Easy Shrimp Boil Recipe
This sheet pan Shrimp Boil bursts with deliciously plump shrimp, juicy corn, perfectly cooked potatoes, and savory sausage without all the fuss. It’s the easiest shrimp boil you’ll ever make, and it’s so incredibly tasty!
We love the ease of a sheet pan dinner like our Salmon and Asparagus or Spatchcock Chicken. It’s easy to prep, simple directions, and fast clean up. Our shrimp boil recipe is quick and easy, but the flavors of butter, old bay seasoning, and lemon juice are unmistakably authentic.

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As the name suggests, a seafood boil is a dish made by boiling the ingredients in a large pot of seasoned liquid. The cook adds each ingredient at the precise time for even cooking, but with our old bay shrimp boil recipe, we’ve cut out the time it takes to babysit the boiling pot without sacrificing flavor.
What is a Shrimp Boil?
A classic shrimp boil is a southern meal and experience all wrapped into one. Ingredients vary slightly by region, but they always include:
- Shrimp or seafood
- Potatoes
- Corn
- Sausage
- Old Bay seasoning
In the Southeast, it’s called a Low Country Boil or Frogmore Stew and it features local fresh-caught shrimp, crab, or crawfish. On the other hand, cajun shrimp boil uses andouille sausage for a spicy kick and sometimes a bit of Zatarain’s.
The seafood, sausage, and vegetables are boiled over an open flame outside in a large stock pot. Then, when the cooking is done, the food is drained and served spread out across a large picnic table that’s been covered in newspaper. Guests gather around a heaping pile of boiled goodies and then chow down using their hands and an occasional napkin.

Shrimp Boil Recipe
Our shrimp boil recipe keeps true to the fun experience without the hassle of cooking, cleaning, and serving. We parboil the potatoes and corn, then cover everything in an irresistible coating of Old Bay, lemon juice, and butter to bake to perfection in the oven.
The best part comes after the cooking. Take it out and serve dinner right off the sheet pan! No plates, and no serving utensils, so it’s the perfect summer meal and fun experience in one!
Ingredients
Some seafood boil ingredients may vary slightly by region, but our recipe stays true to the classic mixture of hearty seafood, sausage, and vegetables. It’s a simple list of ingredients, but it delivers big flavor.
- Baby Potatoes – cut into equal-sized chunks so the potatoes cook evenly. Yukon Gold potatoes or red potatoes work well cut into equal pieces.
- Corn – cut into 2” slices. You can also use frozen corn as it will cook at about the same time as fresh cobs
- Unsalted Butter – coats the ingredients to help the seasoning stick
- Garlic – fresh is best, but pre-minced works, too
- Old Bay seasoning – this seasoning is a must. It’s what makes the shrimp boil authentic! You can find it at most local grocery stores or even online.
- Smoked Andouille sausage – cut into pieces. Any cajun-style sausage will work, but you can use Polish kielbasa for less heat.
- Large shrimp – Tail-on, large, or jumbo shrimp work best. If you can get your hands on tiger shrimp, do it!
- Lemons – cut into wedges to serve on the side

Pro Tip
If you don’t have time to thaw your shrimp in the refrigerator overnight, thaw it quickly by placing it in a colander in your sink. Run cool water over the frozen shrimp for 7-8 minutes until the ice dissolves then drain and pat dry with paper towels.
Seafood Boil Variations
This basic shrimp boil recipe features the classic ingredients, but you can always make some simple swaps to fit your tastes. Try these variations:
- Add a can of beer to the water when boiling the potatoes and corn
- Include other seafood, like clams, crawfish, crab, or lobster
- Add vegetables to the mixture: asparagus, red or yellow onion, or okra
- Try including other spices, like bay leaf, red pepper flakes, or parsley
- Serve with a garnish of fresh parsley, lemon wedges, cornbread, and some hot sauce
How to Make a Shrimp Boil
Follow these easy steps to nail this sheet pan shrimp boil. Bon appetite!
- Boil – potatoes in a large pot of salted water for 10 minutes. Add corn to the boiling pot and cook until the potatoes are nearly tender, about 5 more minutes.
