Garlic Butter Cajun Seafood Boil Sauce
Garlic Butter Seafood Boil Sauce made with butter, garlic, onions, and lots of herbs and spices! The perfect sauce to dip or drench all of that delicious seafood in.
Check out this Garlic Butter Seafood Boil recipe, as well as this Shrimp Boil with Garlic Butter Sauce while you’re here!
Seafood boils are already epic in and of themselves; but this sauce though! This sauce is EVERYTHING! Check out all of the rave reviews for yourself on this post: Garlic Butter Seafood Boil.
Why you will love this seafood sauce recipe
Easy! You will have this sauce ready in a matter of minutes. It calls for simple ingredients that you most likely have in your pantry.
Out of all of the seafood boil recipes you will try, this sauce is definitely the easiest!
Delicious! This will easily become your go-to sauce for all of your cooked seafood and seafood dishes! It is hands down THE BEST seafood sauce.
Simple ingredients! The best part about this seafood boil sauce recipe is that it calls for simple ingredients such as unsalted butter, chicken broth, brown sugar, and other cajun seasonings.
Rave reviews about this Seafood Sauce Recipe
“I’ve had seafood boil before at family’s houses and restaurants but this … oh my goshhh, it was so delicious. His mother had crab legs before but just plain and no sauce and she absolutely loved this recipe, so did my boyfriend !!”
Ingredients you need for the seafood sauce
- Butter: Use unsalted butter so that the dipping sauce is not too salty after adding the other seasonings.
- Garlic: minced garlic is a key ingredient in this crab boil sauce!
- Onion: although it’s optional, you will LOVE the addition of sliced or minced onion in your cajun seafood boil sauce! Saute the onion in olive oil and butter to get them nice and tender.
- Chicken Broth: You can definitely use vegetable broth or even water in place if you need to.
- Lemon: fresh lemon juice adds that pop of acidity and freshness to the crab boil sauce that you will love!
- Seasonings: Lemon pepper, garlic powder, paprika, Old Bay seasoning, Cayenne pepper, Red pepper flakes are some of the main ingredients
- Sauces: grab some worcestershire sauce, some hot sauce, and even some sweet chili sauce if you want a little razzle dazzle!
How to prepare the cajun seafood boil sauce:
Gather all of the ingredients you need to help make it easier. Either thinly slice the onion, or chop it. Melt the stick of butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
Add the sliced onion to the pan and saute for 5 minutes, or until it is translucent.
After the onion is translucent, add the minced garlic to the pan. Saute the garlic for 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring often so that it does not burn.
Now add the fresh lemon juice to the skillet. Use a lemon juicer if you have one available- to avoid getting seeds in the sauce.
Sprinkle in the old bay seasoning, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, cajun seasoning, and the other seasoning in the recipe card.
Add additional butter (if desired, see next section), and chicken broth or water. Using the sweet chili sauce is optional (but recommended). It offers a sort of sweet heat for the sauce.
Add additional melted butter (if desired, see next section), and chicken broth or water, and a dash of hot sauce. Using the sweet chili sauce is optional (but recommended). It offers a sort of sweet heat for the sauce.
Stir the seafood boil sauce well so everything is combined. Then simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes so the sauce can thicken.
How to make seafood boil sauce recipe healthier:
To achieve a somewhat healthier, or less fatty sauce, use less butter! One stick is definitely recommended. Instead of all four sticks of butter though, just use one.
Add chicken broth, vegetable broth, or water in place of the additional butter.
Use two cups of chicken or vegetable broth, and two cups of water. Or all four cups of water, or vegetable or chicken broth.
The flavor of the sauce is still amazing. With all of the seasonings and spices, it’s super flavorful. Once you simmer it for at least 10 minutes, it will begin to thicken up as well.
Is this seafood dipping sauce spicy
For spicy sauce, use the full amount of cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes. If no spice or less spice is desired, definitely decrease or omit these seasonings.
You can cut down on the amount of cajun seasoning you use as well. Definitely adjust the seasonings to your satisfaction! If you add the brown sugar or sweet chili sauce, it cuts down on a bit of the spiciness.
Can I make the sauce ahead of time?
Absolutely! Make the sauce a day or two ahead of time if desired. Let the sauce cool down completely, and place it in an airtight container or jar.
Store the sauce in the refrigerator for up to one week. The sauce can also be placed in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat it, just pop-it in the microwave and heat it up until it is warm.
