Instant Pot Low Country Boil

Instant Pot Low Country Boil is a seafood boil-style one-pot dinner made with shrimp, smoked sausage, corn, red potatoes, and Louisiana shrimp & crab boil seasoning, finished in a buttery garlicky spicy sauce. It’s quick and celebratory and works well for a casual crowd-pleasing dinner (and it’s gluten-free). Unlike traditional stovetop shrimp boils that boil everything together, this version uses the Instant Pot for the veggies/sausage, then “quick-cooks” the shrimp in residual heat and coats it all in a Boiling Crab–style copycat butter sauce.

What Makes This The Best Low Country Boil

Easy. This Instant Pot Low Country Boil Recipe is easily one of my most pinned recipes and with good reason. Well, maybe two reasons: shrimp done just right, and heavenly, buttery, garlicky, spicy sauce. And a bonus? You can make it in your Instant Pot and be eating it in half an hour!
Boiling Crab Copycat Sauce. My husband and I love going out to places like the Boiling Crab that do crab, sausage, shrimp, corn, and potatoes in a bag. In fact, I love it so much that I decided to learn to make it at home! This Instant Pot Shrimp Boil turned out to be much easier than I anticipated, and thanks to my Instant Pot it’s much faster as well.
Shrimp. Now in the past when I’ve made shrimp in the Instant Pot, I find it to be a little overcooked and mealy. For this Instant Pot Low Country Boil recipe, I just decided to quick-cook the shrimp in the residual heat from the broth, and it turned out perfectly . This truly is one of the tastiest Cajun shrimp and sausage dishes I’ve ever had, and I can’t wait for you to try it. Now let’s get to cooking!

Why Is It Called That?

If you’re like me, you’re not here for a history lesson, you’re here for a delicious sausage and shrimp boil recipe. And I promise I have exactly that for you.

But, some people may be curious as to why it’s called Low Country Boil. Without being terribly long-winded, here’s why:

It was originally named Frogmore Stew after an area in South Carolina named Frogmore where it was created. However, the postal service decided that it no longer recognized Frogmore as a town because of the small size and lack of population.

Once Frogmore was no longer around, the name slowly changed to become what many of us know as Low Country Boil .

What Is Another Name For Low Country Boil?

I’ll admit I rarely call this dish the same thing twice in a row. It has so many different names to describe the same dish and they all live side by side inside my head. Here are a few other names you may hear this Low Country Boil referred to as:

Shrimp Boil
Frogmore Stew
Beufort Stew
Beufort Boil
Shrimp and Sausage Boil
Seafood Boil

Ingredients You’ll Need

1/2 pound Smoked Sausages - Adds a smoky, savory flavor and hearty protein to the boil. The sausage infuses the cooking liquid with rich seasoning that enhances the other ingredients.
4 ears Corn - Brings sweetness and juicy crunch to the dish. The kernels soak up the seasoned broth, making them extra flavorful.
2 Red Potatoes - Provide a starchy, comforting element that balances the seafood and sausage. They also absorb the spicy, seasoned liquid as they cook.
1 tablespoon Louisiana Shrimp and Crab Boil - A signature seasoning blend that gives the broth its bold, zesty, and slightly spicy Cajun flavor.
Water - Acts as the cooking liquid, allowing the potatoes, corn, and sausage to pressure cook and absorb the flavors of the seasoning.
1/2 pound Raw Shrimp - The star seafood component. Shrimp cook very quickly, so they’re added last to stay tender and juicy while taking on the Cajun-spiced flavor of the broth.
6 tablespoons Butter - Creates a rich, velvety base for the sauce that coats the seafood, potatoes, and corn after cooking.
1 tablespoon Garlic - Infuses the butter with a bold, aromatic flavor that complements the Cajun spices.
1/8 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning - Adds a punch of smoky, peppery flavor to the butter sauce, reinforcing the boil’s signature spice profile.
1/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning - Contributes its iconic blend of celery salt, paprika, and spices, giving the sauce a classic seafood boil taste.
3–5 shakes Louisiana Hot Sauce - Provides tangy heat and livens up the buttery sauce with extra spice.
1/8 teaspoon Lemon Pepper - Adds a citrusy, peppery brightness that balances the richness of the butter.
1/2 Lemon - Fresh lemon juice cuts through the richness of the sauce and brightens the entire dish with acidity.

How to Make Instant Pot Low Country Boil

Place sausage, potatoes, corn, Louisiana shrimp, and crab boil seasonings into the Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker.
Boil corn, sausage, and potatoes with flavoring in the Instant Pot for 4 minutes at high pressure and then quick pressure release.
When the vegetables are done, quick-cook the shrimp. Do NOT pressure cook the shrimp . Just add them to the hot broth and they will cook in the residual heat.
Make the sauce by melting the butter, and then add all the seasonings to the butter. Don’t increase seasonings as there is so much salt in several of t hose seasonings. Add as directed first, and then you can adjust slowly.
Add all the ingredients into the yummy sauce you just made. Toss everything to coat with the seasoned butter. This butter is the secret to a great tasting Instant Pot Low Country Boil , so do not skimp on this.
Grab your fork, it’s time to eat!

