Seafood Boil for Christmas with Garlic Butter Sauce

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Last Updated on November 13, 2025 by Toya

Looking for an interesting dish to serve for Christmas? This easy seafood boil for Christmas served with a buttery garlic butter sauce is the way to go!

When it comes to celebrating Christmas, nothing says special occasion like this delicious seafood boil recipe. It’s perfect whether you’re hosting a holiday meal for family and friends or simply looking for a festive alternative to the traditional Christmas dinner. This seafood recipe is a fun, flavorful crowd pleaser that is pretty easy to make!

The best part? It takes less then 40 minutes from start to finish and this dish can really. Plus you can elevate this already impressive dish with a rich, zesty garlic butter sauce that will have everyone asking for the recipe.

Interested in making it? Let’s see how to make my easy Christmas Seafood Boil below!

Why a Seafood Boil for Christmas?

While the holidays are often filled with the traditional turkey, ham, or roast dinners, a seafood boil offers something different and exciting. This dish brings together a beautiful array of seafood—clams, mussels, shrimp, crab legs, and sausage—cooked in one pot and then drizzled with a the best garlic butter sauce.

The seafood boil is not only festive but also versatile enough to serve as an appetizer or a main course.

The communal nature of a seafood boil makes it perfect for a Christmas gathering, allowing everyone to dig in and enjoy the flavors together. It’s fun and packed with bright, bold flavors. And when served with plenty of crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce, this meal will make your holiday spread unforgettable!

Ingredients

For the Seafood Boil:

• 1 lb small potatoes, halved
• 4 ears of corn, cut into 3–4 inch pieces
• 2 lemons, quartered
• 1 lb clams, cleaned
• 1 lb pre-cooked crab legs
• 1 lb smoked sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined (leave tails on)
• 1 lb mussels, cleaned
• 1 head garlic
• 1 onion (peeled and roughly chopped)
• ½ cup Old Bay seasoning
• 2 tbsp smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp salt
• 6 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp dried thyme

For the Garlic Butter Sauce:

• 10 diced garlic cloves
• 6 tbsp butter
• 1 ½ cup broth (reserved from cooking the seafood boil)
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• ½ tbsp red pepper flakes
• Salt, to taste
• Juice of 2 limes
• Fresh parsley (for garnish)

How To Make Christmas Seafood Boil

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add in the peeled garlic cloves, pealed and roughly chopped onion, old bay seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, bay leaves and dried thyme.

Next add the potatoes and cook for 7 minutes, then add the corn and cook for another 5 minutes. You want the corn to soften but still retain its crunch and bright yellow color.

Once the potatoes and corn are done, remove them from the water and set them aside. Keep the water simmering as you cook the seafood and sausage in the next steps.

In the same pot of simmering water, add the clams, mussels, and crab legs. These items will take about 5–7 minutes to cook, or until the shells open up.

After the clams and mussels are cooked, add the smoked sausage and shrimp to the pot. Cook everything for an additional 3–4 minutes, just until the shrimp turn pink and opaque. Then remove from the water.

Add the cooked potatoes, corn, clams, mussels, crab legs, sausage, and shrimp into a serving dish or platter and set aside while you make the garlic butter sauce!

For this garlic butter sauce, you’ll begin by melting the butter over low heat in a small saucepan. Once the butter is melted, add the crushed garlic cloves and cook for 2–3 minutes, or until fragrant.

Then stir in the onion powder, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes (if using). Let the spices toast in the butter for another 1–2 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure they don’t burn.

Pour in the 1 1/2 cup of broth you reserved from cooking the seafood boil. Stir well to combine and bring the mixture to a simmer. Let it cook for 3–4 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together and the sauce to thicken slightly.

Add the juice of 2 limes to the sauce for a fresh, zesty kick. Season with salt. Then remove the sauce from heat and pour it over your seafood boil. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley.

Serve on individual plates or family-style on a large platter or in a large dish, that allows everyone to help themselves.

Tips & Tricks

• Use the freshest seafood: The fresher your seafood, the better your seafood boil will taste. Look for local markets or trusted fishmongers for the best quality.
• Don’t overcook the seafood: The key to perfect seafood is to cook it just enough. Overcooking shrimp, mussels, and clams can make them rubbery or tough. So stick to the recommended cooking times for each.
• Play around with the sauce: If you like extra heat, you can add some cayenne pepper or some more red pepper flakes to the garlic butter sauce for a spicier kick. You can also experiment with different different herbs and spices to make your butter sauce taste just how you like it!

