Restaurant Style Seafood Boil Bag

Learn how to make a restaurant style seafood boil bag in just 30 minutes with this quick and easy recipe. Heat resistant bags are filled with juicy crab legs, shrimp, crawfish, potatoes, corn, and more, then drenched in a mouthwatering cajun butter seafood boil sauce. Serve at your next gathering for a crowd-pleasing meal!

For more delicious seafood recipes, check out the fan favorite Garlic Butter Seafood Boil, Shrimp Boil with Garlic Butter Sauce, and this 10 Minute Juicy Lobster Tail recipe.

Jump to:

• Why you Will Love This Seafood Boil Bag Recipe:
• What is a Seafood Boil Bag?
• Ingredients you need:
• How to Defrost Seafood
• How to Make Seafood Boil in a Bag:
• Pro-Tips:
• Storing Leftovers:
• FAQ:
• More Seafood Recipes to Try
• 📖 Recipe
• Be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook when you make this recipe! I would love to see your creation, and give you a shoutout!

The seafood boil bag is a convenient way to cook individual servings of delicious, flavorful seafood. Succulent crab legs, crawfish, and shrimp are baked with tender potatoes, corn and andouille sausage. Everything is coated with a homemade cajun butter seafood boil sauce to ensure this meal is finger-lickin' good!

Grab the bibs and set the newspaper-covered table so you can get ready for the best seafood boil bag recipe!

Why you Will Love This Seafood Boil Bag Recipe:

Super Flavorful! The base of all the flavor is a bold, zesty crab boil sauce enhanced with Old Bay seasoning, cajun seasoning, fresh lemon, sweet chili sauce, and plenty of butter. Luckily, everyone gets their own bag to devour!

Perfect for Parties! Whether you are hosting a summer seafood boil in your backyard or just want to treat loved ones to a fun family dinner, this seafood potluck is perfect for any gathering.

Quick and Easy! With just 15 minutes of prep work and 15 minutes in the oven, you have never had a fresh seafood feast ready this fast! And the clean up after the meal is a breeze!

What is a Seafood Boil Bag?

A regular seafood boil recipe is a one pot dish of shellfish cooked with a variety of spices and vegetables in a flavorful broth. A seafood boil bag is a similar concept but everything is cooked in heat resistant nylon oven bags in the oven, on the grill, or in a large stockpot of boiling water on the stove.

When I go to get my favorite seafood boil bag near me, it comes out in a puffed up oven bag, full of delicious seafood. The best part is the dipping sauces the seafood is drenched in!

Ingredients you need:

• Snow crab: As sweet as it is savory, snow crabs taste similar to lobster, although they are cheaper and more flaky. They are also more affordable than king crabs.
• Large Shrimp: Clean, peel, and devein jumbo shrimp before cooking.
• Crawfish: A delicious cross between lobster and shrimp.
• Andouille sausage: Smoked sausage is a key ingredient. Use beef sausage if you do not eat pork.
• Baby Red potatoes: These cook faster than most potatoes so they are perfect for a meal made in just 30 minutes.
• Corn on the cob: This adds sweetness and a bit of texture from the crunch. Shuck the corn ahead of time. You can use fresh or frozen corn, cooking instructions are the same.
• Large Eggs: Boiled (optional but recommended).
• Seasoning: I use Old Bay seasoning, garlic powder, and cajun seasoning.

Seafood Boil Sauce

• Butter: Use unsalted butter to control the sodium. Melted butter is the base for the crab boil sauce.
• Olive oil: For a velvety smooth texture.
• Onion: Thinly sliced.
• Garlic: Fesh garlic cloves make such a difference. Add them diced.
• Lemon: Citrus works well with seafood. Lemon juice adds the perfect balance to this seafood boil bag recipe too.
• Chicken broth or Vegetable broth: You can use water instead but a broth adds so much flavor.
• Seasoning: For a savory flavor with a hint of sweetness and a kick of spice, I season the sauce with Old Bay seasoning, paprika, chili powder, cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper (more or less for spice), red pepper flakes (more or less for spice), and lemon pepper seasoning.
• Sweet Chili sauce: This adds a depth of flavor that is unexpected but so welcome!