Stove Top Instructions For Low Country Boil

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Add sausage and potatoes and cook for 10 minutes.
Add corn and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Cook shrimp for an additional 3 minutes.
Drain water.
Add butter and spices.
Finish with lemon.

Tips and Tricks

Making an Instant Pot Low Country Boil at home is quick and convenient, but a few simple techniques will help you get perfectly tender potatoes, juicy shrimp, and bold Cajun flavor every time. Here are some helpful tips and tricks:

Shrimp. It’s really, really important to not pressure cook the shrimp in this recipe.
Sauce. It’s ALL about the sauce in this recipe so don’t skimp on the butter and seasonings.
Double. Make a double batch of veggies, and just freeze half of them.
Low Carb. You can also make this shrimp without the veggies if you want a low carb, fast and easy stovetop recipe. Just shrimp and seasoned butter, and you’re good to go.

Variations

Instant Pot Low Country Boil is a crowd-pleasing dish, but it’s also easy to customize based on your taste preferences or what you have on hand. Here are some tasty variations to try:

Seafood Mix - Add crab legs, mussels, or clams along with the shrimp for a true seafood feast.
Different Sausage - Swap smoked sausage with andouille for extra spice or use chicken sausage for a lighter option.
Spicy Kick - Increase the amount of Louisiana shrimp and crab boil seasoning, or add extra hot sauce or cayenne for more heat.
Veggie Boost - Toss in mushrooms, green beans, or zucchini to add more variety and balance the richness.

What Do You Serve With It

If you’re not trying to keep things low carb, definitely serve some light, crusty bread with it to soak up all the sauce. I licked it off a spoon, as I tend to do, but it was calling out loudly for a little piece of bread.

Here are some other great southern-style recipes that would pair nicely with Shrimp Boil :

Instant Pot Green Beans and Bacon
Coleslaw
Black Eyed Peas with Ham
Cowboy Caviar

If you are trying to keep things low carb, you could use my Keto Bread recipe and serve it along with the shrimp boil recipe .

How Long Does It Last?

Instant Pot shrimp boil is best enjoyed fresh, but if you have leftovers, they can be safely stored. In the refrigerator, shrimp boil will last about 2 to 3 days when kept in an airtight container.

The shrimp itself is delicate and can become rubbery if reheated too long, so it’s best to reheat gently, either by steaming, microwaving on low, or briefly warming in a skillet with a little butter.

Can you Freeze It?

Yes, you can freeze it! Here is the best way I’ve found to do it:

Bag in Bag. I froze the low country boil ingredients bag-in-bag. In one bag, I placed half of the corn, sausage, and potatoes, labeled and sealed it. In a second bag, I added the frozen shrimp. Then I put both those bags in a larger storage freezer bag. Make sure to label and date your storage bag.
Reheating. When it is time to thaw and cook the next time you want to make this Instant Pot Shrimp Boil, all your bulk ingredients are already together. You can add everything right into the Instant Pot , but make sure to add the shrimp last to only cook in the residual heat.

A low country boil (often called Frogmore stew) is a specific South Carolina–Lowcountry style shrimp boil built around a classic lineup. It has shrimp, smoked sausage, corn, and red potatoes and is seasoned with a simple boil blend like Old Bay or Zatarain’s and typically cooked together as a one-pot feast. A broader seafood boil is the umbrella term for regional boils (Cajun/Creole, coastal, “Boiling Crab–style,” etc.) that can include a wider mix like crab legs, crawfish, clams, mussels, and different spice profiles and sauces (especially garlic butter seafood boil sauce). In an Instant Pot low country boil, the key distinction usually shows up in the ingredient set and seasoning style. Low country is the traditional shrimp-sausage-corn-potato combo, while seafood boils vary wildly by region and add-ins.

To keep shrimp from turning rubbery in an Instant Pot low country boil or Instant Pot shrimp boil, don’t pressure-cook the shrimp. Shrimp overcooks under pressure. Instead, pressure-cook the potatoes, corn, and smoked sausage first, then add the shrimp at the end and let it “cook” in residual heat until just pink and opaque. Use raw shrimp (fresh or frozen) rather than pre-cooked, avoid leaving it on “Keep Warm,” and pull it as soon as it reaches doneness. If you’re finishing with a garlic butter seafood boil sauce, toss the shrimp off-heat so the buttery sauce coats without continuing to cook it.

To scale an Instant Pot shrimp boil for a crowd (or Instant Pot low country boil) without rubbery shrimp, think in batches. Pressure-cook the slow-cooking base. Cook the red potatoes, corn, and smoked sausage (andouille/kielbasa) in one or two runs depending on whether you have a 6-qt or 8-qt. Then, add the shrimp only at the end using residual heat or a quick 0-minute cook so it stays tender. Keep the seasoning for low country boil consistent by measuring your boil mix (like Old Bay or Zatarain’s) per batch of liquid, then combine everything in a big roasting pan and toss with your garlic butter seafood boil sauce right before serving. If you need maximum volume, run the veggie/sausage batch first, hold it warm covered (not in the Instant Pot), then repeat and do the shrimp last so you can serve a huge, hot seafood boil all at once.

Looking For More Great Cajun Recipes?

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