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Super Bowl

Cajun Shrimp Super Boil

by:
January 30, 2025
4 4 out of 5 stars /
4 Ratings4 total ratings /
Cajun Shrimp Super Boil
Photo by Ryan Liebe
  • Prep time 10 minutes
  • Cook time 30 minutes
  • Serves 8
Author Notes

For those craving the vibrant flavors of a Louisiana-style boil but finding themselves far from the source, a Cajun shrimp boil offers a fantastic alternative to its more famous crawfish counterpart. While crawfish boils are a beloved tradition, particularly during crawfish season, they can be challenging to replicate outside of Louisiana due to the availability of fresh crawfish. Shrimp, on the other hand, are readily accessible year-round in most regions, making a shrimp boil a much more practical option. A shrimp boil brings the same spirit to the table, with tender shrimp, flavorful andouille sausage, sweet corn, and perfectly cooked potatoes all mingling in a potent Cajun broth. —César Pérez

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 2 pounds shell-on shrimp
  • 1 pound red potatoes, halved
  • 3 ears of corn, cut into quarters
  • 1 large yellow onion, quartered
  • 2 heads of garlic, cut in half horizontally
  • 2 lemons, halved
  • 2 oranges, halved
  • 1 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/4 cup Slap Ya Mama seasoning (adjust to taste)
  • 1/4 cup Zatarain's Cajun Seasoning (adjust to taste)
  • 3 tablespoons onion powder
  • 3 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 3 bay leaves
  • water (enough to cover ingredients in a large pot)
Directions
  1. Fill the large stockpot with enough water to cover all the ingredients by a few inches. Add the onions, garlic halves, lemons, oranges, bay leaves, peppercorns, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, Slap Ya Mama, and Zatarain's seasoning. Bring the water to a rolling boil.
  2. Add the quartered red potatoes to the boiling water. Cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are almost tender. Add the andouille sausage and continue cooking for another 10 minutes. Add the corn on the cob pieces to the pot. Cook for 5-7 minutes.
  3. Add the shrimp to the pot. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through. Do not overcook the shrimp, as they will become rubbery. use a slotted spoon to transfer the contents of the pot to a large serving platter or table lined with newspaper. You can also toss the boil in a large bowl with melted butter and an extra simple of cajun seasoning for extra flavor.
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César Pérez

Recipe by: César Pérez

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1 Review

cosmiccook
cosmiccook February 6, 2025
Ratios are all off: You'd need at LEAST 5 lbs. of shrimp for 8 people (and more garlic--we eat it in N.O. Unless its corn season, that corn will take a lot longer than 5-7 mins. Do what most New Orleanians do: FROZEN corn "nibblets". Those red 'taters need to be small. Cook the SAUSAGE last as it will get fat/grease all over your other ingredients--not fun for peeling.
As for the shrimp--STEAM don't boil. Its our go-to w shrimp--which we eat at least 2x weekly various ways. sprinkle your spices in both the water and on top the shrimp. We prefer oranges in our crawfish boil--and crawfish aren't yet big, plentiful OR REASONABLY priced yet--mid-march. We can't wait since last year was a bust due to the drought we suffered the prior growing year). If its a large boil, some people throw the shrimp in the pot first since they cook much quicker (and are often over-cooked) and act as appetizers (along w stuffed artichokes).
 

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