How to Defrost Seafood

You can use frozen seafood for this recipe. Defrost the crab legs, shrimp, and crawfish prior to cooking. 

Defrost them in the refrigerator overnight. Alternatively, quickly defrost by placing the snow crab legs, shrimp, and crawfish in a large bowl (or separate bowls if desired), and run room temperature water over them. Allow them to sit for 10-15 minutes.

How to Make Seafood Boil in a Bag:

Cook Potatoes and Corn

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Add the old bay seasoning, Cajun seasoning, and garlic powder into the water.

Once the water is boiling, add in the potatoes and corn. Cook them for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender. 

Boil Eggs

If you are adding boiled eggs, add them to the boiling water for the last 7 minutes. Remove everything from the water and set aside.

Make Seafood Boil Sauce

While the potatoes and corn are cooking, make the seafood boil sauce. Melt one stick of butter and olive oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add the sliced or chopped onions and sauté them until they become translucent, about 5-7 minutes.

Stir in the garlic and saute for 30 seconds to one minute, be sure to stir constantly so the garlic doesn't burn. Add juice of the lemon, and all of the seasonings. Adjust cayenne and red pepper to your level of desired spiciness.

If using additional butter, add the additional sticks now (see notes above about healthier options).

Pour in the chicken broth, vegetable broth, or water now (choose either-or, not all three). Simmer the sauce until the butter is melted and the sauce reduces a bit, about 10 minutes.

Prepare Seafood Boil Bags

Assemble the seafood bags on a baking sheet that is large enough to hold all 6 bags.

Cut the sausage up into thin slices. Add some of the sausage, one cluster of crab, a handful of shrimp, and some of the crawfish into each bag. 

Next, add two potatoes, and a corn on the cob to each seafood boil bag. 

Pour about ¼ cup of sauce into each bag, and close tightly with the ties that come with the oven bags. There should be some sauce left over for serving. 

Place the baking sheet in the oven, and bake the seafood for 15 minutes.  

Peel the boiled eggs and set them aside. Remove the seafood bags from the oven. Once they are cool enough to handle, remove the zip tie. 

Add a boiled egg to each seafood boil bag. Sprinkle some Cajun seasoning and garlic powder over the seafood (if desired). 

Serve the remaining cajun seafood boil sauce in small bowls to dip the seafood in. And finally, enjoy!

Pro-Tips:

• For even more shellfish, add mussels and lobster tails.
• Do not use regular plastic bags or Ziploc bags for seafood boil bags. Use large oven bags. They are thick, sturdy, and can withstand high heat up to 400°F.
• When serving, have lime and lemon wedges on hand.

Storing Leftovers:

Store leftover seafood boil bags in the fridge for up to 2 days. These do not freeze well.

FAQ:

How do you reheat a seafood boil bag?

Place the seafood boil bag on a baking sheet in an oven preheated to 325°F until warmed through.

Alternatively, you can take the seafood out of the bags and heat it up in the microwave for up to one minute.

Can I use frozen seafood to make a seafood boil bag?

Absolutely! I strongly recommend using frozen seafood for this recipe because it was frozen at peak freshness. Fresh seafood that you get at the market (the variety you see on ice) is actually frozen seafood that has been defrosted.

Why does seafood boil come in a bag?

The benefit of placing seafood boil in a bag is convenience. It is a great way to ensure everyone has their own individual serving of food.

Tightly wrapping the ingredients in a sealed bag locks in moisture and succulent for longer. Additionally, it is easier to clean up when the meal is done.

More Seafood Recipes to Try

• Grilled King Crab Legs
• Garlic Butter Seafood Boil Sauce
• Lemon Butter Baked Cod
• Cajun Pasta with Salmon
• Mofongo Recipe with Sautéed Shrimp

Be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook when you make this recipe! I would love to see your creation, and give you a shoutout!