The BEST Crab Boil Seasoning Recipe!

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Last Updated on November 5, 2024 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 spice mix 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 that this homemade version is super easy to make, which is great for people who don’t want to use store-bought crab boil seasoning, have no Zatarain crab boil seasoning on hand at the moment, or just want a great crab boil seasoning substitute worth using.

What is crab boil seasoning made of?

The ingredients used to make 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:

The most popular seasonings for crab boil recipes are:

• Salt
• Dill seeds
• Cilantro seeds
• Mustard seeds
• Allspice
• Cayenne pepper
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Paprika
• Red pepper flakes
• Thyme
• Oregano
• Black pepper
• Pickling spice
• Bay leaves

When making a crab boil spice mix, these are the most popular ingredients, however, you do not need to use all of them at once. I’ll show you how I make my own version below:

Crab boil seasoning ingredients

• 1/8 cup sea salt
• 2 tablespoons dill seeds
• 2 tablespoons 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 airtight container and use as and when 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 or below to get all the spices listed here on Amazon at fairly reasonable prices.

03/22/2025 06:20 am GMT

Variations for homemade crab boil seasoning 

My basic go-to crab boil powder is very versatile and can be customized to fit any taste.  I used my own preferred seasonings for crab boil in the mix, but here are some other ideas to try:

• 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 the addition of 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.
• Use red pepper flakes: Replace cayenne pepper with red pepper flakes to reduce the heat.
• Reduce cayenne pepper: Use a teaspoon of cayenne pepper instead of 1 tablespoon if you don’t like spicy seasoning mixes.

How to use this seasoning for crab boil

• Want to learn how to season a crab boil? Here’s how. Add 3–4 tablespoons of the homemade crab boil seasoning mix, along with the lemon juice and the bay leaves, to 16 cups of boiling water. Boil the crab legs and vegetables in this seasoned water. Then reserve a cup of this leftover broth and use it, along with the crab boil mix, butter, onions, and garlic, to make a flavorful sauce for your crab boil.
• 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 this crab boil spice recipe

Store this homemade 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!

How to make crab boil seasoning bags

You don’t have to make a new crab boil seasoning bag recipe.

It’s quite easy to use this seasoning mix to make crab boil seasoning bags. To make a crab boil seasoning bag, spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of the crab boil seasoning mix into a 3 by 4 reusable drawstring bag like the one shown below.

They’re pretty easy to use. After you’ve filled up the drawstring bag, just place the bag of crab boil seasoning into your pot of boiling water or the pot you’re going to be cooking your crab boil in.

FAQs

Where to buy crab boil seasoning?

You know how to make a crab boil spice recipe. 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.

What is crab boil seasoning made of?

A crab boil mix is made of spices like dill seeds, allspice, cayenne pepper, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.

More seasoning recipes

• Seafood boil seasoning
• Southwest spice blend