Old Bay Shrimp Boil Recipe

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Last Updated on April 4, 2025 by Toya

This is hands down the BEST Old Bay shrimp boil you’ll ever make! This easy recipe is loaded with bold flavors, succulent shrimp, and perfectly seasoned veggies, making it a total crowd-pleaser. With simple ingredients and, of course, the star of the show—Old Bay seasoning—this shrimp boil is absolutely irresistible and perfect for a quick dinner or summer gatherings or any family gathering!

The best part? The shrimp and veggies are tossed in a rich butter sauce, and creates a finger-licking good Old Bay shrimp boil that everyone at the table will be in love with!

My family, especially my younger sister and I love to bond of seafood boils. Therefore, I’m always coming up with new ways to serve her with good tasting seafood boils when she comes around since she’s always too lazy to make them herself. 

Thus, I’ve tried all sorts of seafood boils including crab boils, this easy seafood boil with ramen noodles, this sheet pan shrimp boil, my fav cajun shrimp boil, and now, most recently this bold Old Bay shrimp boil recipe. And she approves—she’s loved every single one of them!

Which means this meal is a good choice if you’re hosting a small gathering or just feeling for a meal that is full of flavor and you’re tired of having the same old thing!

When it comes to seafood boil recipes, few dishes are as satisfying or as easy to throw together as a shrimp boil. Oh, don’t get me wrong—I love a good crab boil too, but sometimes those crab legs can be such a hassle to deal with!

So, when I’m craving a super easy seafood boil, my go-to is always a shrimp boil—and lately, it’s been this Shrimp Boil with Old Bay seasoning that’s ready in just over 30 minutes!

Why You’ll Love This Shrimp Boil

There’s so much to love about my Old Bay shrimp boil recipe!

It’s full of amazing flavors that comes from the Old Bay seasoning, which makes for perfectly seasoned shrimp and veggies, and it’s served with that mouthwatering garlic butter sauce that you’ll want to try for every boil recipe from here on out!

And I can’t stress this enough — but my shrimp boil recipe is incredibly easy to make: It requires minimal prep time and ingredients. And, I like that it’s a one-pot meal that can serve a crowd! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made this recipe when I needed something quick to put on the table that also would satisfy my family! That’s right! This easy shrimp boil meal is ideal for everything from casual get-togethers or more formal celebrations!

The best part? You can customize it however you like. For example, you can make it more interesting by adding other types of seafood, or by adding other types of spices or spice mixes!

My Secret to a Perfect Shrimp Boil

There are two important steps that can help you make the perfect Old Bay shrimp boil:

First, the Old Bay-seasoned broth in which the seafood and veggies are cooked in. This ensures that each ingredient absorbs those rich Old Bay flavors. Therefore, make sure your old bay seasoning is fresh. If you’ve had your jar of Old Bay Seasoning sitting in your cabinet from last year, consider replacing it. Or, you can make your own DIY Old Bay Seasoning using fresh herbs and spices: This is the best way to ensure you get the best out of this recipe! I have a mix below in the FAQ section that makes ½ a cup of homemade old bay seasoning – exactly what you need for my old bay shrimp boil recipe.

And, of course, the Old Bay-infused garlic butter sauce is the finishing touch, so be sure to use the best ingredients to make it as flavorful as possible. The key is getting the seasoning just right, so the shrimp and veggies soak up all that savory, mouthwatering goodness!

Ready to give it a try? Check out my full recipe and tips below!

Ingredients You’ll Need:

For the shrimp boil

• 2 pounds shrimp (the largest shrimp you can get, peeled and deveined)
• ¼ cup Old Bay Seasoning (the star of the show!)
• 3 ears of corn, cut into halves or thirds
• 1 pound smoked sausage, sliced into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound potatoes, halved or quartered
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 1 tablespoon of salt

For the Old Bay garlic butter sauce

• 1 cup broth, reserved from cooking the shrimp boil above
• ¼ cup Old Bay seasoning
• 1 head of garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 cups butter
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon paprika (optional for color)
• ¾ tablespoon of hot sauce (optional)
• Salt, to taste

How To Make Old Bay Shrimp Boil

Step 1: Prepare Your Shrimp Boil Broth

Start by filling your large pot with water—enough to comfortably cover all the ingredients you’ll be adding. Then add the bay leaves, ¼ cup Old Bay seasoning, sliced lemons, smashed garlic, and salt and bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. While you’re waiting for the water to come to a boil, it’s a good time to prep your other ingredients.

Step 2: Add Potatoes, Corn, Sausage and Shrimp

Once the water reaches a rolling boil, add the potatoes and corn to the pot first. The potatoes need a bit longer to cook, so they should be given a head start. Allow them to boil for about 10 minutes, or until they start to soften.

Next, add the sliced smoked sausage and boil for 5 minutes.

Lastly, add the shrimp to the boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Step 3: Drain

Drain the shrimp, smoked sausage and veggies from the pot and make sure to reserve 1 cup of the broth.

Note, if you want a thinner garlic butter sauce, you will need to reserve 2 cups of the broth.

You can arrange the cooked shrimp boil components on a large platter, or a sheet pan.

Step 4: Make a rich Old Bay garlic butter sauce

In a small saucepan (or the same pot you just used), melt the butter over medium-low. Then add the minced garlic and diced onion and cook for about 3 minutes. Then add the Old Bay seasoning and brown sugar. Then add the 1 cup of reserved broth and simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens up a bit.

If you like some heat, now is the time to add some hot sauce.

Lastly, taste the sauce and, if needed, add a pinch of salt to adjust the flavor.

Step 5: Final Touches and Serving

Pour that rich sauce over the seafood and veggies and toss to coat.

Also, garnish with extra lemon wedges and freshly chopped parsley, if desired. And, use any leftover sauce as a dip for the shrimp boil.

Serve with a few slices of crusty bread on the side. Crusty bread is perfect for soaking up that delicious sauce.

And of course, don’t forget to have plenty of napkins on hand as this meal is meant to be eaten with your hands!

FAQs & Tips for Perfecting Your Shrimp Boil

• Can I use frozen shrimp? Yes! But you must make sure to thaw them properly before adding them to the boil.
• What if I don’t have Old Bay seasoning? You can substitute with a mix of paprika, celery salt, black pepper, and cayenne. However, since the flavor of Old Bay is unique, I recommend making your own homemade Old Bay seasoning. To make ½ cup of homemade Old Bay seasoning, you will need: 4 ½ teaspoons of salt, 6 teaspoons of celery seeds, 8 teaspoons of sweet paprika, 4 teaspoons of ground dry mustard, 4 teaspoons of ground ginger, and 4 bay leaves (crushed or finely ground). Additionally, include 2 teaspoons each of smoked paprika, freshly ground black pepper, and freshly ground white pepper, along with 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes. Add ½ teaspoon each of ground nutmeg, ground allspice, and ground cinnamon.
• Can I make this ahead? You can prep the ingredients earlier in the day, but for the best results, cook the seafood and veggies right before serving them so everything tastes great!