This seafood boil contains fresh shrimp, lobster, clams, crab, potatoes, corn and sausage, all boiled in a flavorful broth. An impressive meal in one pot that’s perfect for feeding a crowd!
Fresh seafood never fails to delight, and when I’m really looking for a show stopping recipe I make bacon wrapped scallops, garlic butter shrimp or this fantastic seafood boil.
When I’m looking to enjoy some fresh shellfish, I often end up making a mixed seafood boil. It’s a great option because everything gets tossed into one pot, it’s fun to eat, and of course, it’s loaded with tons of flavor! It’s also a great way to make more expensive ingredients like lobster and crab stretch further, since they’re combined with less expensive items like corn and potatoes.
HOW DO YOU MAKE A SEAFOOD BOIL?
This recipe contains shrimp, lobster, crab, clams, potatoes, corn and sausage. All of the ingredients are boiled in a seasoned broth, then tossed in a little butter. Add a sprinkling of parsley and some lemon wedges, and dinner is served.
TIPS FOR SEAFOOD BOIL
- I recommend buying the biggest shrimp you can find for this recipe. I use 16-20 count jumbo shrimp.
- I used Maine lobster tails and Dungeness crab legs, but you can use other varieties including spiny lobster tail, snow crab or king crab.
- Fresh corn on the cob tastes best in this recipe – you can use white, yellow or bi-color corn.
- I use small Yukon gold potatoes, but red potatoes are also a great choice.
- You can use kielbasa or Andouille sausage. Andouille sausage can be a bit spicy, so I’d recommend using that variety if you prefer a little heat.
- The types of seafood listed in the recipe are just a suggestion – you can use other types such as mussels, scallops or even chunks of firm fish such as swordfish.
- Make sure you discard any clams that haven’t opened up before you serve your boil.
- I recommend serving your boil immediately, as seafood is highly perishable and tastes best when freshly cooked.
- You can use shell-on or peeled shrimp. I personally prefer peeled shrimp because they’re easier to eat.
HOW LONG TO BOIL SEAFOOD
The seafood ingredients in this recipe cook at different rates, so you’ll want to put the longest cooking items in the boil first, then add the others later on.
- Lobster: 8-12 minutes
- Clams: 5-10 minutes
- Crab: 6-8 minutes for pre-cooked crab, 20 minutes for raw crab
- Shrimp: 2-3 minutes
WHAT TO SERVE WITH SEAFOOD BOIL
A seafood boil can be served as-is, but some people prefer to add more side dishes to round out the meal. Some great options include a green salad, french or sourdough bread, coleslaw, or potato salad. I typically keep things simple with a loaf of garlic bread and sometimes a green veggie such as zucchini, asparagus or green beans.
You just can’t go wrong with a mixed boil, especially when you’re entertaining. The tender seafood pairs so well with the creamy potatoes, smoky sausage and sweet corn. Everyone will be coming back for more!
OTHER GREAT SEAFOOD RECIPES
Seafood Boil
Ingredients
- 3 lemons divided use
- 1/2 cup Old Bay seasoning plus more for garnish
- 8 cloves garlic smashed
- 1 onion peeled and cut into 6 pieces
- 1 pound small Yukon gold potatoes halved
- 4 ears corn on the cob cut into 3-4 inch pieces
- 3 lobster tails
- 1 pound clams scrubbed
- 1 pound crab legs pre-cooked
- 1 pound smoked sausage cut into 1 inch pieces, kielbasa or andouille are preferred
- 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined (leave tails on)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Cut 2 of the lemons into quarters. Slice the remaining lemon into wedges and reserve the wedges for garnish.
- Fill a large pot with 14-16 cups of water. Place the 2 quartered lemons in the water along with the Old Bay seasoning, garlic and onion. Bring to a boil.
- Add the potatoes to the pot and cook for 8 minutes.
- Add the lobster tails and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the clams, crab, and corn, and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the shrimp and sausage and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Drain the seafood mixture from the pot, reserving 1 cup of the broth.
