This easy Slow Cooker Shrimp Boil is the perfect busy weeknight dinner recipe! Made with just a handful of ingredients and exploding with delicious, fresh flavor, it’s sure to become an instant favorite with your family – it certainly was with mine!
Love slow cooker recipes? Try my Crockpot Turkey Breast, Crockpot Chili, and Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce!
Shrimp Boil
Aaaaand we’re back! Back in school, back to soccer practices 4 nights a week, homework, play dates, swim practices 3 nights a week starting next week… Anyone else doing the math??? I did and instantly started coming up with more slow cooker recipes for my family.
My little sister lives in North Carolina and summer shrimp boils are a common occurrence. I thought to myself, why enjoy that goodness ONLY in the summer time? Shrimp boils are super simple and take only a handful of ingredients – basically, my FAVORITE kind of recipe.
Shrimp Boil Ingredients
A shrimp boil recipe may seem intimidating if you haven’t made one before. But honestly, it’s about the easiest recipe in the world and I’ve made it even easier by using a slow cooker. There are just a few ingredients needed. How few ingredients you ask? I’m gonna tell you:
- potatoes – you can really use any kind here but new potatoes are great and I prefer red
- sausage – andouille or kielbasa are perfect
- corn – about 4 ears does the trick
- shrimp – a couple pounds of large shrimp
- chicken broth or stock
- Old Bay seasoning
OPTIONAL
- cayenne – if you like a little heat
- melted butter and fresh parsley to finish it off
- lemons
- cocktail sauce is great for dipping!
I’m guessing you have at least half of these ingredients on hand. Even better is the prep. Cut the larger new potatoes in half, quarter the corn, throw everything BUT the shrimp in the slow cooker and let ‘er rip.
Super Kid Friendly
This easy Slow Cooker Shrimp Boil is sure to become an instant favorite! Here’s my new measure of success: do either of the boys instantly request this to be on their birthday menu? Guess what? They both said this was the BEST dinner they had had in weeks (???) and that they wanted it again ASAP and of course, on their birthdays 🙂
Both had seconds. I had a feeling they were going to like it. They both love shrimp and the flavors are super simple and not overwhelming. It’s easy to eat and fun too.
Winner, winner, shrimp dinner.
What To Serve With This Easy Shrimp Boil
The great thing about an old bay shrimp boil is that it’s kind of an all-in-one dinner.
- If you want to really go all in, a nice salad like this Strawberry Spinach Salad or Broccoli Salad would be a fresh addition to the meal.
- My boys have never turned down their favorite Dinner Rolls or some Cheesy Bacon Ranch Bread either.
- You could also go with a southern classic and whip up a batch of my 5 star biscuits.
Is It Spicy?
I get this question a lot when it comes to shrimp boils. The great thing is that you can make it as spicy or mild as you like. Adjust the cayenne to suit your personal preferences.
I used a half teaspoon of cayenne. We can handle a bit of heat. If you like things more spicy, add up to 1 teaspoon of cayenne.
More Dinner Favorites
- Mac and Cheese
- Tater Tot Casserole
- Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Turkey Meatballs
- Chicken Fried Steak
How To Make A Shrimp Boil
Slow Cooker Shrimp Boil
Ingredients
- 2 pounds small new potatoes red or yellow
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock
- 1 pound andouille or kielbasa sausage cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 ears fresh corn husked and quartered
- 2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper more or less depending on taste
- 2 pounds large shrimp tails on
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Optional
- cocktail sauce for dipping
- lemon wedges
Instructions
- Cut larger potatoes in half, should be bite size.
- Place potatoes in 6 or 7 quart slow cooker.
- Add chicken broth.
- Top with sausage and sprinkle on Old Bay seasoning and cayenne.
- Add the corn quarters on top.
- Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, 3 to 4 hours on high, or until the corn and potatoes are tender.
- Turn the slow cooker to high and gently add the shrimp and stir into mixture.
- Cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until the shrimp are opaque.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the shrimp boil to a large bowl or serving container. Drizzle some of the cooking liquid over the top.
- Combine the melted butter and parsley and drizzle over the top and toss gently.
- Serve with lemon wedges and cocktail sauce.
Video
Nutrition
Originally published August 31, 2017.
Leslie says
Length of time yo cook before adding shrimp? How much of everything? Volume of chicken broth ?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
All of this information is in the recipe…? You had to scroll right past it to leave this comment 🙂
Georgia says
you use raw shrimp what about the sausage ?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Andouille and kielbasa come cooked so no, the sausage isn’t raw.
GoMama247 says
This shrimp boil looks healthy and delicious.
GoMama247 says
I like this Shrimp Boil. It is actually a perfect dinner.
Meenakshi says
Is it corns? I have never seen that corn will also use like this in my whole life. Wow, great experience. Love it all.
Adena says
Making this now. Can not wait! Do you only pull the food out and use a bit of the liquid?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Exactly – you want to pour some of the cooking liquid over the top just to give it a little of that awesome flavor.
Sean Mahan says
This shrimp bowl looks amazing!! Thank you for sharing the recipe, I’m definitely going to try it!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thanks Sean!
Linda says
Can I put crab legs in it too?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Absolutely! I would put them in with the shrimp.
Sabrina Best says
what a great idea and wonderful recipe! love all of these flavors and basically “forgot” about this dish, so thank you for the reminder and for the recipe!
Francine says
I think this is a great idea and I’m going to add some mussels, Munk fish and some class and maybe some crab claws.
Tammy says
Can you take the tails off the shrimp before you throw them in the slow cooker? Also can you use frozen cooked shrimp or do they need to be raw?
amy says
Wondering do you use fresh or frozen shrimp? It’s hard to get fresh where I live.
Kimberly @ Berly's Kitchen says
I can just imagine how good this tastes. It looks incredible and sounds easy to make. Plus, it would easily feed my husband and son, and we’d still have leftovers.
Linda says
Is it good if i add Chili pepper ?
Collette says
Can I use something other than Old Bay Seasoning in the Slow Cooker Shrimp Boil? I can’t use it, and this sounds really delicious. Never thought about doing it in the slow cooker.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
This is a recipe for homemade Old Bay so maybe just eliminate whatever is in it that you can’t have? Hope that helps!! http://www.momontimeout.com/homemade-old-bay-seasoning/