- Drain – the corn and potatoes and place into a large bowl.
- Prepare – the shrimp by cleaning and patting them dry (we keep the tails on). Add the shrimp and sausage to the potato and corn bowl.
- Combine – butter, garlic, and Old Bay seasoning in a small bowl. Pour the mixture over the meat and vegetables. Toss to coat.
- Arrange – the mixture onto a large baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until the shrimp is cooked. Serve with lemon wedges.

Pro Tip
You’ll know when the Boiled Potatoes are done when you can easily pierce them with a fork. The shrimp is done when it is opaque and the tail curls to form a “C” shape.
What to Serve with a Shrimp Boil
A shrimp boil is a hands-down crowd-pleaser and a meal in itself, but just add a few of these sides to the mix, and you’ve got a feast on your hands.
Common Questions
Old Bay seasoning is classically used for seafood boils. It’s a mix of many spices including celery seed, paprika, pepper, mustard, and red pepper. You could substitute cajun seasoning, but it won’t have exactly the same flavor.
Shrimp is the traditional ingredient, but you can use crab, lobster, or clams as well. You can also omit the shrimp and double the smoked sausages.
Potatoes and corn take longer to cook than shrimp. We quickly boil the veggies before mixing everything together to ensure they are cooked when the shrimp are finished. Don’t skip this step!

More Seafood Recipes
After you try this Shrimp Boil recipe, check out these other seafood favorites:
- Grilled Salmon
- Baked Salmon with Garlic and Dijon
- Fish Tacos
- Easy Baked Cod Recipe
- Garlic Butter Air Fryer Salmon
Shrimp Boil Recipe

Ingredients
- 1 lb baby potatoes, cut into equal pieces
- 3 ears of corn, each cut into 5 pieces
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
- 16 oz smoked andouille sausage, cut into pieces
- 1 lb large shrimp, raw, tail on
- 2 lemons, cut into wedges
Instructions
- In a large pot of boiling water, cook potatoes for 10 minutes. Then, add the corn to the boiling water with the potatoes. Boil until the potatoes are finished, about 5 more minutes.
- Drain corn and potatoes, and place them into a large bowl.
- Clean and pat dry shrimp, and add them to the bowl. Also, add sausage to the bowl.
- In a small bowl, combine butter with minced garlic and Old Bay seasoning. Pour the butter mixture over the shrimp boil ingredients and toss it all together.
- Transfer everything to a large baking sheet and bake at 400 °F for about 15 minutes or until the shrimp is fully cooked. Serve with lemon wedges.
I’ve made some good shrimp boils before but this tops them all. Followed the recipe exactly and I wouldn’t change a thing. I did use some crusty bread to soak up the drippings. Passing this recipe on to all my friends!
Thanks for your awesome feedback, Nancy. We’re happy that you love it a lot!
I had this while camping and it was so good. I have since made it several times and it is always a hit with everyone, adults and children alike. I’ve left out sausage bc I forgot, I’ve used brats (fried a little first before adding to the pan), I’ve used different types of potatoes (little and regular Yukon), and I’ve made this with the ingredients listed here. I do cook the corn a little longer, it comes out so tasty!
That’s great, Inga! Thanks so much for sharing that with us.
OMG ~ Just left the table after making this ‘oh, so delicious’ recipe. Once again, you don’t disappoint with anything you post for us to try! Hubs is in the kitchen right now doing the dishes (he always says… you cook, I clean) and every time I walk by the kitchen, he says, “Thank you SO much”! We both loved this dish and though we are only two people and I thought we should share with neighbors because we had so much left over… Hubs said – let’s just eat it for the next two days! Hope it keeps that long… next time, I’ll definitely invite more to the table.
A happy, happy fan ~ Gee
Hi Gee, thanks so much for sharing that with us. We’re so happy to know that you both loved our Easy Shrimp Boil Recipe.
This is AMAZING! We made it last night and ate way too much in one sitting. Our only substitution: Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning in lieu of Old Bay’s. We both wanted to get up and eat it this morning! It will work sooo well for a group dinner. Easy easy and delicious!
Hi Kathryn! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for the feedback.