How to Stretch This Seafood Boil for a Crowd

This seafood boil, as written, will comfortably serve about 6 people as a main dish. Think: family dinner, a few friends over, or a small holiday gathering. But if you’re feeding more people, this is one of the easiest recipes to scale up. Here’s exactly how to do it without too much overthinking.

How Many People Does This Recipe Feed As Is?

• As written: about 6 servings (making it perfect for a small crowd or cozy get together)
• Lighter appetites or lots of sides: you can stretch it to 7–8 people
• Big eaters / mostly adults: plan on 6 servings

If you’re hosting more than 6, use the simple scale-up guide below.

Easy Scale-Up Guide

Use the recipe as written for 6, then scale the seafood, sausage, potatoes, and corn by the amounts below. The seasonings and broth can be scaled the same way (1.5× or 2×) so everything still tastes balanced.

For 8–10 people:

• Make 1½ × the recipe

For Example:

• 1½ lbs potatoes
• 6 ears of corn
• 1½ lbs shrimp
• 1½ lbs sausage
• 1½ lbs each of clams and mussels
• 1½ lbs crab legs

For 12 people:

• Make 2 × the recipe

For Example:

• 2 lbs potatoes
• 8 ears of corn
• 2 lbs shrimp
• 2 lbs sausage
• 2 lbs each of clams and mussels
• 2 lbs crab legs

Quick rule of thumb: For a big mixed seafood boil, plan about ½–¾ lb seafood + sausage per adult, plus potatoes and corn to fill everyone up.

What to Increase First (Budget Friendly Ideas)

Seafood boils can get pricey fast, so if you’re trying to feed a crowd without blowing the budget, start here:

• Bump up the sausage, potatoes, and corn first as they’re both filling and much more affordable.
• Then add a bit more shrimp, since it’s usually what everyone reaches for first.
• Keep the crab, clams, and mussels closer to the original amounts if you’re watching costs, and let the extras (like sausage, corn, potatoes) do the stretching.

Pot Size & Easy Cooking Tips

When you scale up, your biggest issue could be your pot:

• Make sure to grab the biggest stockpot you own (or use two medium pots side by side). I like using this one linked below. But, I sometimes use my cast iron dutch oven for large seafood boils too. Use whatever you have on hand.

• And cook in batches if needed:
  • Boil the potatoes and corn first, then remove them from the pot, and keep them warm.
  • Then cook the clams, mussels, crab legs, sausage, and shrimp.
• Keep everything warm in a large roasting pan or baking dish covered loosely with foil in a low oven (about 200°F / 95°C) while you finish the rest.

This keeps the boil hot without overcooking the seafood.

Serving Seafood Boil For Christmas

Set the Table

• For a more Festive Feel: Lay down butcher paper or parchment paper over the table to create a rustic, casual dining experience. Scatter the boiled seafood, corn, potatoes, and sausages directly on the table and or as part of a buffet-style meal, where guests can come and help themselves to the spread. Also, use red, green, or gold table settings to add a festive touch. A few Christmas-themed napkins or a centerpiece with holly or small pinecones can make the meal feel special.
• Pour the warm garlic butter sauce all over the top so everything gets glossy and flavorful.
• Seafood Platters: Alternatively, if you prefer a more formal setting, serve the seafood boil on large platters or shallow bowls with garnishes like lemon wedges, parsley, and extra seasoning.
• Set out extra bowls of garlic butter, hot sauce, and some crusty bread or rice on the side.

Offer Side Dishes and Dips

• Sauces: Sauces like my garlic butter sauce, cocktail sauce, and remoulade are great for dipping. You can also serve a little hot sauce for an extra kick.
• Side Salads: A tangy coleslaw or a fresh green salad can balance out the richness of the seafood boil.
• Bread: Crusty bread or French baguette is perfect for soaking up all the juices from the seafood boil.

Drink Pairings

• Wine: White wines like Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, or Pinot Grigio are great with seafood.
• Beer: Light lagers or pale ales pair well with seafood.
• Non-Alcoholic: Iced tea, lemonade, or sparkling water are refreshing options.