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A Shrimp Boil is a Lowcountry staple! Made with fresh shrimp, tender potatoes, sweet corn, and smoked andouille sausage in a perfectly seasoned broth, this shrimp boil recipe is is an easy recipe that delivers big flavor!
Looking for more classic southern recipes? Check out my recipes for Southern Succotash, Cheese Grits, and Homemade Cornbread.
My Favorite Lowcountry Recipe
The coast of South Carolina, also referred to as the Lowcountry, is famous for its shrimp. And what better recipe to make with fresh shrimp than a classic shrimp boil? It is the go-to dish for entertaining here with good reason! It is fresh, flavorful, and highlights the shrimp this area is known for.
While most people think of a shrimp boil as a huge production or a complex dish to make at home--that couldn't be further from the truth! This classic lowcountry boil is a one-pot, dump-and-cook recipe that delivers intense flavor.
Happy Cooking! xo Kristen
Recipe Highlights
Shrimp Boil Ingredients
- Shrimp: Unlike my recipe for Instant Pot Shrimp Boil, a classic shrimp boil recipe is designed for fresh shrimp (or defrosted frozen shrimp.) While it is best to use deveined shrimp, you want to leave those shells on--they add flavor to the overall dish.
- Sausage: For the best flavor select beef or pork variety of smoked sausage, kielbasa or andouille sausage.
- Potatoes + Corn: The supporting cast in any good shrimp boil. Use fresh corn on the cob when in season, otherwise frozen corn on the cob will do. For the potatoes, red potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes are best.
- Aromatics: Fresh lemon, bay leaves, garlic, onion, and Old Bay Seasoning will work together to flavor the cooking liquid and the seafood boil.
- Cooking Liquid: For the cooking liquid, I recommend using a combination of water and light lager beer, such as corona. The beer adds light, crisp undertones to the cooking liquid, but if you don't drink alcohol, simply use water.
- Seasoned Butter: Shrimp boils are classically served with melted butter that has seasoned with parsley and additional Old Bay seasoning.
How to Prepare a Classic Shrimp Boil
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the ingredient quantities and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Prepare Cooking Liquid
The key to a really good shrimp boil is to ensure that the cooking liquid is well seasoned. Do this by combining water, beer if using, whole lemons cut in quarters, bay leaves, and Old Bay seasoning in a large pot. You want to bring this mixture a boil, which will allow the water to begin to become infused with the added aromatics.
Add the Key Ingredients Separately
While the shrimp, potatoes, sausage, and corn will ultimately all be boiled together, they need to be added to the boil at various stages to ensure the potatoes are fork-tender and the shrimp remains plump and juicy, rather than overcooked. I have provided very specific timing in the recipe card for perfect results.
Serve Shrimp Boil on Sheet Pan
You may classically see a shrimp boil dumped out on a large table lined with parchment paper, but let's be honest, that is not practical or doable for most of us! Instead it is best to use a slotted spoon to transfer the potatoes, shrimp, sausage, and corn to large rimmed sheet pans.
Finish with Flavor
To take the shrimp boil's flavor up several notches, combine melted butter with additional Old Bay seasoning and fresh minced parsley and then drizzle that over the sheet pans. I also recommend drizzling the cooked shrimp boil with fresh lemon juice or additional lemon wedges and hot sauce on the side.
Shrimp Boil Recipe Variations
- Cajun Shrimp Boil: Replace the Old Bay seasoning with Cajun seasoning. If your Cajun seasoning is unsalted, you will also need to add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt to the cooking liquid as well. For additional kick, use andouille sausage which is inherently spicier than smoked sausage.
- Crawfish Boil: Replace the shrimp with crawfish. It is also customary to use Cajun seasoning when using crawfish a well.
More Delicious Shrimp Recipes
- Shrimp Lo Mein
- Bang Bang Shrimp
- Shrimp Scampi Pasta
- Shrimp Tacos
- Air Fryer Shrimp
- Grilled Shrimp Skewers
- Shrimp Stir-Fry
- General Tso Shrimp
Shrimp Boil
Video
Ingredients
- 8 cups water
- 2 large lemons, used in 2 steps*
- 12 ounces pale beer, such as Corona
- 4 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning, used in 2 steps*
- 1 large yellow onion, cut into large chunks
- 3 dried bay leaves
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 pound small red potatoes, cut in half
- 1 pound smoked sausage, kielbasa, or andouille sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 ears sweet corn, husks removed and each cut into 4 pieces
- 2 pounds large jumbo shrimp, deveined with shells and tails
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning, used in 2 steps*
- 2 large lemons, used in 2 steps*
Instructions
- Add 8 cups water, 12 ounces pale beer, 4 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning, 1 large yellow onion (chunked), 3 dried bay leaves, and 4 cloves garlic (peeled) to a large stock pot. Cut 2 large lemons into quarters and add to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Once boiling, add 1 pound small red potatoes(halved) to the boiling liquid and cook for 8-10 minutes or until just barely fork-tender.
- After 8-10 minutes, add the 1 pound smoked sausage, kielbasa, or andouille sausage (cut into 1-inch pieces) and 4 ears sweet corn (husked and cut into 4 pieces each) to the stock pot. Cook for 6 minutes.
- After 6 minutes, add 2 pounds large jumbo shrimp and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes or until bright pink/reddish in color and the potatoes are tender.
- Remove the mixture from the heat, and use a slotted spoon or colander to drain off the cooking liquid, transferring the shrimp, onions, potatoes, corn, and sausage, to one or two large rimmed baking sheets.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt ½ cup unsalted butter. Add 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley and 1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning to the melted butter and whisk well. Drizzle half of the butter mixture evenly over the sheet pans with the shrimp boil and gently toss to coat.
- Serve immediately with the remaining butter mixture, lemon wedges (from 2 large lemons), chopped parsley, and hot sauce on the side if desired.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was amazing. I have never made a “southern boil” meal before. But will definitely be doing it again. Super easy & delicious.
Love hearing you enjoyed, Kimberly! Thank you for taking the time to comment and leave a review--I appreciate it!
Very good
Super simple
But I added an extra can of beer (not enough liquid in my pot)
This was easy to make and super yummy! thanks!!!
You bet! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review 🙂
Did this for dinner and it was so fun and interactive. We truly loved it and will be doing again soon.
Thanks, Gayle! I love how interactive a shrimp boil is myself. I hope you enjoy many times over.
This shrimp boil was so delicious and simple to make! Cannot wait to make this again!
I am thrilled to hear you gave this Shrimp Boil recipe a try! Thanks for sharing your review as well.