Cajun Shrimp Boil Foil Packets
This easy, no fuss Cajun shrimp foil packet meal is ready in minutes and is loaded with deep Cajun flavors. Juicy shrimp, crawdads, sweet corn, and baby potatoes are grilled or baked in a foil packet, making clean up super easy!
Table of Contents
You’re going to love these shrimp boil foil packets!
If you love delicious southern recipes, check out my crowd pleasing low country boil, fried green tomato BLT, or this insanely delicious Cajun dirty rice!
Ya’ll loved my low country boil so much, I decided to make it into a smaller, quicker weekday meal.. because every day deserves to be celebrated with a shrimp boil… it’s the southern way! I wanted to make a version that was so easy and quick to make, it’ll be your new favorite weekday dinner!
- It’s ready in 30 minutes. I’m talking start to finish- 30 minutes. Toss all the ingredients in my special Cajun butter sauce, then place the mixture in a foil packet, grill, and eat up! You don’t even need plates.. which brings me to my next point!
- It’s the easiest clean up ever!! Since these shrimp boil foil packets are basically their own plates, you can just grab a fork and dig in. When you’re done, just crumble the foil and KOBE shoot that foil ball right into the trash- easy!
- It’s loaded with Cajun flavor. This shrimp boil foil packet recipe is not only delicious because it’s loaded with seafood but the buttery Cajun sauce is insanely delicious. This may be an easy meal, but there are no corners cut when it comes to flavor!
Shrimp boil foil packet key ingredients
Shrimp– Since the shrimp is the main ingredient in these shrimp boil foil packets, it’s important look for good quality. Look for wild caught, never frozen, peeled and deveined shrimp, these will be the best quality. If you can’t find that, peeled and deveined wil caught frozen shrimp is perfect, too!
Crawfish– We don’t call them crawfish in the south, they are called crawdads, and there is no shrimp boil that is complete without them! Crawdads can be found in most grocery stores in the freezer section, but if you can get them fresh, then definitely do that!
Cajun sausage– I cannot stress this enough- get Cajun sausage for this recipe! It only makes sense! I love to use Conecuh Cajun sausage for this shrimp recipe.
Corn– Fresh ears of corn are perfect for this recipe! You can also make a short cut and grab the corn on the cob mini ears in the freezer section of your grocery store.
Mini potatoes– Cajun seasoned potatoes are super delicious, especially when they are mini ones! If you cannot find mini potatoes, you can use red potatoes and cut them into 2 inch cubes.
Cajun butter– The insanely delicious Cajun butter is made of a couple of seasonings, melted salted butter, and a squeeze of lemon juice. The shrimp foil packets are tossed in the Cajun butter so everything is perfectly coated and seasoned. Yum!
Chef’s tips
- Use thick foil. Since shrimp can have little spikes in the tails that can piece foil, use a thick grilling foil. This way, you can ensure your shrimp boil in foil packets will keep be well covered and stay juicy!
- Flip the foil packet on the grill. When the shrimp boil in foil packets is halfway done cooking, flip them on the grill to ensure they cook evenly. Since ovens circulate heat, you can skip this step if you are baking them.
- Add some vegetables! You can add more vegetables like onions, zucchini, and yellow summer squash to this recipe to get your daily dose of vegetables in!
- Don’t overcook it. Shrimp becomes dry and chewy when it’s overcooked, so be sure to take these off the grill or out of the oven as soon as they are done cooking! Uncover the foil packets so the shrimp does not continue to cook.
How to make shrimp boil foil packets
- Prepare the ingredients. Chop the Cajun sausage into 1/2 inch slices. Cut the corn into 2 inch disks crosswise. Halve the baby potatoes.
- Make the Cajun butter sauce. Melt the butter in the microwave, then add the Cajun seasoning, Old Bay seasoning, and lemon juice.
