Stovetop Zatarain’s Shrimp Boil with Cajun Style Smoked Sausage & Garlic Butter Sauce

If you’re looking for an easy and wildly flavorful shrimp boil recipe you can make right on your stovetop, you’re in the right place. This stovetop shrimp boil recipe with Zatarain’s smoked sausage, potatoes, and a garlicky butter sauce is backyard party magic made simple.

Every May — easily my favorite month of the year — my husband Will and I throw what we lovingly call the Birthday Boil. It’s a backyard bash where we invite everyone we know and love, crank up the music, fire up the boil pot, and spend the afternoon hopping between the boil and the pool, cold drink in hand. It’s a celebration of everything I love about spring: being outside, gathering friends, eating with our hands without a shred of shame and… my birthday!

This stovetop version is my way of practicing for the big Birthday Boil moment and, honestly, a way to bring that outdoor party feeling to the middle of any week.  And, since springtime weather is so unpredictable, there’s no need for a rain plan with an indoor boil!  It’s quick enough for a casual dinner but festive enough to share — because a shrimp boil is never just a meal; it’s an event.

And the best part? We’re layering bold flavors from the very beginning, thanks to Cajun Style Smoked Sausage (the recipe is reformulated and *chef’s kiss*) and Zatarain’s Pre-Seasoned Crab Boil. The whole thing comes together with a rich, buttery garlic sauce that begs for a big piece of crusty bread (and maybe a few extra napkins).

Grab a big pot. Call a few friends. Let’s make a stovetop party happen.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this stovetop shrimp boil recipe:

• Water – The stage is set, and it’s a bubbling one. You need a big ol’ pot of water to get this party started.

• Zatarain’s Cajun Style Smoked Sausage – Smoky, spicy, and fully in its main character era. You’ll want to sneak a bite before it even hits the pot.

• Zatarain’s Pre-seasoned Crab Boil – The secret weapon. It turns water into a Louisiana masterpiece faster than you can say “pass the potatoes.”

• Yukon Gold Potatoes – Creamy little flavor bombs that soak up all that seasoned goodness like tiny Cajun sponges.

• Celery – Don’t sleep on the celery. It’s doing quiet, crunchy work in the background, like a stage manager at a jazz concert.

• Yellow Onions – These babies get soft, sweet, and practically melt into the boil. Every great dish needs a little drama, and onions bring it.

• Garlic Heads, Halved – Garlic is the flavor glue here. Tossing it in whole gives us big, bold, aromatic energy.

• Lemons, Halved – For that zippy, citrusy brightness that cuts through the richness like a porch breeze in July.

• Colossal Shrimp, Peeled and Deveined – The stars of the show. Big, juicy, and ready to soak up all that spicy, buttery love.

• Unsalted Butter, Melted – The liquid gold. This is how we make a good thing indecently delicious.

• Garlic Powder – Double the garlic, double the fun. This adds a kick where the fresh cloves leave off.

• Zatarain’s Creole Seasoning – Brings the bold flavor and just enough heat to remind you you’re doing this right.

• Dried Oregano – A little herby flourish, because we’re still fancy even if we’re eating this with our fingers.

Here’s where the party gets steamy. Start with a big ol’ stockpot — the kind that says “I came to feed a crowd” — and bring 5 quarts of water to a sassy rolling boil. Drop in that packet of Zatarain’s Crab Boil and let the spice announce itself. Then in goes the Cajun Style Smoked Sausage (already pre-seasoned and ready to shine), halved potatoes, hunks of celery, big ol’ onion wedges, and whole heads of garlic — this is not the time to be shy. Let everyone get to know each other in that bubbling cauldron for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft enough to stab lovingly with a fork. Squeeze in some lemons like you’re blessing the pot, then toss those lemon halves in too — we’re here for maximum flavor. Add your colossal shrimp (the bigger, the better), stir, and cover for literally one minute. That’s all it takes — shrimp are overachievers. Then let the whole pot take a 5-minute spa break while you whisk together your butter bath: melted butter, garlic powder, Zatarain’s Creole Seasoning, and oregano. Drain it, pile it high, and serve with that warm garlic butter sauce like the Southern royalty you are.

Tips & Tricks for Entertaining Like a Shrimp Boil Pro

1. Don’t Overthink It—Just Boil It.
Spring is boil season, baby, and the beauty is in the simplicity. All you really need is a big ol’ pot, a few packs of Zatarain’s (seasoning and Smoked Sausage, please), and a backyard table covered in newspaper or brown kraft paper. Let the pot do the heavy lifting while you pour yourself a fizzy drink, throw some chairs around the yard, and call it a party.

2. Make the Waiting Part of the Fun.
The boil may take 20 minutes, but it’s the pre-party that sets the tone. Set up a DIY cocktail or mocktail bar (Topo Chico + almond syrup + lime = yes), scatter some sidewalk chalk or bubbles for the kids and the young-at-heart, and don’t sleep on backyard cornhole. Everybody loves an excuse to stand around the pot like it’s a Cajun campfire. Let the shrimp be the entertainment and the main event.

3. Feed with Flair and a Few Secrets.
You don’t have to toss in anything too wild, but you can—mushrooms, artichokes, even pineapple chunks soak up the boil in a way that’ll have people talking. Serve your shrimp boil straight on the table for that rustic drama, with lemon wedges, soft bread, and warm garlic butter for dunking.

Whether you’re hosting a full-on backyard bash or just looking for an easy, shareable weeknight dinner, this shrimp boil brings all the big spring energy with barely any fuss. It’s flavorful, festive, and the kind of meal that gathers people around—not just for the food, but for the moment.  This is how we celebrate the season—one spicy, buttery bite at a time.

Thank you to our friends at Zatarain’s for sponsoring this post!

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