Name: Crab Boil Seasoning
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1/8 cup sea salt; 2 tablespoons dill seeds; 2 tablespoon allspice; 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper; 2 tablespoons mustard seeds; 1 tablespoon coriander seeds; 1 tablespoon garlic powder; 1 tablespoon onion powder

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Last Updated on December 23, 2022 by Toya

Are you looking for a simple recipe for crab boil seasoning for cooking your favorite crab boil recipes? If you are, then this simple crab seasoning mix will become one of your favorites. Made in under 5 minutes and with spices and powders you are likely to have in your kitchen, you can’t go wrong with this homemade seasoning mix! And, it is the perfect liquid crab boil substitute if you want to try something different!

Crab boil seasoning mix recipe

This seasoning for crab boil is a simple spice mix that is used to flavor the water one uses to cook a crab boil. It helps to add flavor to the crab boil as it cooks.

Some people make their crab boil by just boiling all the components – crab legs, potatoes, corn on the cob, eggs, and other shellfish- in plain water. This is fine and produces good results. However, if you want to take your recipe up a notch, adding this spice mix is a great idea.

Adding the crab boil seasoning will make a truly flavorful crab boil recipe. Then, once cooked, you can make a yummy crab boil sauce to dip your crab boil into!

The best part is this homemade version is super easy to make which is great for people who don’t want to use store-bought crab boil seasoning or have no Zatarain crab boil seasoning on hand at the moment or just want a great crab boil seasoning substitute worth using.

What is a crab boil seasoning made of ?

The ingredients used to make a crab boil seasoning will be based on the flavor you’re going for. However, generally, these are the most popular spices, herbs and powders used to make a seasoning for crab boil:

Crab boil seasoning ingredients

1/8 cup sea salt
2 tablespoons dill seeds
2 tablespoon allspice
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder

Note, besides the spices, powders, and seeds listed above, you’ll also need some bay leaves and lemon juice to add to your crab boil water for the best results. You’ll need:

1 whole lemon or lime, juiced
5 bay leaves

How to make homemade crab boil seasoning

Measure out all of the ingredients and place them in a bowl.

Mix well until all the ingredients are well combined.

Optionally, you can also use a blender or food processor to get rid of any lumps and balls.

Pour the crab boil flavoring mix into a bowl or an air-tight container and use when and as desired.

The crab boil spices I used

Most of my spices come from Amazon. I find that I get both convenience and great prices there.

Here are the spices I use to make this crab seasoning recipe:

I used dill seeds from The Spice Way
I used coriander seeds (or cilantro seeds) from The Spice Way
I used bay leaves from Badia
I used cayenne pepper from Badia
I used ground allspice from The Spice Hunter
I used yellow mustard seeds from Eat Well Premium Foods

You can use the links above to get all the spices listed here on amazon at fairly reasonable prices.

Variations

Louisiana crab boil seasoning recipe – For that authentic Louisiana flavor ingredients like paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, black pepper or a black pepper alternative, and oregano are a must. Therefore, to make a Louisiana crab boil seasoning, use the ingredients listed above but with an addition of some 3 tbsp paprika, 2 tbsp oregano, 1 tbsp red pepper flakes, and 1/2 tbsp black pepper.
Old bay crab boil seasoning – For that old bay seasoning flavor, you will use the ingredients listed in the ingredients list above with the addition of 1 tbsp paprika, 1/2 tbsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp cloves, 1 tsp ginger, 1 tbsp red pepper flakes and 1 stick of cinnamon.

How to use this seasoning for crab boil

For a crab boil, add 3-4 tablespoons of the spice mix, along with the lemon juice and the bay leaves to 16 cups of boiling water
I’ve also used 1 tablespoon of this crab boil mix to make some crab boil sauce.

It is simply the best crab boil seasoning recipe and is so versatile.

How to store

Store this crab boil spice mix in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Ensure that it is stored in a cool dry place and try to use up this seasoning mix as quickly as possible for the best crab boil flavors!

Where to buy crab boil seasoning

You know how to make a crab boil seasoning. But, if you want to go ahead and buy a store-bought version of it instead, you can get Zatarain’s crab boil seasoning on Amazon at a reasonable price and at Walmart online. You can also find it in most grocery stores like Sam’s Club, Safeway, and more.

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