Chef notes

You may be wondering how a dish with “boil” in the title can be made on a sheet pan, but hear me out.

While the exact history of seafood boils is a bit murky, we know the origins actually date back to the 1700s. Exiled Acadians from the Maritime provinces in Canada migrated to Louisiana, later known as Cajuns, bringing their traditions (and food) with them. Typically these seafood boils contain an assortment of seafood such as crab, crawfish, clams, and even lobster. To keep things simple and affordable, I’ve opted for using quick-cooking shrimp only.

Shrimp boils are beloved for their ease in the kitchen while packing a ton of flavor. For a traditional seafood boil, you’d typically add ingredients in succession until they’re all perfectly cooked before draining through a colander and spreading over stacks of newspaper. While I love this classic dish, I wanted to develop a recipe that had a bit more ease in the kitchen. Here, I’ve taken all the classic shrimp boil elements and cooked them on the sheet pan, which cuts down on clean up time, and avoids navigating a massive pot of boiling water. Thanks to a generous amount of Old Bay seasoning, the potatoes, shrimp, corn and kielbasa have the signature flavor of a great shrimp boil.

Technique Tip: To ensure that the potatoes cook through, cut them into ¾-inch pieces.

Swap Option: While kielbasa and andouille are traditional, any type of sausage will work here, from chorizo to sweet Italian sausage. If you can't find corn on the cob, defrost 2 cups of frozen corn and proceed with the recipe.