Instant Pot Shrimp Boil
by Chungah
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This Instant Pot shrimp boil is made in just 6 minutes! With juicy shrimp, potatoes, sausage and corn, drizzled with a dreamy butter mixture!
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Why you’ll love this instant pot shrimp boil
- Cooks in just a fraction of the time. Shrimp boil typically takes 45 minutes to 1 hour to cook through by boiling a large heavy pot of water, but the 6-qt Instant Pot® drastically brings down the cook time (and convenience) to just 6 minutes.
- Maximum flavor. Every bit of flavor and seasoning is infused straight into the potatoes, sausage, corn, and shrimp, yielding the juiciest shrimp.
- Fool-proof recipe. Not only is this method so fast, it’s also a foolproof way to achieve perfectly cooked, tender seafood, avoiding rubbery shrimp, using a quick two-step process (more on that below).
What is a shrimp boil?
This is a popular dish throughout the South, boiling together shrimp, sausage, potatoes, and corn in a seasoned broth. This is traditionally served outside onto a large communal table, lined with newspapers, served with melted butter, hot sauce, lemon wedges, and cold beers.
Types of shrimp
Wild caught shrimp vs. farmed shrimp
Farmed shrimp are raised in controlled environments, whereas wild caught shrimp have been caught in their natural habitats by fishermen. Wild caught shrimp are generally preferred over farmed shrimp primarily due to taste.
Frozen vs. fresh shrimp
Unless you reside in a coastal area, the “fresh shrimp” on display at your local grocery store have already been previously frozen at sea. Frozen shrimp offer ultimate freshness (flash-frozen as soon as they are caught) and flexibility, using only what you need for dinner. Bottom line, frozen shrimp will taste better and cook better.
How to make shrimp boil in the instant pot
- Add everything but the shrimp. Add the potatoes, sausage, onion, Old Bay seasoning, and hot sauce in a 6-qt Instant Pot®, stirring until well combined and then adding the corn and beer on top.
- Pressure cook (step 1). Close and seal the lid, cooking on high pressure for 5 minutes, quick releasing when finished and carefully opening the lid.
- Add the shrimp and pressure cook (step 2). Add the shrimp; close and seal the lid, cooking on high pressure for 1 minute, quick releasing when finished and carefully opening the lid.
- Make the butter mixture. While the shrimp is cooking, combine the butter, garlic, and Old Bay seasoning in a small saucepan.
- Serve. Serve the shrimp boil with the butter mixture, spooning or drizzling as needed, and garnishing with parsley and lemon wedges.
Variations
- Slow cooker: cooked low and slow for 3-4 hours
- Sheet pan: 30 minute sheet pan dinner
- Kabobs: a summertime favorite, baking or grilling
What to serve with shrimp boil
Tools For This Recipe
6-qt Instant Pot®
Instant Pot Shrimp Boil: Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! But I recommend thawing the frozen shrimp overnight, transferring them from the freezer to the fridge the day before for a consistent thaw.
Place the frozen shrimp in a colander (or strainer) under cold water until completely thawed, about 5-10 minutes. Pat them dry as thoroughly as possible to remove any excess moisture.
Yes, but do not pressure cook the pre-cooked shrimp. Simply add them in at the very end to reheat until warmed through.
Add the shrimp at the very end, pressure cooking for 1 minute and quick releasing immediately.
Yes! I have a recipe for that here.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days.
Instant Pot Shrimp Boil
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds baby red potatoes
- 1 (12.8-ounce) package smoked andouille sausage, thinly sliced
- ½ medium sweet onion, chopped
- 4 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning, divided
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 3 ears corn, halved
- 16 ounces pilsner or lager beer
- 1 ½ pounds medium shrimp, shell-on
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Place potatoes, sausage, onion, 3 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning and hot sauce into a 6-qt Instant Pot®. Stir until well combined. Top with corn and beer.
- Select manual setting; adjust pressure to high, and set time for 5 minutes. When finished cooking, quick-release pressure according to manufacturer’s directions.
- Add shrimp. Select manual setting; adjust pressure to high, and set time for 1 minute. When finished cooking, quick-release pressure according to manufacturer’s directions.
- Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Stir in garlic and remaining 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Serve shrimp mixture immediately, drizzled with butter mixture, garnished with parsley and lemon, if desired.
Equipment
Notes
- Know your shrimp size. Shrimp size is calculated on number of shrimp per pound. The smaller the number, the larger your shrimp. There are about 40-50 medium shrimp per pound.
- Buy frozen shrimp. For superior quality and freshness, using frozen shrimp is ideal (but avoid the bags with freezer burn), opting for a quick thaw under cold running water.
- Leave the shells on. The shells will protect the shrimp from overcooking, and will infuse more flavor into the boil.
- Skip the water. Avoid using water for the cooking liquid. Use a light beer or a combination of beer and chicken broth for classic lowcountry flavors.
- Cook in two stages. Pressure cook the potatoes, sausage and corn first, then add the shrimp last, quick-releasing immediately to avoid overcooking the shrimp.
- The butter mixture is key. For restaurant-quality shrimp boil, finish the shrimp boil with a simple butter-garlic-Old-Bay-seasoning mixture just before serving.
