Onion Boil Cajun Shrimp Sausage (Print View)

Southern-style boil featuring shrimp, sausage, potatoes, corn, and onions in fragrant Cajun spices.

# Components:

→ Seafood

01 - 2 lbs large raw shrimp, shell-on, deveined

→ Meats

02 - 1 lb andouille sausage or smoked sausage, sliced into 1-inch pieces

→ Vegetables

03 - 2 large yellow onions, quartered
04 - 4 ears corn, cut into thirds
05 - 1.5 lbs small red potatoes, halved

→ Seasoning & Aromatics

06 - 4 cloves garlic, smashed
07 - 1 lemon, halved
08 - 1/4 cup Cajun seasoning
09 - 2 bay leaves
10 - 1 tbsp kosher salt
11 - 1 tsp black peppercorns

→ To Serve

12 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
13 - Fresh parsley, chopped
14 - Lemon wedges

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Fill a large stockpot with 4 quarts of water. Add quartered onions, smashed garlic, lemon halves (squeezed into the water and then dropped in), Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, kosher salt, and black peppercorns. Bring to a boil over high heat.
02 - Add potatoes to the boiling liquid and cook for 15 minutes, until just beginning to soften.
03 - Add corn pieces and sliced sausage to the pot. Boil for 10 more minutes.
04 - Add shrimp to the boiling liquid and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until shrimp are pink and just cooked through.
05 - Drain the entire mixture through a large colander. Discard bay leaves and lemon halves.
06 - Spread the drained mixture onto a newspaper-lined table or large serving platter. Drizzle generously with melted butter and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pot, which means minimal cleanup after a meal that feeds six hungry people.
  • The flavor builds naturally as the water becomes infused with garlic, lemon, and Cajun spices, creating a broth so good you'll want to soak bread in it.
  • It's forgiving enough for weeknight cooking but impressive enough to serve at a casual dinner party.
02 -
  • Shrimp cook so quickly that the difference between perfectly cooked and rubbery is literally about sixty seconds, so have your timer set and don't walk away once they hit the water.
  • The broth is liquid gold—save it in containers in the freezer and use it as a base for seafood gumbo or a rich broth for rice, because throwing it away is like leaving money on the table.
03 -
  • For heat lovers, add one to two teaspoons of cayenne pepper with the Cajun seasoning, but remember you can always add more heat and never take it away.
  • Kielbasa makes a worthy substitute for andouille if that's what you have on hand, though you'll lose some of the signature smokiness.
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