A Louisiana crawfish boil isn’t just a meal—it’s a Southern tradition. Imagine a table piled high with spicy, juicy mud bugs, smoky sausage, and buttery corn, all cooked to perfection in a bold Cajun boil.

If you’ve never tackled a crawfish boil before, don’t worry! This beginner-friendly guide covers everything—from cleaning live crawfish to nailing the perfect seasoning—so you can host an authentic, flavor-packed feast with confidence.

Why a Louisiana Crawfish Boil is a Must-Try

• It’s the ultimate Southern feast – A crawfish boil is more than just a meal; it’s a hands-on, flavor-packed tradition that brings people together.
• Bold, spicy, and loaded with Cajun flavor – Mud bugs soak up a rich blend of garlic, cayenne, lemon, and Creole seasoning, delivering a spicy kick in every bite.
• A full spread in one pot – Crawfish, corn, potatoes, and sausage all cook together, absorbing the same smoky, buttery, and seasoned goodness.
• Perfect for gatherings – Whether it’s a backyard bash or a casual get-together, nothing beats dumping a steaming pot of crawfish onto a newspaper-covered table and digging in with friends.

Ingredients you need for a crawfish boil

Main Ingredients:

• Live Crawfish – Fresh mudbugs are the heart of any authentic boil.
• Crawfish & Crab Boil Seasoning – I used a store-bought crawfish blend of Cajun spices to flavor the boil
• Andouille Sausage (optional) – Adds smoky, spicy depth to the pot.
• Corn on the Cob – Sweet and tender, perfect for soaking up all the Cajun spices.
• Baby Red or Yukon Gold Potatoes – Absorb the bold seasoning and provide a hearty bite.
• Brussels Sprouts – A unique addition that takes on the bold flavors of the boil.
• Yellow Onions – Enhance the broth with a subtle sweetness and depth.
• Garlic – Whole heads infuse the boil with rich, savory flavor.
• Lemons – Essential for brightening the flavors and balancing the heat.

Essential Equipment for a Crawfish Boil

• Large Stock Pot – A heavy-duty pot with a lid and a perforated basket for easy draining. A 60-80 quart pot is ideal for larger boils.
• Propane Burner – A high-powered outdoor burner that can bring the pot to a rolling boil quickly. Make sure it’s sturdy and placed on a heat-safe surface.
• Large Bucket or Cooler – Used for purging and rinsing the crawfish before cooking. Specialty crawfish washers exist, but a standard cooler or bucket works just fine.
• Protective Gloves – Crawfish have sharp shells and strong pincers—insulated, heat-resistant gloves will protect your hands while handling them.
• Large Long-Handled Spoon – A sturdy metal or wooden paddle for stirring and distributing seasoning evenly throughout the pot.

What are crawfish?

Crawfish, also known as crawdads or mudbugs, are freshwater crustaceans found in swamps and rivers.

In the U.S., they are most popular in Louisiana, where over 95% of the crawfish harvested in the United States come from. Crawfish farms can also be found in Texas and Mississippi.

The texture and flavor of crawfish are similar to those of lobster, but they are much smaller. Therefore, it’s common to purchase them in 30 lb sacks and serve them family-style on a large table.

Where to buy live crawfish?

If you live in Louisiana or Texas, you should be able to find live crawfish at your local grocery store during crawfish season. I picked up three sacks of crawfish from my local H-E-B.

If you don’t live in an area where crawfish are common, you can order them online and have them shipped to your house. You can find them at Louisiana Crawfish Co. or Acadia Crawfish.

One thing to keep in mind is that you want to cook them the same day they are delivered to ensure they are fresh, so plan your delivery on the day of or the day before your boil.

How to boil crawfish step-by-step instructions

The best way to prepare crawfish is to boil them. It’s a similar process to a crab or shrimp boil, where you bring a large pot of heavily seasoned water to a boil and cook the crawfish along with other ingredients such as corn, potatoes, and vegetables.

1. Clean your crawfish

Crawfish are called “mud bugs” for a reason—when you buy a sack, they’ll likely come with a good bit of mud from their natural habitat.

Since they’re sold alive, handling them can be intimidating at first. And yes, they can and will pinch—so be careful!

To clean them, start by dumping the sack of live crawfish into a large cooler or bucket. Grab a garden hose and fill the container with water until the crawfish are completely covered.

Give them a good mix using a long-handled spoon. As you stir, you’ll notice that dead crawfish will float to the top—these should be removed and discarded, as they’re not safe to eat.

Drain the dirty water and repeat this process at least three times, or until the water runs clear and no more dead crawfish appear.

Once they’re clean, drain the cooler and let the crawfish rest in a shaded area while you prepare your boil pot.

2. Prep your boil pot

Fill your pot halfway with clean water and place it on your propane burner.

Before you turn on the burner to start heating the water, you first want to season it first.

3. Season the water

The secret to great-tasting crawfish lies in the seasoned boil water. There’s no need to season the crawfish beforehand—they absorb all their flavor as they cook. A well-seasoned pot ensures every bite is packed with that bold, zesty seafood-boil taste we all love.

For my crawfish boils, I start by adding an entire bag of Louisiana Fish Fry Crab & Crawfish Boil seasoning. This blend delivers classic Cajun flavor with just the right amount of spice and minimal salt, allowing you to control the overall seasoning balance.

I also add the Smashed Garlic Boil Booster. You can get other flavors, like Zesty Citrus and Herbal Overload, so you can get whatever flavor you want in your crawfish.

In addition to the seasonings in the water, I like to add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, halved lemons, whole bulbs of garlic, and plenty of sweet onions.

