My husband and I really enjoy Viet-Cajun seafood restaurants like the Boiling Crab in Sacramento.
These places are Cajun-Asian fusion restaurants that serve crawfish, shrimp, oysters, crab, and other seafood. The boiled seafood comes in plastic bags, covered in a thick, aromatic sauce that’s truly finger-licking good.
You will eat with your hands and may need a bib, but that’s all part of the fun.
The line at The Boiling Crab is always out the door, at least whenever I go. I hate crowds and waiting, so we usually just do a drive-by, see the line, and drive home disappointed.
I started replicating their sauce at home to skip the restaurant frustration.
I’m not sure if the recipe below is their actual recipe, but I think it’s pretty darn close. It’s delicious and it satisfies my Boiling Crab cravings.
Even if I never master their exact recipe, this recipe will do me just fine.
What You Will Need
To make this Boiling Crab shrimp boil recipe, gather the following ingredients:
- Shrimp: I’m using large prawns with head, eyes, whiskers, shell, tail, legs, and all. You can be normal and use shrimp without the extras. I devein them with a toothpick by sliding it under the spot where the vein sits, then lifting it out between the shell segments. Give it a quick rinse and they’re ready to go.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is a must. Jarred minced garlic works in a pinch, but fresh gives the best flavor.
- Unsalted butter: Unsalted keeps the sauce from getting too salty since the seasonings already have salt.
- Red curry paste: This gives the sauce its Asian flavor. It has Thai and Viet ingredients like lemongrass, shallots, Kaffir lime leaves, galangal, and chili.
- Dry spice blend: We are using lemon pepper seasoning, Cajun seasoning, and Old Bay seasoning. All of these contain some amount of salt.
- Paprika or cayenne: Adds more color and heat. I also love using Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru) when I have it on hand.
- Sugar: My sweetener my choice. You can also use honey or other sweeteners.
- Water: Thins the sauce to the preferred consistency. You can also use unsalted stock for even better flavor.
How to Make Viet-Cajun Shrimp Boil
Step 1: Cook the Shrimp
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until the shells turn bright orange and the shrimp are pink and opaque.
Drain well and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Make the sauce
In a small saucepan, add butter, freshly minced garlic, red curry paste, lemon pepper, paprika or cayenne, Cajun seasoning, Old Bay seasoning, granulated sugar, and water.
Mix well and bring the mixture to a boil then lower heat to a low simmer for about 2 minutes to meld the flavors.
Step 3: Combine and serve
Add the sauce to the cooked shrimp in the mixing bowl and toss to coat. Transfer to a serving dish, pouring all the sauce over the top and enjoy!
FAQs
Can I make this with other seafood?
Definitely. Crawfish, clams, mussels, or crab work well. Just adjust the cooking time so seafood doesn’t overcook.
Is red curry paste necessary?
It’s key for the Asian flavor, but if you can’t find it, you can leave it out. The other ingredients in the sauce will still give plenty of flavor.
Can I make the sauce ahead?
Yes. The sauce can be made several days ahead and stored in the fridge. Reheat on the stovetop gently before adding seafood.
Storage & Reheating
If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through. They seem to get better the next day as the flavors absorb more into the shrimp.
Copycat Recipe: Boiling Crab Shrimp
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Love the flavors of Boiling Crab? Now you can recreate their famous shrimp at home!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs large shrimp with head, tail and unpeeled (size 21/25)
- 3 tablespoons freshly minced garlic
- 1 stick unsalted butter (8 tablespoons)
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika (non spicy) or cayenne (spicy)
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- Boil the Shrimp: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the shrimp (2 lbs, head-on, shell-on) and cook for 3–4 minutes, or until the shells turn bright orange and the shrimp are pink and opaque. If using smaller shrimp, reduce cooking time to 2-3 minutes instead. Drain well and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Make the sauce: In a small saucepan, add butter (1 stick / 8 tablespoons), freshly minced garlic (3 tablespoons), red curry paste (2 tablespoons), lemon pepper (2 teaspoons), paprika or cayenne (1 teaspoon), Cajun seasoning (1 teaspoon), Old Bay seasoning (1 teaspoon), granulated sugar (1 tablespoon), and water (1/2 cup). Mix well and bring the mixture to a boil (this takes about 5 minutes) then lower heat to a low simmer for 2 minutes to meld the flavors.
- Combine and serve: Add the sauce to the cooked shrimp in the mixing bowl and toss to coat. Transfer to a serving dish, pouring all the sauce over the top and enjoy!
Notes
Don’t like shrimp? Substitute with the same amount of crawfish.
- Prep Time: 3 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: Cajun-Asian Fusion
