This Seafood Boil Sauce is made with melted butter, fresh lemon, Old Bay Seasoning, and optional Cajun spices for a kick of flavor. Drizzle this sauce or use it for dipping crab legs, shrimp, crawfish, lobster, or any of your favorites.
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This sauce is a delectable mixture of ingredients used to season and add flavor to seafood dishes, usually those that are boiled, baked, or steamed. It brightens up the flavor shrimp, crawfish, crab, lobster, and pretty much any seafood. It can be used as a dipping sauce or as a marinade for grilled or smoked meats.
It pairs wonderfully with my Seafood Boil in a Bag recipe.
Check out our post on What is a Seafood Boil for additional commentary and tips.
Seafood Boil Sauce Ingredients
- Butter (Olive oil can be substituted)
- Garlic
- Fresh Lemon
- Old Bay Seasoning
- Parsley
- Dry, white wine (Broth can be substituted if you wish).
How to Make Seafood Boil Sauce
Full detailed instructions are below in the recipe card.
- Place a skillet or saucepan on medium heat and add the butter.
- When melted, lemon, lemon zest, Old Bay Seasoning, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Stir for 3-4 minutes until combined.
Seafood Boil Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup dry white wine I use Pinot Grigio. Broth can be substituted with broth if desired.
- 5-6 garlic cloves Adjust to suit your taste and use less for less garlic flavor.
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning Optional for spicy
- 2 teaspoons chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Adjust to suit taste.
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place a skillet or saucepan on medium heat and add the butter.
- When melted, add the remaining ingredients and stir. Stir for 3-4 minutes until combined.
Notes
Nutrition
Additional Ideas on How to Season it
- Lemon Pepper Seasoning
- Cajun Seasoning
- Creole Seasoning
- Homemade Ranch Seasoning
- Homemade BBQ Seasoning and Rub
Frequently Asked Questions and Recipe Pro Tips
Use real butter for the best flavor. Salted or unsalted both work, just adjust your salt at the end.
Butter brings that rich, silky flavor that makes seafood taste even more luxurious. It also helps boost the natural sweetness in the seafood so nothing tastes flat.
Lemon adds brightness and acidity to cut through the richness. It balances everything out and brings that fresh, clean flavor seafood loves.
Garlic steps in for depth and intensity. It’s bold enough to stand next to delicate seafood without taking over, and it rounds out the sauce so it doesn’t taste one-note.
You can add your favorite hot sauce or cayenne pepper to make it spicy.
Yes. It actually gets better as it sits because the spices bloom and the garlic mellows. Make it up to 2–3 days in advance and warm it gently before serving.
Cajun or Creole seasoning, paprika, garlic, onion, lemon, and Old Bay are the usual suspects. They’re bold, savory, and meant for seafood.
You can freeze leftover sauce for up to 3 months. Use an airtight container or a freezer bag and make sure to press out all the air before sealing it. Thaw in the fridge overnight and follow the reheat steps noted above.
Don’t blast it with high heat. Simmer low and slow so the butter emulsifies instead of breaking. Stirring helps too.
Fresh is best. Bottled can make the sauce taste flat or metallic. If fresh lemons are around, use them.
Leftover sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 5 days.
To reheat it, you can warm it in a saucepan on low heat, stirring occasionally. You can use the microwave. Stick to short bursts of time (I like to check in every 15 seconds) and stir in between to ensure that it is heated evenly. To keep the sauce from separating, it’s best to avoid boiling or overheating it.
If you want it thicker, let it simmer longer or add a little more butter. No flour needed.
Pair With These Recipes
Grilled Snow Crab Legs
Dungeness Crab Legs
Grilled King Crab Legs with Garlic Butter
Smoked Swordfish
Pan Seared Shrimp
More Sauce Recipes
Creamy Dill Sauce for Salmon
Homemade Seafood Shrimp Cocktail Sauce
Crawfish Boil Sauce
Mango Dressing (Fresh or Frozen)
Remoulade Sauce for Crab Cakes and Salmon
Diana
Monday 7th of August 2023
Brandi, After you make this sauce can you sauté shrimp or any other fish in the sauce? A small amount in a skillet? Thank you.
Brandi Crawford
Monday 7th of August 2023
Yes.
Jen
Wednesday 10th of May 2023
OMG I cannot wait to make this! We've been doing a ton of crab and shrimp lately now that it's hot out and this sauce is a must-try!
Katie
Tuesday 9th of May 2023
So much flavor and pairs perfectly with all the vegetables and meats.
Brandi Crawford
Tuesday 9th of May 2023
Yay! So glad you think so.