- Cut 4 12X12 inch pieces of grilling foil. Toss the shrimp, crawdads, Cajun sausage, corn, mini potatoes, and Cajun butter in a large bowl together.
- Scoop the shrimp mixture into the foil packets. Wrap the parallel edges over the shrimp mixture and crimp the edges together. Roll the sides up until the foil packet is sealed and tight.
- Grill them. Heat the grill on medium high heat to at least 350 degrees. Place the foil packets directly on the grill and cook for 7 minutes, then flip them and cook again for 7-9 more minutes.
How to make shrimp boil foil packets in the oven
- Follow the same instructions above. Prepare the ingredients, toss them in a large bowl with the Cajun sauce, then place the mixture in foil packets. Wrap the foil packets, then place them on a baking sheet.
- Bake the shrimp boil foil packets in the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 15-17 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
How to store and reheat
To store
Place the shrimp boil in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days. You can eat this as a cold lunch the next day, the flavor really develops in the fridge!
To reheat
You can reheat the shrimp boil in the microwave (without the foil). Place it in the microwave for 1 minutes, then cook in 15 seconds increments until it is heated through.
What to serve with shrimp boil foil packets
- These buttery green beans are sauteed with garlic in one pan for a fast and easy side dish.
- Pan roasted broccoli is a quick and easy side dish that goes perfectly with any main course!
- Oven roasted asparagus is such an easy side dish that is healthy, delicious, and is ready in 5 minutes!
- Since you’ll be grilling, you might as well enjoy a grilled pineapple jalapeño margarita!
- Frozen hibiscus lemonade is made with fresh squeezed lemons, hibiscus tea, and lots of ice!
Be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram to stay in touch! I love to see your creations! Tag me at #SeaSaltSavorings to show me what you’ve made!
Cajun Shrimp Boil Foil Packets
Equipment
- Grilling foil
- Large bowl
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp salted butter melted
- 3 tsp Cajun seasoning
- 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 1/2 lbs shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 lb crawfish
- 1 lb Cajun sausage cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 ears of corn sliced into 2 inch disks
- 2 cups baby potatoes halved
- 4 grilling foil cut into 12X12" squares
Optional
- 3 tbsp parsley finely chopped
- lemon wedges
Instructions
- Place the grill on medium high (at least 350 degrees). Add the melted butter, Cajun seasoning, Old Bay seasoning, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Add the shrimp, crawfish, sausage, corn, and baby potatoes to a bowl, then drizzle the melted butter mixture over it. Toss everything together with a large spoon until everything is well coated.
- Cut the grilling foil into 4 12X12" squares. Place 2 cups of the shrimp mixture in the center of the grilling foil.
- Grab two parallel edges of the foil and clamp it to seal the edges. Grad the unsealed edges and roll them until it meets the shrimp mixture in the center. Do this to the other unsealed edge.
- Place the foil packets on the grill and cook for 15 minutes. Flip the packets and continue cooking for 7 more minutes. Remove the packets from the grill, then uncover and top with parsley and wedges of lemon. Mangia!
Notes
How to make shrimp boil foil packets in the oven
- Follow the same instructions above. Prepare the ingredients, toss them in a large bowl with the Cajun sauce, then place the mixture in foil packets. Wrap the foil packets, then place them on a baking sheet.
- Bake the shrimp boil foil packets in the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 15-17 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates, for exact values consult a nutritionist.
Are the crawfish cooked ahead of time?
The crawfish are not cooked ahead of time but cooked along with the rest of the ingredients in the foil packets.
It’s worth noting that when buying crawfish, it’s common to buy them already cooked and then use them in recipes. If your crawfish are already cooked, they will cook a bit more in the foil packet, but should still be delicious. If they are raw, the cooking time in this recipe should be sufficient to cook them fully. Always ensure shellfish is properly cooked to a safe temperature before consuming.
As a rule of thumb, properly cooked crawfish should be bright red, and the tail meat should be opaque and slightly firm.