One of my all-time favorite dishes is a seafood boil like the “seafood in a bag” from The Kickin’ Crab. I’ve made seafood boils previously, referencing Rasa Malaysia’s seafood boil recipe while adding some of my own spices and components as well. Recently I have been gradually decreasing my consumption of animal products and thought I should try to put a vegetarian spin on a tasty dish. This vegetarian cajun boil recipe is also inspired by Karissa’s Vegan Kitchen cajun-inspired vegan recipe. Seafood boils can vary based on your preference (spicy or mild, tangy or savory, etc), and I’ve learned through trial and error how to create a boil similar to The Kickin’ Crab seafood boil. This vegetarian “seafood boil” is perfect for anyone who is looking for a vegetarian alternative to a delicious dish.
Vegetarian Cajun Boil
Ingredients
Instructions
First, we will be prepping the ingredients that will be going into the boil.
Wash the potatoes and broccoli well.
Cut the broccoli into small pieces and put them into the steamer basket. Steam for 15 minutes with the heat on the lowest setting.
While the broccoli is steaming, break the 4 ears of corn into halves to have a total of 8 pieces of corn.
When the broccoli is finished steaming, put it into a separate bowl aside, and put the potatoes in the steamer basket. Steam for 20-25 minutes on the lowest heat setting. When the potatoes are finished, cut them into halves and then put them in a bowl aside.
Put the corn into the steamer and steam on low-medium heat for 10 minutes. While the corn is steaming, start chopping up the shallot into small pieces. Once the corn is done, remove it from the steamer and set it aside in a bowl.
Peel the outside skin of the shallot, and then chop it up into small pieces.
Chop the 2 garlic bulbs in the same manner.
Prepare the large pot that the finish product will be served in. Add enough avocado oil to coat the bottom of the pot and turn the heat on low.
Add in the chopped garlic and shallots, and stir until the shallots start to become translucent.
(Optional) Add your seitan slices and stir until they are thoroughly heated, and then put them in a bowl aside.
Add the Beyond Meatâ„¢ sausages to the pot still on low heat, and carefully cook them until they turn slightly brown. Be sure to flip them often so that they don’t burn and stick to the pot. When the sausages are cooked, set them aside.
Now for the sauce; First keep the heat on low with the remaining shallot and garlic pieces inside and add the 1.5 sticks of butter and 3/4 cup of avocado oil.
Once the butter is melted, complete these in no particular order; add 1.5 tablespoons of paprika. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of brown sugar. Stir.
Turn the heat up to low-medium and squeeze 4 lemons and add the juice to the pot. Stir. This is what the sauce should look like at this step:
I added approximately 1 tablespoon of cajun spice mix for some spice and flavor, but feel free to add more or less, depending on your preference.
Incorporate the seitan and sausage into your sauce, followed by the corn, potatoes, and broccoli. Make sure everything is mixed into the sauce well
Dig in and Enjoy your vegetarian cajun boil!
Overall, there is no set recipe for a cajun boil; you can play around with different spices and flavors as you please. I came up with this specific recipe through multiple attempts to recreate that classic seafood boil flavor I was going for. This recipe is just one of the many ways you could add spices and flavor to vegetables and meat alternatives. This dish is perfect for those who want to make creative vegetarian dishes. I highly recommend experimenting with your creation using this recipe but also by adding your own personal touches to the dish!