The perfect sauce can transform and enhance all sorts of dishes, and seafood boils are no exception. While the umami-rich, savory-spicy broth with herbs and spices helps to tie all the flavors together in the pot, a sauce puts the perfect finishing touch on the spread when it’s time to dig in.
Whether you dip the occasional morsel or slather everything in sight, sauce adds a whole other dimension to the overall dining experience, especially if you provide a variety of options. People love being able to customize their meal as they go, and making mouthwatering seafood boil sauces is quick and easy. Even if you’re not a saucier, your guests will appreciate it.
Here’s your go-to guide to saucing!
You’d be hard-pressed to find a region that doesn’t have a signature sauce to pair with boiled seafood. Here are five of our favorites.
Here in Louisiana, we love the classic, spicy, garlicky, butter sauce infused with Cajun spices. Everyone puts their own unique spin on Cajun seafood sauce, so feel free to get experimental in the kitchen. Here are some amazing flavor pairings to get you started as you explore how to make the seafood boil sauce:
Simmer everything in a pot over low heat until the sauce is fully melted. Stir and serve.
While you’re making Cajun seafood sauce, set aside some ingredients to make a garlic lemon seafood boil butter mix at the same time. This classic sauce is popular worldwide, but especially in coastal regions where seafood is abundant. The milder, tangy flavor profile adds a little something extra, but it’s more palate-pleasing for guests who can’t take the heat.
To make this seafood boil sauce, use the ingredients above, but omit the cayenne powder, Cajun/Creole seasoning, and hot sauce. You can kick it up a notch by using a few cloves of fresh garlic. Sauté the garlic in butter beforehand to really bring out those bold, garlicky flavors everyone loves.
Providing an Asian-inspired sauce is such a great way to take the meal to the next level. The sweet, spicy, umami-rich sauce completely transforms the flavor, allowing guests to change up the experience with every bite. Variety is the spice of life, after all!
This is another type of sauce that you can put your own twists on. Here are star ingredients for how to make a seafood boil sauce inspired by Asian cuisine:
Simmer everything in a pot over low heat until the sauce is fully melted. Stir and serve.
This dip-friendly sauce is a little thicker than the others, adding a silky-smooth mouthfeel that beautifully complements the meal. This Maryland-style homemade seafood dip brings the world-famous Old Bay flavor, but the creamy, buttery goodness of seafood boil sauces helps to tame the spices and create a sensation that’s familiar but unique at the same time.
Simmer everything in a pot over low heat until the sauce is fully melted. Stir and serve.
To wrap things up, let’s take a trip south of the border with a sauce inspired by Mexican cuisine. Bursting with bold flavors, the contrast of smokiness and tanginess really packs a punch. Here’s how to make a seafood boil sauce that will have your guests begging for more.
Simmer everything in a pot over low heat until the sauce is fully melted. Stir and serve.
Now you have some food for thought, but your sauce journey has only just begun! You can create your own signature seafood boil sauces by adjusting spice levels, incorporating fresh or dried herbs, and even combining sauces together. You can also thicken your sauce to make it more dippable by simmering it longer to reduce it, adding a cornstarch slurry, or making a French-style roux with butter and flour.
Another way to personalize the meal is to use different proteins and lagniappe ingredients. Of course, you can’t go wrong with the classic crawfish boil set-up, but you can also make a butter sauce for shrimp, crab, lobster, or all of the above. Don’t forget about seafood boil side dishes, either. These sauces are especially delicious paired with fried pickles or toasted French bread.
Now that you know how to make seafood boil sauces, make sure you’re ready for the next feast with seafood boil supplies. Pair your seafood with the perfect boil and the best cooling method: Boil Boss. Our crawfish pot cooler drops the temperature to 150°F in under five minutes with no ice required, ensuring that your seafood is cooked perfectly every time.
Don’t stop there! Our propane jet burner is the ultimate heat source, giving you unmatched control over the temperature. Use our temperature-sensing seafood boil paddle to know the exact time to start the cooldown and soak. Finally, don’t forget a seafood boil seasoning bag or two. Our signature blend also tastes amazing in a Cajun butter sauce.
The best seafood boil sauces come down to personal preference, of course. With that said, we recommend starting with the Cajun butter sauce and garlic lemon butter sauce. They’re classics for a reason! And, because they use similar ingredients, making them together is a breeze.
The terms are often used interchangeably, and most people will understand what you mean regardless of which term you use. The main difference is that Creole sauces often feature herbs and tomatoes, while Cajun sauces typically use more spices.
The easiest method is to add a dash or two of cayenne pepper. A splash of Louisiana-style hot sauce can bring some heat and tanginess. You could also simmer the sauce with chili peppers.
We hope this guide makes your next seafood boil unforgettable. We’re always on the lookout for new recipes to try, so let us know what you’re serving. Share your favorite sauce recipe in the comments!
If you're serious about crawfish boils, your pot better be up to the task. At Boil Boss, we've tested the best so you don't have to. Time and temperature are the most critical variables when conducting a seafood boil, and your pot plays a pivotal role in both factors.
Ever wondered why Louisiana is famous for seafood boils? The crawfish boil origin is deeply rooted in history, blending influences from Native American traditions, French Acadian settlers, and African cooking techniques. Over the years, this communal feasting ritual has evolved into one of Louisiana’s most cherished culinary traditions.
A seafood boil is more than just crawfish, shrimp, or crab. It’s about the full spread! The best sides for a crawfish boil depend on who you ask! While there are staunch purists who prefer to stick only with the classics, many modern boilers are branching out with lagniappe ingredients, or “a little something extra” as we like to say.