Old Bay Shrimp Boil
When it comes to summer meals that are fun, flavorful, and feed a crowd, nothing beats a classic shrimp boil! This one-pot dish brings together juicy shrimp, baby potatoes, sweet corn, and smoky sausage for a meal that’s casual, yet festive, and perfect for outdoor gatherings or easy weeknights.
No fuss, just fun! 🍤🌽🥔
Made with simple ingredients and plenty of Old Bay flavor, this easy shrimp boil recipe is a summer favorite. Serve with melted butter, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a cold beverage, and plenty of napkins!
When my kids were younger, I would put small portions of each component on their plates, instead of serving it all together in a pile. Sometimes they’ve only picked out certain parts, but each year they eat more and more of it. It’s…
🍤 Delicious & flavorful: Juicy shrimp, corn, sausage, and potatoes in every bite. This meal has it all and is seasoned to perfection!
🍋 Bright & bold: Boosted with lemon, garlic, and Old Bay seasoning this meal has layers of flavors.
🧈 Buttery finish: Melted butter with a bit of fresh lemon and Old Bay to take it to the next level.
👨👩👧👦 Family-style meal: Perfect for casual gatherings, weeknight meals, or entertaining.
🕓 Quick & easy: Once you have everything prepped, things come together really quickly.
🌽 Summery vibes: Seasonal ingredients that scream summer, it’s perfect to eat outside.
You’ll also want to try Old Bay steamed shrimp, shrimp kabobs, and shrimp ceviche.
I make this all the time now! It is so easy to make and the flavor is amazing! It has become a fan favorite with family and guests! – Sarah
Ingredient Notes
You’ll need some fresh ingredients and pantry staples to bring this shrimp boil to the table: light beer, Old Bay seasoning, lemons, onion, corn, red potatoes, shrimp, Andouille sausage, butter, and hot sauce if desired.
- Shrimp – Large shrimp or jumbo shrimp are best. Look for peeled and deveined shrimp with the tail on. You can use fresh or frozen, just buy the best you can. I prefer the flavor of wild-caught shrimp and think the extra cost is worth it.
- Andouille sausage – Look for andouille smoked sausage that is already cooked and just requires reheating. Buy the best quality you can.
Emily’s Tips & Tricks
- Pro tip: Once you start dropping ingredients into the boiling liquid, you’ll want to have everything prepped and ready to go as it moves pretty quickly. If you aren’t done prepping everything by the time it’s time to drop potatoes, cover your pot and turn off heat until you have everything prepped. Mise en place (everything in its place) is important for this recipe!
- Feeding kids without pressure: Let kids decide what items they would like, it took us a few years to eat a variety, for many years when my kids were young, one would eat corn and shrimp and one would eat corn and potatoes. 🙂
- Serving variations: While shrimp boils are traditionally served outside on a large table on newspaper, that does not appeal to me! But, you should serve it your way. Dump it on a parchment-lined table for fun, or keep it tidy with a big platter and lemon wedges. Add melted garlic butter for dipping if you’re feeling fancy.
- Additions: Feel free to add in extra seafood! Crab legs, mini lobster tails, and clams would all be delicious.
Old Bay Shrimp Boil Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Boil
- Cuisine: American
Description
This easy shrimp boil is a one-pot summer dinner loaded with shrimp, corn, potatoes, and sausage – seasoned to perfection and perfect for parties.
Ingredients
- 12 oz. light beer or NA beer
- 8 cups water
- 2 Tbsp. Old Bay seasoning + more for serving
- 2 lemons
- 1 white onion, peeled and quartered
- 4 ears corn, peeled and cut in half
- 1 lb. baby red potatoes, washed and cut in half
- 1 lb. raw shrimp, thawed (tail-on shrimp peeled and deveined )
- 12 oz. smoked andouille sausage, cut in 2″ pieces
- 1/4 cup butter
Instructions
- Fill a large stock pot with beer, water, and 2 tablespoons Old Bay. Slice one lemon in half and squeeze both sides into the pot. Place lemon halves in the pot after you squeeze them. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Add potatoes and cook for about 4 minutes.
- Add sausage and onion, cook for 5 minutes.
- Add corn and cook for another 5 minutes, or until corn and potatoes are tender.
- Add shrimp and cook for about 1-3 minutes, until it turns pink and is cooked through.
- While shrimp boil is cooking, melt together butter and juice from remaining lemon. Season lemon butter with a sprinkle of old bay.
- Drain shrimp boil over a colander and transfer to a large platter. Serve with lemon butter sauce and additional Old Bay for sprinkling.
Notes
- Storage: Store the cooked shrimp boil ingredients (not the lemon butter) in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat in a hot skillet (preferred method) until just heated through. Shrimp is not the best reheated, so I recommend heating everything else first and then adding the shrimp at the last minute so it doesn’t get too rubbery.
- Ingredient notes: Use raw, deveined shrimp (tail-on is best) and buy the largest you can. You can use kielbasa if you can’t get Andouille, which is more traditional.
- Prep ahead: Cut sausage and potatoes, and shuck corn ahead of time to save minutes at dinner.
- Special tools: You’ll need a large stockpot or Dutch oven to fit everything.
- Serve with: Crusty bread, cucumber salad, tomato salad, or fresh watermelon.
- Get your kids involved! They can: add water and Old Bay to the pot, peel corn, wash potatoes, carefully cut sausage (with a kid-safe knife).
Serving Suggestions
Cold beer! Ha! This is a meal-in-a-pot, so sides aren’t really necessary. If you’re stretching it out for a crowd or serving it with a party, here are some great summer sides:
FAQs
Because this is also made with potatoes, corn, and sausage, you don’t need as much shrimp as you might if it were the only main protein. I would generally recommend 1/4 pound of shrimp per person.
Yes, you can really use any type of crustaceans for shrimp fests! Crab legs, clams, crawfish, and lobster also work well, but cooking time may need to be adjusted.
Traditionally, low country shrimp boils are served outside on a picnic table topped with newspaper or paper bags. If that feels like a lot for a weeknight dinner (hi, me too) you can serve it on plates – inside or out.
Yes, while it works great for outdoor burners or kitchens, it’s doable inside as well. If you’re cooking for a large crowd, you may want to cook in separate pots, just to keep things easy!
About the Author
Emily Dingmann is a recipe developer, nutrition expert, and founder of My Everyday Table. She specializes in creating easy, healthy recipes that help busy parents feed their families well every single day, without the stress. With a degree in Nutrition and over 20 years of experience, Emily shares family-friendly meals that are practical, nourishing, and full of flavor. Learn more about Emily’s approach to everyday cooking and nutrition here.
Food styling and photography by Loren Runion.
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Everyone finds things they like in this meal!
I make this a few times in the summer, so good!
A summer classic! 🙂
This was such a fun meal and delish! We’ll definitely make it again.
I followed the recipe exactly and it came out incredibly bland.. It tasted like normal corn, potatoes, sausage, and shrimp with no seasoning. I had to put SEVERAL more tablespoons of seasoning on top at the end to add some sort of flavor. My potatoes also got too mushy and were nearly falling apart. 🙁
So sorry it turned out that way for you, Ally. I adjusted the cooking time to ensure the potatoes aren’t over-cooked. I do recommend serving it with the lemon butter and extra Old Bay to taste.
I make this all the time now! It is so easy to make and the flavor is amazing! It has become a fan favorite with family and guests!
Thank you, Sarah! So glad you and your fam love it! <3
We love this meal in the summer!
It is my favorite in the summer too! When the sweet corn is perfect 🙂