Cajun Garlic Butter Shrimp Foil Boil with Baby Potatoes & Sweet Corn

Shrimp and vegetables

• 1½ lb (680 g) large raw shrimp, 21 to 25 per pound, peeled and deveined, tails off, patted dry
• 1½ lb (680 g) baby potatoes, gold or red, sliced ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick
• 3 ears sweet corn, each cut crosswise into 3 pieces
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp kosher salt, for the potatoes

Cajun garlic butter

• 8 tbsp (113 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

To finish

• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 4 lemon wedges

1. Heat the oven and prepHeat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice the potatoes ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick, cut each ear of corn crosswise into 3 pieces, and slice the onion thinly. Pat the shrimp very dry. Lay two 24-inch (60 cm) sheets of heavy-duty foil crosswise on a rimmed baking sheet.The potato slices are an even ½ inch so they cook at the same pace.
2. Make the Cajun garlic butterWhisk the melted butter with the garlic, Cajun seasoning, paprika, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl.The butter is deep orange-red and smells strongly of garlic and spice.
3. Pack and cook the potatoes firstToss the potatoes, corn and onion with the olive oil, salt and about one third of the garlic butter. Pile them in the center of the foil, fold the foil up and over, and seal all the edges with tight double folds, leaving a little air space. Bake 25 minutes.The packet is puffed with steam and sealed on all sides.⏱ 25 min timer, potatoes first
4. Check, then add the shrimpOpen the packet carefully, away from your face, because the steam is very hot. Pierce a potato slice with a fork. It should slide in easily; if not, reseal and bake 5 minutes more. Toss the shrimp with the rest of the garlic butter, nestle them on top of the vegetables, and fold the foil closed again.The potatoes are tender, and the shrimp sit in a single layer on top.
5. Finish cooking the shrimpBake 8 to 10 minutes, until the shrimp are pink, opaque and curled into a loose C.The shrimp are bright orange-pink with no gray, translucent spots.⏱ 8 min timer, check shrimp
6. Open and serveOpen the packet carefully. Gently stir so the shrimp and vegetables pick up the pooled butter. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve straight from the foil with lemon wedges.Orange-red shrimp, golden potato slices and bright corn glisten in a pool of Cajun butter.

• Use heavy-duty foil, doubled. Fold the edges over twice for a tight seal that traps the steam, and set the packet on a rimmed baking sheet in case it leaks.
• Potatoes go in first. Sliced potatoes are the slowest item, so they cook alone for 25 minutes. The shrimp go in at the end so they don’t turn rubbery.
• Open the packet away from your face. The escaping steam is hot enough to burn.
• Know when the shrimp are done. They turn pink and opaque and curl into a loose C. A tight O means overcooked.
• Thaw frozen shrimp fully in cold water for 15 minutes and pat them dry, so they don’t water down the sauce.
• Taste before adding salt. Cajun blends are salty, so only the potatoes get extra salt.
• Homemade Cajun blend: mix 2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder and dried oregano, ½ tsp each dried thyme, cayenne and black pepper, and 1 tsp salt. One batch covers this recipe.
• On the grill: set it to medium-high, about 400°F (200°C), and use the same times with the lid closed.
• Scaling: The servings buttons change the ingredient list. Step text keeps the original 4-serving amounts in one packet. For 8 servings, use two packets on two pans.

Nutrition is an estimate per serving. Contains shellfish and dairy. Naturally gluten-free, but check your Cajun seasoning label.

Easy swaps

Add sausage: add 12 oz (340 g) of sliced andouille or smoked sausage with the potatoes in the first stage.

Shell-on shrimp: they add flavor and you peel them at the table. Cook them 1 to 2 minutes longer.

Potatoes: red, gold or fingerling potatoes all work. Sweet potato slices of the same thickness cook in a similar time.

Corn: use thawed frozen corn cobs or mini cobs, or 2 cups of corn kernels in place of the cobs.

Other vegetables: zucchini, bell pepper or green beans can go in with the shrimp.

More heat: add ¼ tsp cayenne or a few drops of hot sauce to the butter. Milder: use 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning.

Dairy-free: use olive oil or a plant-based butter in place of the butter.

Make ahead: mix the garlic butter up to 3 days ahead. Cut and pack the potatoes, corn and onion in the foil up to 4 hours ahead and keep them chilled, adding 5 minutes to the first bake.

Storage and reheating

Fridge: keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Reheat: warm gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water for 3 to 4 minutes. Avoid long microwaving, which makes the shrimp rubbery.