- Serve with crusty bread. Serve with all the homemade crusty bread or garlic knots for dipping, sopping and dunking!
- Reheat in the oven. Leftover shrimp can be rubbery when reheated in the microwave. For best results with leftovers, reheat in the oven at 425°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through.
Did you make this recipe?
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Are the shrimp fresh or frozen?
Most recipes using this method call for FROZEN SHRIMP since you have already cooked the other ingredients. The key is adding frozen shrimp on top of the already HOT food then bringing the IP back up to pressure only requires the additional minute to cook the shrimp to perfection. Yum Yum Yum
Amazing! Followed the recipe exactly. Used Dos Equis for the beer. So much flavor in the sauce. Will for sure be making again!
Just finished this , and I am a ” Rookie ” on Southern Food , as I am ” Northern Born ” !
This turned out Perfectly in my Pressure Cooker . I added Crab and used Chicken Broth instead of Beer.
Thanks and it is WONDERFUL… 🙂
Quick, tasty, easy. Thank you!
This is a simplest recipe for Low Country Broil. I added the crab legs as well. I love it. I used this recipe most of the time. I give it 5 stars.
Thank you so much for this recipe. It is excellent! Easy, delicious, and made in the Instant Pot — what could be better?
This was a hit in my house! I did learn why you used baby red potatoes. I didn’t have baby ones, but I had some leftover regular red potatoes and I decided to just quarter them. Ooops. They fell apart in the Instant Pot. My mistake. I will use baby ones next time. However, we kind of liked the “stew” the potatoes made when the fell apart. So, next time, I’m going to use both baby potatoes and regular sized ones that I quarter.
Also, my husband thought having corn kernels along with the ears of corn would be good to add to the “stew” at in the broth :).
This recipe is a keeper and going in our family cookbook!
Thank you…you did an incredible job on this!
Made mostly according to directions. I cook by taste so the seasoning was not as directed and I added a little extra sausage, shrimp, and corn. Turned out fantastic. Definitely a hit with the wife and roommate.
I didn’t have beer but did have coconut water. It turned out well with this substitution.
I’m from North Georgia and have had many a Low Country boil as my job required me to travel through the Southeast. This is fantastic! I wanted to add ingredients but I followed the directions exactly and YUM! The beer and the butter/garlic/old bay were the bomb! Husband thinks I’m brilliant so it will be our little secret that you’re the brains behind tonight’s great and delicious meal! Thank you!
I’ve made this twice already and it’s been amazing!
Delicious! This will be a staple dish here at our cottage during the summer.
Does anybody know if this recipe can be doubled by simply doubling the ingredients
I’ve made this numerous times and we love it. I have an 8qt Instant Pot so I add a bit more corn (I use frozen corn cobs sometimes partially thawed and it works great) and more shrimp. I’m sure you could up the sausage too. Although it’s just for 5 of us, we always have leftovers and it could easily feed 8-10 people with adding the extra corn and shrimp.
I have a 6quart pot. After the first cook with the sausages potatoes, and quick release (as recipe says). I took most of the corn out and then filled the pot back up with as much shrimp and scallops as possible. I filled to the max line inside the pot. Sprinkled with some more old bay, cuz why not?! Then pressure cooked it back up again, with timer of 2 minutes. Turned out perfect! I used thawed raw shrimp/scallops.
Made this tonight. Sooo simple, quick and GONE in about 15 minutes! Best part? Followed recipe exactly and Boy was it GOOD! Will be making a lot this summer… oh heck, probably year round! Thanks for sharing
An awesome easy dish to make. There was no left overs.
My boyfriend is from Kentucky and Tennessee and has made shrimp boils in a regular pot many times. He was skeptical about a shrimp boil cooked in a pressure cooker. But after tasting your Instant Pot Shrimp Boil (made to the exact specs), he was quite impressed. He ate it all up and went back for seconds. He gave your recipe a solid A. 🙂
Any body that uses Old Bay (it is or was manufactured in Maryland in Owings Mills) is Excellent in my book. Great Job and thanks!!
This is a repeat recipe in our house. I use chicken broth (same amount) instead of beer, and it is delicious. Occasionally my husband has picked up the already-cooked frozen shrimp; I learned that you can set the pot at zero minutes, and the time that the pot uses working up to pressure is enough to cook those shrimp perfectly. I definitely use the Old Bay Seasoning in the pot (it’s amazing!), but we like plain melted butter for dipping. Served with a loaf of bread, this is a fabulous meal!
thanks Carol for the tip about subbing chicken broth for beer. I was wondering what to use instead, as we don’t drink beer at our house. 🙂
Thanks for the substitute I don’t drink beer and was wondering what else could I use.
This recipe deserves 20 stars!! It was absolutely delicious and so easy to make. Thank you for sharing!
This will be my new go to recipe for casual entertaining. Delicious, easy and something I don’t usually make. Plus it’s fast! The dinner impressed my persnickety family.
Don’t skip the final step of Old Bay, butter, lemon and parsley. It takes the dish from good to scrape-the-plate yummy, especially when served w a loaf of hot crusty bread.
FYI- I used an 8 quart Instant Pot. I peeled the shrimp.
I just made and had this. Wowwww. Thank you so much!! So easy and oh so tasty!!