Shrimp Boil Sauce

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Last Updated on August 6, 2023 by Toya

You must try my go-to shrimp boil sauce that’s quick, easy to make, full of vibrant flavors, and versatile enough to go with all sorts of shrimp boil recipes!

This aromatic sauce enhances the taste of any shrimp boil or even seafood boil — which typically comprises shrimp, along with other ingredients like corn, potatoes, and sausage — which when mixed makes a dish that is close to perfection.

All you need to make this easy shrimp boil sauce recipe is some butter, chicken stock, shrimp seasoning, old bay seasoning, and a handful of other pantry staples. The ingredients sound basic, but when cooked together, they make the absolute best recipe for shrimp boil sauce!

Whether used as a dipping sauce or generously poured over a hearty shrimp boil, this sauce is the only one you will need.

Let’s show you how to make this sauce in a few easy steps.

Shrimp boil sauce ingredients

• 1 ½ cups chicken stock
• 2 – 3 tablespoons homemade shrimp seasoning 
• 1 head of garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 ½ sticks of butter
• 1 tablespoon of Old Bay (optional)
• ¾ tablespoon of hot sauce (optional)

How to make shrimp boil sauce

Gather all the ingredients and heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter and let it melt.

Then add the minced garlic and chopped onions and cook until the onions are translucent and the garlic is fragrant. 

Next, add 2 tablespoons of shrimp seasoning and 1 tablespoon of old bay seasoning to the skillet. Mix well and cook for another minute or two. 

Pour the chicken broth into the skillet and mix. Bring this to a simmer until everything comes together well. About 5 minutes.

Serve.

How to thicken shrimp boil sauce

This sauce isn’t very thick naturally. However, you can make it thicker with a few easy tips.

Add some flour slurry — Grab 2 tablespoons of flour and mix with ¼ cup of water until you have a smooth slurry. Mix well to avoid any lumps. Pour this into the sauce and simmer until the sauce thickens, and is bubbly. Taste to make sure the flour is cooked thoroughly before you turn the heat off.

Add some cornstarch slurry — Grab 1 ½ tablespoons of cornstarch and 1 ½ tablespoons of water in pour them into a small bowl. Mix well, until you have a smooth slurry. Pour into the sauce, stir well then simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens and is bubbly. Turn off the heat and serve.

Possible recipe variations

Cajun shrimp boil sauce – You can also opt for a spicy cajun seasoning (instead of shrimp seasoning) if you prefer to have a cajun-style shrimp boil sauce recipe.

Spicy shrimp boil sauce – Add the optional hot sauce listed above. You can also add some cayenne pepper to the sauce to make it more spicy. Start with ¼ a teaspoon to taste. Add more if you like your sauce spicy.

Use a different seafood seasoning – Other than the cajun seasoning mentioned above, you can also opt for a seafood boil seasoning blend, crab boil spice blend, or my general seafood seasoning (instead of the shrimp seasoning) Each will add its unique flavor to the sauce so look out for that.