- Melt the butter in a small bowl and whisk it into the reserved broth. Pour the broth over the seafood mixture.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges. Sprinkle with additional Old Bay seasoning to taste, then serve immediately.
This looks delicious! It’ll be my first time attempting a lobster/crab recipe. Can you use frozen or should they be thawed?
It’s better if they’re thawed!
This was delicious! Added scallops in with the shrimp and cooked two whole (frozen) lobsters instead of the three tails because that’s what the store had, the tails were cooked really well I think. Flavors were good, will definitely make again, thx for the recipe!
Have made this once for my husband and myself. We have sang is praises so much I’ll be making it for our daughter this evening. She is home from London for the first time in almost two years due to the pandemic and this was one of two requests she had for her visit . The recipe sounds intimidating but it’s really easy. You need to have all ingredients lined up and ready because once you start things go very fast. Delicious!!!
What size pot does this recipe fit in?
I use a 10 or 12 quart pot!
16 or bigger if you eat like we do lol
Sounds delicious! I’ve always wanted to try this! When adding ingredients to the boiling water, do you start the timer immediately or when the water comes back to a boil?
Start the timer right away!
Has anyone tried adding wine or beer to the boil? If so, how did it turn out and do you have any recommendations? Thanks! Excited to try this next week!
What size lobster tails do you use?
6-8 ounce tails!
Today is my third time making this recipe. I have added a pilsner beer twice to the cooking water but it’s perfect as is. I add imitation crab during the last minute for my kids as they are too impatient to shell the crab. They like it fine.
I made this last night for my BF and I, and I’m making it again for lunch for my friends and neighbors!!
This was super easy to cook, super fun to eat and a really great way to make more expensive foods stretch with the less expensive potatoes and corn.
~ Anna ~
Came out great. Made no substitutions and everything was cooked perfectly.
This was so delicious! My family absolutely loved it! I’ve made many of your dishes and have enjoyed them all! I made a dipping sauce to go along with this dish. Sautéed onions chopped well, 3 cloves garlic, sautéed with 5 tablespoons butter, teaspoon of Ole Bay, a little hot sauce and a couple teaspoon of paperica.
Can you add eggs, and if so. when is it best to add them?
I’m not sure if that would work, I’d try adding them at the 8 minute mark maybe? Are you talking about making hard boiled eggs with the seafood?
I believe they boil eggs w their seafood boils in the South. I looked at several recipes before deciding to go with yours.
The butter/broth mixture at the end was what set yours apart from the rest for me! 😄👍🏼 Really outstanding!
I’m so excited to make this for my husband for our anniversary, but I’ve never cooked lobster tails! Should I be cutting the tails before I cook them or throw em in as is?
Don’t wanna mess this up! 🙂
I typically just leave them whole!
We can only get imitation crab for this time. Can we add that? When and how long? Thank you!
Imitation crab will not work, I’d just omit the crab!
Thanks for the recipe 😊 Have had seafood boil but never made my own 🤔 Going to give it a shot!!!😁
How big of a pot would you recommend to make this for 30 people?
You want a large enough pot to fit all the seafood with room for the water to circulate, the seafood can just be covered with an inch or two of water.
As you were putting items in do they stay in and you just keep adding everything until all ingredients are in the pot so at the end you have one pot filled with every ingredient I don’t wanna overcook anything?
You just keep adding more items to the pot!
Great thank you!
This turned out amazing! The flavours were perfect amd it looked incredible.
im making double recipe do i double wate and old bay? also (using whole lobsters)
Double the old bay but you don’t need to double the water I’d use 1 1/2 times the amount.
How long do scallops go in for?
2 minutes!
I bought sea scallops but chickened out because I wasn’t sure how long LOL so thank you for your question!
~ Anna ~
Sounds amazing. I can’t wait to make it. Unfortunately my access to fresh seafood is limited. I will be buying frozen.
Any suggestions on letting it thaw or leaving it frozen and how it would affect the cooking times? Thanks!
I’d thaw it in the fridge, it will take 12-24 hours to thaw.