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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This recipe is AMAZING!! It’s super easy to make and very delicious…question though, do you know the calories per serving? Thanks!!
So simple, yet so delicious! I love the instant pot and this adaptation for this machine! You guys did a wonderful job with this! Will repeat over and over again
This is a great recipe, Chungah! I’ve tried your sheet pan version and that one is a hit too! Next time, on Step 3, I will stir the shrimp in so that it gets more of the flavors. My family also likes to add Sriracha when they serve themselves. I think it makes a great dish for when you have family over. Super-easy and crowd-pleasing! Thank you!
Made this last night and absolutely delicious!! Simple and quick meal!!
Made this last night and absolutely delicious!! Simple and quick meal!!!
Wish I could post my picture, turned out perfect! I have never cooked with beer and this changed our lives… and taste buds! LOL
I forgot, I also used chicken broth rather than the beer.
“Girl, you damn nailed this!”” That was the comment I got from my husband. He loved it! I used frozen corn, put it in when I put the shrimp in, and left out the hot sauce. I have made this once before with a different recipe and didn’t get that reaction. So thank you!
I forgot, I also used chicken broth rather than the beer.
So easy. So good. I only had bratwurst but it’s all good! Will be making again. I did 4 min, then 2 min with frozen tail on raw shrimp.
Can you add lobster to the receipe and mussels?
If yes in which order? Maybe lobster and mussels add with the potatoes?
I love this recipe. By far the best thing i have made in my IP. Guests agree as well. It’s a staple.
Made this today, Mother’s Day, for my wife & I. Third thing I’ve cooked in my new Instant Pot and I think it’s perfect. Would not change a thing, and it’s even better than your chili! (second thing I made). I bet it would work well with chorizo too. Thanks for saving our first quarantined Mother’s Day.
I’m giving it three stars because I followed it to a “T” and my shrimp came out cooked but translucent… My wife hates cooking but I love it and cook all the time and I’m not sure what happened….
Good quick dinner a little spicy but we liked it did not think the shrimp would cook in one minute but it was cooked very delicious
I absolutely love this recipe. I’ve made this at least a dozen times. My most recent time making this recipe I added the corn the same time as the shrimp. The corn tasted so much better and still had a crunchy bite instead of being on the starting end of tough. So good!
I usually love everything on this website. but i didnt like the flavors of this recipe.
overall this is the best website ever
Loved this!!! I made it in my 8qt Instant Pot and followed the directions exactly…it turned out AMAZING!! I made this as my first recipe in my new Instant Pot and so happy I found this recipe. Will definitely be making this many more times.
How much water did you add?
Recipe doesn’t call for water, beer is the cooking liquid used. Worked great for me (no burn notice).
Due to COVID-19, I wasn’t able to find potatoes and I really don’t care for beer so I substituted water. This recipe was still amazing!!!! I used hillshire farms chicken kielbasa sausage cause it’s what was on hand. So glad I tried it!!! You rock, girl!!!
How did you change the recipe without potatoes? Less time?
Very delicious. I had to make modifications because I have an off brand pressure cooker, but I figured it out and it still turned out great! Definitely will make again!
Used frozen corn and shrimp. Worked fine. Looking forward to using fresh. Did not add hot sauce. Was fine for us. Lowered to 4 min. Potatoes were perfect.