If you are a big seafood fan, then this easy Cajun seasoning butter recipe is a must-try! If you’ve already had it then you will understand the hype. This recipe is super easy to put together and is exploding in rich and spicy flavors. It can be used for all seafood and shellfish, or even as the sauce in seafood boil-in-the-bag recipes. Keep reading to find out how you can make this super tasty sauce!
Table of Contents
- What is Cajun Sauce Made Of?
- The Easiest Cajun Butter Sauce Recipe
- How to Use Cajun Butter Sauce
- Spicy, Buttery Goodness
- FAQs
What is Cajun Sauce Made Of?
Cajun butter sauce can be made in many different ways.
For me, the easiest and tastiest combination of ingredients is of course the butter, then garlic, lemon juice, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, dried parsley, salt, and pepper.
The smoked paprika gives the flavor that smokiness that is nicely complimented by the spice of the cayenne pepper. The dried parsley brings out earthy flavors, while the lemon juice gives it that citrusy kick.
This recipe can also be made using old bay seasoning and pre-mixed cajun seasoning, but I’ve included all of the separate ingredients for this so that if you don’t have these pre-mixed seasonings at home, you can still easily whip this recipe up.
The Easiest Cajun Butter Sauce Recipe
The following recipe is just so super simple, you can whip it up just minutes before finishing your meal. It is the best sauce for your seafood and I totally recommend usng this sauce the next time you cook lobster, crab, or even shrimp.
This sauce also goes really well with chicken. It can be used to coat the meat before you cook your chicken, or even as a finisher to drizzle over your cooked chicken.
You could even try this with salmon, steak, or lamb – it is a super versatile sauce that will really enhance any meat dish you make.
This recipe is also super quick, so it is perfect for quickly whipping up just a couple of minutes before your food is ready.
I would also recommend using this sauce as a coating for making simple seafood boil-in-a-bag! It is a super quick recipe, which only takes 10 minutes to prepare, and the rest is taken care of by your oven!
Ingredients
- Butter – 8 tbsp (or one whole stick)
- 5 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp Cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp Coarse salt
- ½ tsp Ground black pepper
- ½ tsp Garlic powder
- ½ tsp Dried parsley
Cajun Butter Sauce Recipe
Melt the butter
Using either your microwave or the stovetop, melt the butter until soft.
Add your spices
Add all your other ingredients to the pot and stir until it has all been mixed through nicely.
If you prefer to watch how to make this, I have linked below a similar recipe video which is super easy to follow!
How to Use Cajun Butter Sauce
Below is a list of different ways in which you can use this delicious cajun butter sauce, and what foods it pairs really well with!
Marinade
This sauce is perfect for marinating a number of different foods – lobster, shrimp, salmon, chicken, steak, and pork chops. When making the sauce, reserve some of the marinade for after.
Allow your food to marinade in the sauce for at least 30 minutes. That being said, the longer you leave it the more infused the flavor will be!
Then bake or grill your protein. Once it is ready, use the previously reserved sauce to drizzle over the top of your food and serve.
Dipping Sauce
If you have purchased precooked shrimp or salmon, then another easy way of adding the flavor is as a dipping sauce.
Just prepare your sauce right before serving and put it in a dipping pot. You can also drizzle the sauce over your food as a garnish.
Seafood Boil Sauce
This sauce can also be used as the base for a seafood boil or crawfish boil.
All you need to do is fill a large stockpot with water and bring it to a boil. Cook your seafood for a recommended cooking time. Reserve some of the boiling water and mix with your Cajun butter sauce. Next, drain your seafood from the water it cooked in and toss with your butter sauce.
Cajun Butter Pasta Sauce
The same recipe can be added to some pasta to bulk up the dish. Make your protein using the butter sauce as you would for any other method, and cook your pasta.
If you are cooking the seafood or protein alongside the pasta, add a ladle of pasta water to your meat to add some starchy flavor. Once the pasta has been cooked al dente, transfer the pasta to dish with your protein and toss around.
You could also add some cream or grated parmesan at this stage to thicken the sauce.
Spicy, Buttery Goodness
Now it is your turn! Give this sauce a try and let me know how it goes in the comments.
If you would like to check out some other similar blog posts I have previously written, you can check them out here!
FAQs
What Does Cajun Butter Sauce Taste Like?
Cajun butter sauce is a mix of spices and herbs. The butter enhances the flavor of all the smoky, spicy, earthy flavors thanks to the fat content of the butter. This helps the flavor to linger on your tongue for longer.
The spices are a little hot so you must be okay with a little spice, but if you prefer a more mild flavor, you could just add less cayenne pepper.
How Do You Thicken Cajun Sauce?
You can easily thicken cajun sauce by whisking equal parts flour and cold water together in a small cup or bowl. Whisk until the flour and water mix produce a smooth slurry. Mix in to your sauce one teaspoon at a time. Then, let your sauce simmer for 5 minutes to make sure there is no raw flour taste.
The Easiest Cajun Butter Sauce Recipe
The following recipe is just so super simple, you can whip it up just minutes before finishing your meal. It is the best sauce for your seafood and I totally recommend usng this sauce the next time you cook lobster, crab, or even shrimp.
Type: sauce
Cuisine: Cajun
Total Time: 3 mins
Recipe Ingredients:
- Butter – 8 tbsp (or one whole stick)
- 5 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp coarse salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp dried parsley
Recipe Instructions:
