Instant Pot Shrimp Boil Recipe

Who doesn't love an outdoor get-together, especially on a pleasant summer day? 

As recipe developer Carlos Leo of spoonabilities.com says, this Instant Pot shrimp boil is perfect for big backyard parties with your family and friends during the summer. "It's a great dish to connect with people, and it's very hands-on," he adds. 

From the sweetness of the corn to the kick of the hot sauce to the ultra-juicy jumbo shrimp and tender baby red potatoes, this dish is packed with flavor and goes perfectly with a cold beer (or a lemonade, but you'll need the beer for cooking anyway), especially if your outdoor party is on a day when it's particularly hot outside. Plus, by using an Instant Pot or a pressure cooker, this shrimp boil is easy to make, with a total prep and cook time of just 23 minutes.

So if you're looking to add a little something special to your next outing, look no further than this Instant Pot shrimp boil.

Of course, all great recipes start with the right ingredients. To make your Instant Pot shrimp boil, you'll need small red potatoes, sweet onion, Old Bay seasoning, bay leaves, jumbo shrimp, garlic cloves, fresh parsley, lemon wedges, and ears of corn cut into smaller pieces.

Although any smoked sausage will work with this recipe, Carlos recommends packaged, thinly sliced Andouille sausage. Since this shrimp boil calls for beer, Carlos suggests either Pilsner or a different lager. You can even substitute more beer for the chicken stock and add more hot sauce, depending on your tastes.

Finally, you'll need Cajun seasoning, unsalted butter, lemon juice, and mashed garlic for the crowning touch to this crowd-pleasing meal: Cajun lemon butter.

Whether you want more spice or less chicken stock, all Instant Pot shrimp boils start with the broth. After all, the choices you make here will set the flavor tone for the dish. Start by adding the chicken stock and beer (or just beer) to the Instant Pot. 

Next, add the hot sauce. While Carlos used Tabasco sauce when he made his Instant Pot shrimp boil, you can opt for something milder or spicier. It all depends on your preference. Finally, add 3 teaspoons of Old Bay seasoning to the mixture. You'll want to stir the ingredients well to combine them.

Once your broth is ready, place the baby red potatoes, the smoked sausage, the chopped sweet onion, and the cut up corn cobs on top. Next, sprinkle the other 2 teaspoons of Old Bay seasoning on top of the corn. 

And what about the shrimp? For now, put them aside. You'll be cooking them separately from the rest of the ingredients.

Close the lid of your Instant Pot and select the manual pressure cooker setting to cook on high for five minutes. When the broth is finished cooking, you'll want to use the quick-release method. Make sure to follow your manual's instructions for this step.

Remove the potatoes, sausage, onion, and corn from your Instant Pot and place them on a platter or tray. To get your Instant Pot ready to cook the shrimp, select the sauté option.

Before we get to the star of this boil — the shrimp — here's a quick tip that can help you get another meal out of this recipe: Carlos pointed out that you can use the leftover broth to poach salmon. So, you can have two perfectly paired dishes for an outdoor get-together, or a nice fish dinner for yourself the next day that's brimming with flavor. Either way, you'll want to hold onto that broth when you're done making this shrimp boil recipe.

Add the shrimp to the broth and cook them using the sauté function until the shrimp turn pink. This will usually take about four minutes.

While Carlos recommends fresh shrimp, you can use frozen. "I used frozen shrimp, but if I have the option to use fresh, I will definitely use fresh," he explained. "Fresh is always better." He also said that if you do use frozen shrimp, you will need to cook it for a bit longer or thaw it in advance. Either way, the shrimp should still have their shells and tails but should be deveined.

When the shrimp is ready, transfer them from the Instant Pot to the platter with the other cooked ingredients.

For the Cajun lemon-butter dipping sauce, in a small saucepan, melt the butter and add the mashed garlic, the lemon juice, and the Cajun seasoning. Cook over low heat for about one to two minutes, at which point the garlic and butter will become very fragrant.

"You don't need to worry about under- or over-cooking here," Carlos said. "The idea here is just to melt the butter and the ingredients for a minute or two. Keep the heat at medium-low, and you will be fine."

There's no denying that the garlic makes this Instant Pot shrimp boil more flavorful, but what if you're cooking for someone with a garlic allergy? Good news, Carlos said you can make this dish without the garlic.

When you're ready to serve your Instant Pot shrimp boil, you can use the same platter or large baking tray that's holding the cooked vegetables and shrimp. Just squeeze some lemon juice over the whole thing and garnish with the chopped fresh parsley leaves and lemon wedges.

And what about the Cajun lemon butter? Depending on your preference, you can drizzle it over everything or just leave it in a serving bowl as a seasoned butter dip. Either way, this Instant Pot shrimp boil is sure to be an instant crowd-pleaser. And don't be surprised if your version of this recipe winds up on Instagram.