This sounds wonderful! Does the polish sausage, what we have on hand, cook with the other ingredients at 400 for 15 minutes or do we cook the sausage before?
Hi Caterina! The sausage we use is not raw, so we add it in step 3 and it goes in the oven with everything else.
This easy shrimp boil was seasoned well! It was my sister’s fav! She always requests for it every time she visits us.
So glad it’s being enjoyed, Sharina!
I want to try this! Any particular brand of kielbasa you can recommend? Thanks!!
Hi Mary! Any brand of cajun-style sausage will work, but you can use Polish kielbasa for less heat too.
This is such a crowd-pleasing recipe! You can make as little or as much as you need & it tastes amazing!
We agree! Thank you for the feedback, Kristyn!
this was the best use of that shrimp I have in my freezer! thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe
You’re welcome. I hope you love it!
First time making a shrimp boil and the recipe is PERFECT! There was enough for leftovers and my husband could hardly wait to eat it again. He’s going shopping tomorrow to pick up more shrimp and sausage so I can make it again!
Hi Marie! That’s great to hear. So glad it was enjoyed. I appreciate the feedback.
Made this tonight. It was delicious! My husband loved it. He said it was, “restaurant quality.” Thanks for the recipe.
Love it! Thanks for sharing that with us, Lyn.
Great Recipe! Easy to follow and you add it to as you please.
I make this recipe, but I parboil the potatoes for 13 minutes, 5 minutes before the potatoes are done I add the corn to the same pot. I use baby potatoes and frozen corn that’s already cut into 12 pieces
I made this and it was fabulous! One thing I did differently is I put it in a baking bag. I also doubled the butter and tripled the Old Bay. It was as good as our local seafood restaurant!
Thanks for sharing that with us, good to know that you loved the result!
Seems like you are cooking the potato and corn twice. Overcooked?
Hi Kevin, they come out just right with this recipe!
I made this today. Excellent recipe and easy. I’m not a gifted cook, so I was very happy with the results. Husband and daughter loved it!!! I did use frozen corn on the cob. I used a turkey sausage. The thing with this recipe you can change the potatoes or sausage and it would be great. Great recipe 👌 😋
Yes, it is versatile! I’m happy to know that you enjoyed this recipe, Roseann. Thank you for sharing your experience with us.
A nice variant to a clam bake I have prepared in the past. Shrimp are always easier to find. Delicious!
Hi, Milda! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe.
In South Carolina we cooked everything together. Timimg is important.
This used to be called Frogmore Stew. There’s a community on St. Helena Island SC where this originated. Just some fyi.
Thank you for the info, Lisa. 🙂
Delicious & so flavorful! The only change I will make the next time is to use peeled shrimp…easier to eat. Bonus is how fast it is to prepare. xx
Sounds good, and great to know that you loved this recipe. Thank you for the review, Kelly!
Wow. I doubled the sauce based on reviews I had read and it did not disappoint! Will definitely be making this again and I HIGHLY recommend doubling the sauce!
I also used frozen shrimp I had on hand and ended up completely peeling them including the tails. The shrimp came out just fine for those that were curious!
Hi Julia! Thank you so much for the review. I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for sharing with us.
Question do you leave shell on shrimp
It depends on you but for this recipe, I remove the shell but leave the tail on.
My first time making this and it was a hit out of the park! Super flavorful and plates were wiped clean. Haha
I didn’t have Old Bay, so I used Cajun Seasoning. I substituted the andouille sausage for mild spicy Italian sausage, it’s what I had. I removed the casing, my kiddo doesn’t like it, the substitution enhanced the flavor. I didn’t add the sausage into the bowl to mix it, incase it created more heat flavor to the sausage.
Definitely one I’ll make over and over again! Thank you.
Glad to hear that it was already a hit on your first try! Thanks for your review and for sharing you experience trying this recipe.
This is a hit at my house! My kids loved it! I did turkey sausage and it turned out wonderful! A+
Thanks again Natasha!
That is the best when kids love what we moms make. I’m glad this was a hit with your family, Kendra!
