Description
These Cajun shrimp foil packets deliver a full seafood boil in a personal, mess-free bundle. Juicy shrimp, smoky sausage, buttery potatoes, and sweet corn all cook together inside sealed foil with bold Cajun seasoning. Bake them in the oven or throw them on the grill — either way, dinner takes under 40 minutes with almost zero cleanup.
Ingredients
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- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
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- 1 lb smoked sausage, sliced
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- 1½ lbs baby potatoes, halved
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- 4 ears corn, kernels cut off or quartered
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- Cajun seasoning to taste
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- 2 tbsp butter (optional)
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- Fresh parsley for garnish
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- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
Bring large pot of water to rolling boil. Add halved baby potatoes and boil exactly 8 minutes until slightly tender when pierced with fork but not fully cooked. Drain thoroughly and set aside to cool slightly.
In large bowl, combine parboiled potatoes, corn kernels, sliced sausage, and raw shrimp. Sprinkle generously with Cajun seasoning – start with 2 tablespoons and add more to taste. Toss until everything is evenly coated with spices.
Tear off four large pieces of heavy-duty foil (about 18 inches each). Divide mixture evenly among foil sheets, piling ingredients in center. Arrange shrimp on top so they’re exposed to heat. Add pat of butter to each packet if using.
Bring long edges of foil up over food and fold together several times to create tight seam. Fold short ends up and crimp tightly to seal completely – packets should be airtight so steam can’t escape during cooking.
For oven: preheat to 400°F and place packets on baking sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes until shrimp are pink and cooked through. For grill: heat to medium-high and place packets directly on grates. Grill 15-25 minutes, checking carefully.
Carefully open packets (steam will be very hot!) and garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing and plenty of napkins since this gets messy in the best way.
Notes
Parboil the potatoes before assembling — skipping this step leaves them hard and undercooked while the shrimp overcooks.
Use heavy-duty foil to prevent tearing on the grill. Double-wrap packets for extra protection. Assemble packets up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerate until ready to cook.
Do not pre-cook. Add sliced bell peppers, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, or minced garlic to the packet for extra vegetables.
Swap shrimp for diced chicken breast or salmon cubes and adjust cook time accordingly. Try Old Bay seasoning, lemon pepper, or Caribbean jerk as an alternative to Cajun seasoning.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking, Grilling
- Cuisine: Cajun, American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 foil packet
- Calories: 485
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 1240mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 195mg