Love cooking seafood? Try this sauce over my sautéed shrimp, baked haddock, or pan seared salmon. My family loves it when I break out the seafood boil, but it’s nothing without the perfect sauce to pair. Que, my seafood sauce recipe. With the perfect balance of fat, salt, acid, and heat, it soaks into tender seafood like a dream, infusing every bite with tons of Cajun flavor!
Why I love this recipe
Only 3 ingredients! Old Bay has so much flavor that it doesn’t need much help to shine. No simmering. Just melt the butter by whatever means necessary. Customizable. Add more heat, a dash of sugar, or change the seasonings to better suit what’s in your seafood boil. Versatile. I know ‘seafood boil’ is in the name, but trust me, you’ve got to try it over my baked chicken breast or hanger steak!
Ingredients needed
Melted butter. Definitely use unsalted butter since the seasoning mix has plenty of salt (and you can always add more to taste). Lemon juice. For essential acidity. I prefer freshly squeezed lemon juice. Old Bay seasoning. This flavorful spice blend typically contains celery salt, paprika, red and black peppers, and cayenne pepper. I’m able to find it at any mainstream grocery store.
How to make seafood boil sauce
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Step 1- Combine. Simmer or microwave butter until melted, then add all ingredients to a bowl and stir to combine. Step 2- Serve. Pour over a seafood boil or your favorite seafood, and use leftovers as dipping sauce.
Arman’s recipe tips
Microwaving your butter? Do yourself a favor and place a microwave-safe plate on top of the container so the butter doesn’t explode and make a mess…just trust me on this one. Swap the seasoning blend. If you don’t have Old Bay, I’ve also found success with Cajun seasoning. It’s similar but has less paprika and more pepper, onion, and garlic flavor. Prefer a thinner sauce? Add chicken broth or seafood stock.
Storage instructions
To store: Leftover sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Spicy sauce. Whisk in some cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or a dash of hot sauce for some heat. Aromatics. Sauté butter with minced garlic cloves and or onions, then use that as the base of the sauce to impart an extra layer of aroma. Sweetness. A sprinkle of brown sugar or maple syrup can be a great addition. Fresh herbs. Fold in fresh parsley or cilantro for color and freshness. More lemon flavor. Sprinkle a dash of lemon pepper seasoning or fresh lemon zest.
To freeze: Store cooled sauce in a shallow freezer-safe container and freeze for three months. Let it thaw in the fridge before reheating. To reheat: Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat or microwave until melted.
Frequently asked questions
More seafood dishes to pair with this recipe
Oven baked salmon in foil Rainbow trout Chilean sea bass Or as a dipping sauce for crispy calamari
Originally published January 2023, updated and republished September 2024