What to do with leftover Garlic Butter Sauce:
As mentioned above, let the sauce cool down completely and place it in an airtight container or jar, and store it in the refrigerator. The sauce an be stored in the fridge for up to one week.
Additionally, sauce can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Leftover sauce always tastes SO much better! Grab it out of the refrigerator or freezer, and heat it up in the microwave or in a saucepan over medium heat.
What to eat with seafood dipping sauce
Use this cajun seafood sauce recipe to eat with your crawfish boil! Or you can eat the sauce with king crab legs, shrimp, and lobster tails. You should definitely make enough to pour all over a your seafood boil too!
It has the most perfect flavor to dip any of your cooked seafood in, or even vegetables!
Garlic Butter Seafood Boil Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 sticks Butter, unsalted (3 sticks optional read post and see notes below)
- 1/4 cup Olive oil
- 1 whole Onion, diced
- 3 tablespoons Garlic, diced
- 1 Lemon, juiced
- 4 cups Chicken or Vegetable broth or water
- 3 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
- 3 tablespoons Paprika
- 2 tablespoons Chili powder
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon Red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon Lemon pepper seasoning, (optional depending on fresh lemon juice)
- 1-2 dashes Tobasco sauce
- 2 tablespoons Sweet chili sauce, optional
Instructions
- 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 option).
- 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.
- Pour over your favorite seafood and/or reserve some for dipping.
Yum
Absolutely delicious!!
This sauce is sooo good and It comes together so easily. I made shrimp and grits and covered it with this sauce. It was amazing!
This sauce is perfect and right on time for our summer seafood boils! I’ve already made a jar for this weekend.
This sauce is perfect and right on time for our summer seafood boils! I’ve already made a jar for this weekend.
It is definitely great for seafood boils!
I can put this sauce on anything! I boiled some snow crab last weekend, and this sauce gave it so much flavor. So good!
I can put this sauce on anything! I boiled some snow crab last weekend, and this sauce gave it so much flavor. So good!
That’s our favorite way to eat it too! Thanks for the review.
I see seafood boils all over the internet and I’ve been meaning to make one myself so this recipe is right on time! I am planning to serve this on the weekend and can’t wait. Thanks for sharing.
I once tried to mimic a seafood butter sauce from a local restaurant and I failed miserably – don’t ask me how! Your recipe took all of the guesswork out and it was so delicious! It’s definitely my go-to now! Thanks for sharing!
That’s so good to hear. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Yesss that’s what I wanted as well. I wanted it to taste like the restaurant sauce and it DOES! I’m so happy I can make this simple sauce at home with ingredients that I already have in my pantry!
This sauce was so amazing I dipped some shrimp, fish and chicken into too. Delectable!
Thanks for stopping by, I’m so happy you enjoyed it.
My new favorite way to make seafood!!
I made this sauce for shrimp boil packets this weekend, and we are hooked! I can’t believe how amazing the flavor was!
Yay! I am so happy you all enjoyed it!
We made this over memorial day weekend and it was such a hit! This sauce was Finger licking good!!
Thank you Britney!
I love seafood and this is the best to dip or cook in!! Don’t buy the premade stuff this is better!
I will certainly be saving some cash with this recipe. It was the perfect pairing to our crab legs and I’m sure it will be great with other shellfish. Thanks for sharing!
Yes, we have to save all of our coins! Especially when we can make it better at home! Thank you.
This sauce tasted just like the sauce we had at a restaurant crab boil! We made it for my sons 10th birthday. He loved it, my husband loved it and everybody loved it. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe!
Sauce came out perfect. This has made My favorite Crab place lose money. No need to buy put when I can get same flavor sauce.
Ty So Much…????
Brina!!! You just made my day, thank you so much for trying it, and for the review!
I cannot wait to try this recipe it sounds delicious my birthday is this Friday and I want seafood for my day I will definitely follow up and let you know how it turned out thanks for sharing.
Hey there! Happy early birthday! Yes I would love to hear how it went. Thanks for stopping by!
It’s always tricky breaking crab legs but your tips were very helpful! I followed every detail of this recipe and it resulted in the most delicious crab legs every. Thanks!
This was my first time making crab legs and I was nervous, but your instructions and video were so helpful! They were SOO delicious!
So I’ve been intimidated to prepare king crab legs at home for a long time but I found some on sale and decided to give this a try. The instructions on how to break down the crab legs were super helpful and now I feel confident doing that. But let’s talk about this garlic butter sauce – AMAZING. Next time will get twice as much crab. It’s that good.