Planning a birthday celebration for a family member and this sounds perfect for the party! Question — that sounds like a long time to boil corn on the cob and then bake it too? Does it turn out tough? Thank you!
Hi Tracey! It was not tough! We absolutely loved it! I hope you give this a try soon!
what is old bay seasoning i have not seen it here in the uk
Old Bay is a versatile savory seasoning blend including mixed spices, herbs, and peppers. I recommend a google search, and I quickly took a look, and substitutes for Old Bay Seasoning, can be celery salt, seafood seasoning, or paprika. Chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and celery salt can also work. I hope this is helpful
Best shrimp boil I’ve made yet, and I’ve cooked a lot of them! The shrimp isn’t overcooked and the flavor is amazing. Thank you! My kids love it!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Pamela!
Made the shrimp broil, and the family loved it. thank you will make it again and again
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
Hi Natasha, I love watching your videos and cooking with you and I love the knife that you cook and scrape with. I just want to know whats the name of it and where would I purchace one?
Hi Gwendolyn, you can find our favorite kitchen tools in our Amazon Affiliate Shop HERE.
You could also add clams to the shrimp boil dish. Yum!
Great idea! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I like the old fashioned boil with old bay, 1 pot not all the preparation before just add items to pot as cooking time I also add lobster crab and mussels being last
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
If we wanted to add crab to this or lobster how would we do this. I’ve never cooked either. Thanks
Hello Ani, I bet that could work but I haven’t tested that yet to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
Is the sausage cooked,& just to be reheated in the boil ? Thx. Love your recipes !! 👏
Hi Mary, yes, that’s right.
Do you have any cookbook that can be purchased
Hi Margie, I don’t have a cookbook out yet, but it’s on my list of life goals.
How do you cut the corn without destroying it like I did. Ended up just snapping it in half as I could not cut it neatly like it looks in the picture. Help please!
Hi Maria, a large, heavy knife helps with cutting corn and if it’s very difficult, you can use a serrated knife to get through the tough center of the cobb.
Oh my gosh this was SO GOOD! My husband and two boys LOVED this (and it is hard to please all of them!) I used smoked sausage and seared first with a bit of cajun seasoning instead of the andoiulleand it turned incredible! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
You are very welcome, Suzanne. I’m happy to hear that your family enjoyed this recipe!
Does the smell linger in your oven when using the baking sheet method? I see one comment where they put it in a roasting pan with a lid.
Hi Margie, I haven’t had any issues with any lingering smells, but I do like to prop my oven open slightly while it’s cooling which may help with that.
Made this tonight and my husband and I both loved it! I used chicken andouille sausage, otherwise same ingredients. I may try it next time as someone mentioned by cooking raw corn & potatoes for 20 min, then adding shrimp and I assume sausage for 10 min. Lovely dish! We also love your salmon cakes and portabellas with spinach & havarti. Can’t wait to try other recipes!
Sounds wonderful! I hope you love every recipe that you try, Mary.
I love all your stuff.I use all of them.
I’m so glad you’re enjoying our recipes Shelley!
This will be our weekend dish! Delish!!!
Awesome! Looks like this is going to be one of your favorite recipes.
We truly love this recipe try it the first time and now it’s part of meal plans. Atleast one every 2 weeks, I make it. Thank you!
So nice to know that this has been added to your favorites list! Thanks for your good feedback, Mima. We appreciate it.
Made this last night for our annual crab feast! It was a huge hit!! There was so much flavor, and it was so much easier than boiling everything. Love your recipes!
I am so glad that the it was a success! Thank you so much for sharing that with us.
This recipe was delicious and a learning experience!
We got everything for at the store, but our eyes were bigger than our sheet pan (lol) so, we got 1.5 lbs of fresh white gulf shrimp, and did around 17 oz. of polish sausage, and three whole unshucked ears of corn (we shucked them and cut them down to size, but corn got everywhere trying to cut through the ears) – did the pre-boil of the corn and potatoes (I threw in a little butter and old bay with both pots after reading others comments about doing the same!) smelled heavenly!
Cleaning 1.5 lbs of shrimp when you’ve never done it is a little time-consuming, so I think next time we’ll get that done first and set them on ice, before doing everything else first. It was still worth it in the end!