Once you’ve seasoned your water, turn on the propane burner and bring it to a boil.

4. Add your fixins’

Once the water starts to boil, you can add the potatoes and sausage (optional) to the pot.

The potatoes will take longer to cook than anything else, so I usually let them boil for about 15-20 minutes before I add the crawfish.

A good way to check if it’s time to add the crawfish is to pull a potato out with your spoon and see if it’s starting to get soft. You don’t want them fully tender, but they should be starting to get soft before you add anything else.

5. Add the crawfish to the boil

Always make sure your water is at a strong, rolling boil before adding the crawfish. This isn’t just the best way to cook them—it’s also the most humane.

Beyond ethics, temperature control is key to texture. If the water isn’t hot enough, the crawfish may cook unevenly, resulting in rubbery, tough meat—and nobody wants that! A properly boiling pot guarantees tender, juicy mud bugs every time.

Once the water is at a rolling boil, dump the crawfish in quickly and place the lid on. Keep the water boiling for five minutes, then cut off the heat. By this time, the crawfish should be bright red.

6. Add the veggies

Once your crawfish have boiled for a full five minutes, you can turn off the propane. The crawfish still need some time to soak up all of that boil flavor, so this is the perfect time to add your veggies.

Remove the lid and quickly add your corn, brussels sprouts, and whatever else you like to add to your seafood boil. Then, replace the lid and let them cook in that hot water while the crawfish soak.

7. Let everything soak

The key to super flavorful crawfish is to let them soak in the boil water for at least 30 minutes. As the water cools and the crawfish come down in temperature, they will soak up all of the seasonings that you added to the water for maximum flavor.

The longer you let them soak the more flavorful they will be, but keep in mind that they also get more spicy with time.

If you want a milder batch of crawfish, then you can just let them soak for 15 minutes or so. If you really want to pack in that flavor and spice, you can let them soak for 30-45 minutes. 

8. Serve them up

Once your crawfish have finished soaking, you can pull the basket out of your pot to drain them.

Dump them onto a long table for your guests to enjoy immediately, or transfer them to a clean cooler to keep them hot for a while before serving.

Cajun crawfish dip

I also like to serve my crawfish with my homemade Cajun crawfish dip. It’s a creamy, tangy, and spicy sauce that tastes absolutely amazing with boiled seafood, potatoes, corn, and everything in between.

Cajun crawfish boil recipe

There’s nothing quite like a Louisiana crawfish boil—the spicy, smoky aroma, the rich Cajun seasoning, and the fun of peeling and eating perfectly cooked mud bugs with friends and family.

If you try this easy crawfish boil, leave a star rating and share your experience in the comments. Let us know if you added any twists, extra heat, or secret ingredients!

Print

Classic Louisiana Crawfish Boil

A classic Louisianna crawfish boil seasoned with lemon, garlic, and onions, and served with Cajun crawfish dipping sauce.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Resting time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Calories 1568kcal

Author Breanna Stark

Ingredients

• 30 lbs live crawfish
• water
• 4.5 lb crawfish and crab boil seasoning
• 2 lb lemons halved
• 4 sweet onions quartered
• 2 bulbs garlic
• 5 lb red potatoes
• 4 lb smoked sausage sliced into 2-inch pieces
• 12 ears corn halved
• 20 oz Brussels sprouts trimmed

Cajun crawfish dipping sauce

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup ketchup
• 2 lemons juice only
• 3 tbsp Cajun seasoning
• 1 tbsp prepared horseradish
• 1 tbsp garlic powder

Instructions

To clean the crawfish

• Place live crawfish in a large bucket or cooler and cover with water.
• Stir gently and remove any dead crawfish that float to the top—they should be discarded.
• Drain and repeat the process at least three times or until the water runs clear.

Prepare the boil water

• Fill a large stockpot halfway with water and set it on a propane burner.
• Add the Crawfish & Crab Boil seasoning and turn the heat on high.
• Squeeze the juice from the lemons into the water, then toss in the lemon halves.
• Add onions, garlic, and potatoes, then bring the water to a boil for 15-20 minutes until potatoes start to soften.

Cook the crawfish

• Add the sausage and crawfish, cover the pot, and boil for 5 minutes.
• Turn off the heat.
• Add the corn and Brussels sprouts, then cover the pot again. Let everything soak for 30-45 minutes, allowing the crawfish to absorb all the seasoning.

Serve

• Once soaked, remove the basket from the pot and dump the crawfish onto a newspaper-covered table for serving.
• Alternatively, transfer the crawfish to a dry cooler to keep them warm until ready to serve.

Cajun crawfish dipping sauce

• In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, ketchup, lemon juice, Cajun seasoning, horseradish, and garlic powder until smooth.
• Serve alongside the crawfish for dipping.

Notes

What ingredients are in Louisiana seasoning?

I used a spice blend from Louisiana Fish Fry, which includes a blend of traditional ingredients like garlic, onion, paprika, and lemon. 

If you want to try making your own, you can go with:

• ½ cup kosher salt
• ¼ cup paprika
• 2 tbsp cayenne pepper (adjust for spice preference)
• 2 tbsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp white pepper
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp celery seed
• 2 tsp mustard seeds (or 1 tsp ground mustard)
• 2 tsp bay leaves, crushed
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional, for extra heat)
• 1 tsp ground cloves or allspice (optional, for depth)

Nutrition

Calories: 1568kcal | Carbohydrates: 197g | Protein: 78g | Fat: 67g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 25g | Cholesterol: 353mg | Sodium: 1820mg | Potassium: 3666mg | Fiber: 33g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 5922IU | Vitamin C: 148mg | Calcium: 2226mg | Iron: 79mg