on the cob, cut into 3 pieces each
- 1 large yellow onion, quartered
- 2 lemons, halved
- 1 whole head of garlic, halved crosswise
- 2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (e.g., Tony Chachere’s or Slap Ya Mama)
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1–2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon salt (adjust based on spice saltiness)
- 1 stick (115g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
- Additional lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: Slice sausage, cut corn, quarter onion, halve lemons, and mix dry spices (Old Bay, Cajun seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, thyme, salt) in a small bowl to create the blackening rub.
- Fill a large stockpot (8-12 quarts) with 6-8 quarts of water and add 2 tablespoons of salt. Bring to a rolling boil.
- Add potatoes and sausage slices to the boiling water. Boil for 10-12 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender and sausage has released flavor.
- Add corn pieces and onion quarters to the pot. Boil for another 3-4 minutes until corn is crisp-tender.
- Add shrimp to the boiling pot. Cook for 2-4 minutes until they turn pink, opaque, and curl into a ‘C’ shape. Remove immediately to avoid overcooking.
- Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon and place in a large bowl. Toss generously with the blackening spice rub while hot to coat evenly.
- Drain potatoes, corn, and sausage from the pot. Spread them on a serving table or large tray.
- Top with the spiced shrimp. Squeeze juice of both lemons over everything, dot with melted butter, and sprinkle with fresh parsley.
- Serve immediately with extra lemon wedges and hot sauce on the side.
Notes
Ensure the boiling water is well-seasoned (tastes like seawater) to flavor the potatoes and sausage. Pat raw shrimp very dry before tossing in spice to ensure the crust sticks. Do not overcook shrimp; they become rubbery if cooked too long. For a vegetarian option, skip shrimp and sausage and use vegetable broth.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Cajun
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approximately 1/6 of
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 850
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 35
Keywords: shrimp boil, cajun recipe, labor day dinner, blackened shrimp, one pot meal, summer recipes, seafood boil, easy dinner