After we realized that it wasn’t all going to fit neatly on one large sheet pan, we decided to throw it all into our roasting pan and put it in the oven with the lid on.
Smells heavenly! We paired it with a side of coleslaw/power slaw mix, lots of lemons, a loaf of heb French bread and cold beers dressed with tajin and lime!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me Kristina! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
I made this last night and it was soooo good! Love how easy it was to throw together too! Will be making this again.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that Jane! thank you for sharing that great review with me!
Going to try today but my family likes the sauce to dip it in, do I just double the butter mixture you provided and have you added crab legs to it.
Hi Yolanda! I bet that could work!
We made this last night and it tastes amazing! One suggestion: Add a yellow onion, peeled and cut in half, to the water with the potatoes, then coat it with the butter/Old Bay mixture. Turned out so sweet and so yummy!
Thank you so much for that suggestion, Gretchen! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe.
I have made Frogmore Stew (shrimp boil) for years and this is so much easier. I made it even easier buy tossing the raw potatoes, raw corn, and the sausage with about 2/3 of the butter mixture and baking that for about 20 minutes, then tossing the shrimp in the rest of the butter and adding it to the pan and cooking for about another 10 minutes until the shrimp is done! So good. No more giant pots of boiling water!
That’s a great idea! Thank you for sharing that awesome review with us Lucy!
I will do that next time even after boiling for 10 minutes the potatoes were still crunchy 😔
Can chorizo work as well? Thanks
Hi Cat, yes that would work.
Made this tonight for Father’s Day dinner — It was great !! Everyone loved it and want it again — the only thing I would change is to make more !!! Great flavor – and the sauce !!!
So wonderful to hear that everyone loved this recipe. Thank you so much!
I live in a small town and our grocery store doesn’t carry Old Bay Seasoning. Would Cajun seasoning work in it’s place or do you have another alternative? Thanks!
Hi Nina. Old Bay seasoning is a must. Every authentic shrimp boil requires it! You can find it at most grocery stores or even online. I have not tried using cajun seasoning yet to advise.
Natasha,
I enjoy your site and you have several times inspired my cooking. Case in point, your Low Country Bo… Bake! As I live in the South (Central Alabama), I substituted Old Bay with 2Tbs of Zataran’s Crab Boil. Amazing results. Thanks for the inspiration.
You are so welcome and it’s my pleasure to be able to help inspire you to cook.
Omg so yummy! I made this last night. The butter/Old Bay seasoning is very good; so good I doubled it 😀. I added scallops with the shrimp and replaced the corn and potatoes with zucchini and whole radishes plus broccoli, to keep it low carb. So easy To make, love the one pan meals.
That is awesome! I’m so glad you loved this recipe and thank you for sharing that with us.
Could you do this in the air fryer?
Hi Melody, I have not tested that in an air fryer to advise. If you experiment please let me know how you like that.
This was delicious! My family asked if this can be a repeat meal. The only thing I would do next time is double the sauce because it’s that good!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
we made it and it was so good
That’s just awesome!
Could sweet Potatoes be used instead ?
Hi Kayla, I haven’t tested that with sweet potato but I imagine it may work. If you experiment please let me know how you like that.
Made this last night because of that picture and totally loved it. Will be making again.
I’m so happy to hear that! It sounds like you found a new favorite in this shrimp boil recipe.
Hi Natasha. I would love to make this for my husband on Father’s Day. Quick question for you (if I may). Aside from the corn, potatoes, shrimp, and sausage…would it be okay to add one more item…like…hmm…a little bit of crab meat? Would that be okay or would it mess it all up? Love to hear your thoughts. We love all of your recipes by the way. You’re amazing!
Hi Sarah, I bet that could work! If you experiment please let me know how you like that!
Could this be done on the bbq?
Hi Julie, that should work instead of the sheet pan but I would probably turn them into individual foil packets and then put them on the grill.
Looks delicious!
It is so yummy. I hope you can try this!
We had so much fun making doing this as a family and the food was incredible. Great idea and fantastic recipe!
Thanks for your great comments, Stephanie. I am so glad you all enjoyed this recipe!