Cajun Seafood Boil in a Bag

If you’re looking for an inspired seafood dinner that is easy to make and incredibly flavorful, our Cajun seafood boil in a bag recipe is the perfect solution. The snow crab legs, shrimp, smoked sausage, boiled eggs, corn on the cob and red potatoes are seasoned to perfection and baked together in one bag in the oven and served with a rich and zesty butter sauce for dipping.

Why We Love This Recipe

This dish is truly a unique take on a traditional seafood boil if you’re wanting to switch it up and make something special that everyone will love. If you have picky eaters in your family then make this dish fun and customizable by letting everyone build their own bag (BYOB)! Not only is this meal more flavorful than a large pot seafood boil but it’s also extremely simple to prepare – just drop everything into a single bag, bake and voila – dinner is ready! And did we mention the easy cleanup?!?

What is a seafood boil?

A seafood boil is traditionally a one pot dish featuring a variety of ingredients such as shrimp, crab, lobster tails, clams, mussels and other fresh shellfish cooked together with spices, vegetables and other seasonings.

Seafood boils are especially popular in coastal regions where fresh seafood is bountiful. The process begins by bringing the pot of liquid to a rolling boil, adding the seafood in layers according to recommended cooking times so that each ingredient cooks evenly. After the desired length of time, the seafood is removed from the heat and served immediately with accompaniments such as lemon and butter sauce.

What type of bag should I use to make the seafood boil?

The best type of oven bag to use for making a seafood boil would be a heavy-duty turkey-sized oven bag. This plastic bag is designed to withstand high temperatures, up to 400°F, and is made of strong, high-quality material that can hold the weight and moisture of a seafood boil. We use Reynolds oven bags. If you’d like to do a Build Your Own Bag, be sure to get an oven bag for each person.

What Dipping Sauce Should I Use with this Cajun Seafood Boil?

You can simply use clarified butter as your dipping sauce but we suggest going for something with a bit more flavor. For this seafood boil, we created a copycat recipe for BlovesLife’s Smackalicious Seafood Boil Sauce. Its rich and zesty flavor will add a special touch to your dish.

Ingredients Needed for a Seafood Boil in a Bag

See recipe card for exact measurements.

• frozen or fresh crab legs – We went with snow crabs this time around because they were on sale. Our favorite is King Crab Legs but we all know how expensive they can be.
• frozen or fresh shrimp – Large (16-20) shrimp. Peeled and deveined. Leaving the shell on is up to you.
• vegetable base – For boiling the potatoes and corn. We use the base by Better Than Bouillon. So much flavor! You can also use the roasted chicken base if desired.
• sweet corn on the cob
• whole eggs
• andouille sausage – This spicy sausage is one of the ingredients that make this dish Cajun.
• red potatoes – Any waxy potato will do.
• lemon juice – Freshly squeezed.
• old bay seasoning
• Cajun seasoning – Adds additional Cajun flavor.
• paprika
• fresh parsley – For baking and garnishing.
• fresh garlic cloves
• melted butter
• bay leaves

How to Make a Seafood Boil in a Bag

Preheat oven to 375 F. Rinse potatoes and crab legs. Devein shrimp if needed. Peel the shell if desired.

Parboil the Veggies: In a large pot or Dutch oven with 12 cups of water and vegetable base bouillon, boil potatoes for 15 minutes. Add ears of corn to the boiling water. Continue boiling until potatoes are fork tender, about ten more minutes.

Boil the Eggs: Fill a saucepan a quarter of the way with cold water. Place the eggs in a single layer at the bottom of the saucepan. Add more water so that the eggs are covered by at least two inches of water. Bring to a rolling boil. Turn off heat, cover and let sit for 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water to cool. Deshell once cooled.

Brown the Sausage: Slice andouille sausage in 1/2″ – 1″ pieces diagonally. In a skillet over medium-high heat, add sliced sausage and cook until slightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Season the Crab Legs: Spread softened butter over the body of each crab leg. Season with old bay over the butter.

Fill the Bag: Place bag in a large bowl to stabilize while filling. To the bag add corn, potatoes, eggs, crab legs (claws pointing center so the bag doesn’t pierce), raw shrimp and sausage. Add bay leaves, garlic cloves, lemon juice, melted butter, old bay, creole seasoning and paprika.

Bake the Seafood: Tie a knot and shake bag to distribute seasoning. Place on a sheet pan and bake for 25 minutes. Be sure the bag does not touch the top of the oven. It make stick and burn.

Serve: Remove baking sheet from oven and open up the bag to let out the steam. Place contents on a dish before serving. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges and Bloveslife Smackilicious sauce. 

What to Serve with a Seafood Boil Bag

A seafood boil is best served with a selection of simple side dishes that complement the flavors in the dish, such as coleslaw, potato salad and crusty garlic bread. In addition to the butter sauce, you can also serve with tartar sauce, hot sauce or cocktail sauce for dipping. For drinks, iced tea or lemonade are great options that pair nicely with a seafood boil.

See our guide on how to reheat your leftover seafood boils.

Seafood Boil in a Bag Benefits in Comparison to Traditional Seafood Boils

Easier to Prepare: When it comes to seafood boils, this recipe offers a lot of advantages over a regular seafood boil. For starters, it is much easier to prepare. There is no need for the tedious process of boiling the shellfish and other ingredients in a large stockpot of heavily salted water for hours. Instead, all of the ingredients can be cooked together in an oven bag. This makes it easier on both the cook and the clean up crew as well!

More Flavor: The flavors also come out much better when cooking with this recipe. The combination of flavors from all of the different ingredients enhances each component without making any one ingredient overpowering or bland. Additionally, because all of the components are cooked together, they don’t have to compete with each other for flavor. This ensures that your dish will turn out with a lot of flavor and balanced every time.

Healthier: Finally, this recipe offers health benefits over traditional seafood boils as well. The cooking process helps preserve more vitamins and minerals than longer boiling times do, ensuring that you get more nutrition along with deliciousness!

So there you have it: a delicious and easy Cajun seafood boil recipe that is an impressive meal that is sure to be a hit! This unique twist on the traditional seafood boil provides an enjoyable experience for all, offering lots of flavor with minimal cooking time. Best of all, this dish can be customized to suit everyone’s tastes – so don’t hesitate to experiment and tweak things here and there. All in all, when it comes to an easy recipe and delicious meal, this seafood boil in a bag recipe is an absolute winner! Try it out next chance you get – we guarantee you won’t regret it!