When Life Gives You Leftover Seafood... Make Cajun Chowder

What started as an overstocked seafood boil turned into one of my coziest creations.

Jun 17, 2025

Even when it’s warm outside, there’s always room for a bowl of something bold and comforting. This isn’t your classic New England chowder—this Cajun Seafood Chowder packs a spicy, smoky punch straight from Louisiana. It’s rich, creamy, and brimming with the flavors of the Gulf Coast, perfect for any time you’re craving serious flavor in a bowl.

The best part? This recipe was born out of necessity and creativity after hosting an epic seafood boil. You know how it goes—you buy way too much seafood, everyone's stuffed, and you're left staring at pounds of leftover cooked shrimp, crab, and that smoky sausage that was swimming in all those amazing Cajun spices. Instead of letting those beautiful leftovers go to waste, I transformed them into this incredible chowder that honestly might be even better than the original boil!

With tender shrimp, sweet crab meat, smoky Andouille sausage, and a perfectly seasoned creamy base, this chowder is comfort food at its absolute finest—and the ultimate way to stretch those seafood boil leftovers into another memorable meal.

What Makes This Chowder Special

This recipe is the perfect solution for post-seafood boil leftovers! You know that feeling when you've had the most amazing seafood boil, but you're left with containers full of perfectly cooked shrimp, crab, and sausage that's already been infused with incredible Cajun flavors? That's exactly how this chowder was born.

The beauty of using seafood boil leftovers is that your seafood is already seasoned and cooked to perfection. All that corn, sausage, and seafood have been swimming in spicy, aromatic broth, which means you're starting with ingredients that are already bursting with flavor. This chowder becomes a way to capture all those amazing tastes from your boil and transform them into something completely new.

Share In the Kitchen with Bek Davis

Bek's Tips for Success

Leftover Magic: The genius of this recipe is that your seafood and sausage are already perfectly seasoned from the boil. You might find you need less Cajun seasoning than called for—start with 1-2 tablespoons and taste as you go.

Corn from the Boil: If you have leftover corn from your seafood boil, cut the kernels off the cob and use those instead of fresh corn. They'll already have that amazing seafood flavor!

Seafood Size: Don't worry about perfect dice cuts with your leftover seafood - rustic, chunky pieces give the chowder more character and show off those beautiful shrimp and crab pieces.

Stock Matters: Seafood stock will give you the most authentic flavor, but don't stress if you can't find it - a good quality chicken stock works wonderfully too.

Consistency Control: If your chowder gets too thick, thin it with a little more stock or cream. If it's too thin, let it simmer a bit longer to reduce.

Make-Ahead Magic: This chowder tastes even better the next day! The flavors continue to develop overnight. Just reheat gently and add a splash of cream if needed.

Serving Suggestions

This rich chowder pairs beautifully with:

Crusty French bread or cornbread for dipping
A simple green salad with vinaigrette to cut through the richness
Oyster crackers for that classic chowder experience
A crisp white wine, like Sauvignon Blanc, or a light beer

Storage and Reheating

Store leftover chowder in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When reheating, do so gently over low heat, stirring frequently to prevent the cream from breaking. Add a splash of stock or cream if it seems too thick after refrigeration.

Ingredients

For the Base:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
2 celery stalks, diced (unfortunately, I was out of celery)
½ to 1 pound Andouille or smoked sausage, diced
1 cup corn kernels - fresh, frozen, or canned all work
1½ teaspoons dried thyme

For the Soup:

¼ cup all-purpose flour
8 cups stock - seafood stock is ideal, but chicken stock works beautifully too
2 cups cooked potatoes, diced
2 to 3 tablespoons store-bought Cajun seasoning - or Bek’s Cajun Seasoning Blend
1 to 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
½ cup heavy whipping cream

For the Seafood (Leftover from your boil!):

1 to 1½ pounds cooked shrimp, diced - those perfectly seasoned beauties from your seafood boil
1 cup crab meat - picked from your boil or store-bought if you need more

For Seasoning:

Sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Fresh herbs for garnish - thyme, parsley, chives, or green onions

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Instructions

Step 1: Build Your Flavor Base

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the butter is melted and foaming, add the diced onion, carrot, and celery. This is your aromatics foundation - sauté them for about 5-7 minutes until they're softened and the onion is translucent. You'll know they're ready when your kitchen starts smelling amazing.

Step 2: Add the Smoky Goodness

Toss in that diced Andouille sausage and sauté until it's slightly browned on the edges, about 3-4 minutes. The sausage will release its flavorful oils, adding an incredible smoky depth to your chowder base.

Step 3: Layer in More Flavor

Add the corn kernels and dried thyme, stirring everything together. Sauté for an additional 2 minutes—this step helps the corn caramelize slightly and allows the thyme to bloom and release its earthy aroma.

Step 4: Create the Roux

Sprinkle the flour over everything in the pot, stirring constantly to coat all the vegetables and sausage. Cook this mixture for about 1-2 minutes—this creates a light roux that will help thicken your chowder and prevent any floury taste.

Step 5: Build the Soup Base

Slowly pour in the stock while stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Add the potatoes, Cajun seasoning, and Old Bay seasoning, then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Let it simmer for 5-7 minutes, until it's slightly thickened and all the flavors have had a chance to meld together.

Step 6: Add the Stars of the Show

Gently stir in the diced cooked shrimp and crab meat, followed by the heavy whipping cream. Reduce the heat to low and let everything simmer together for 3-5 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the seafood—you're just warming it through and letting it absorb all those wonderful flavors.

Step 7: Season to Perfection

Taste your chowder and adjust the seasonings. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Remember, the Cajun seasoning and Old Bay already contain salt, so taste first! If you want more heat, add a pinch more Cajun seasoning. If you want more coastal flavor, add a touch more Old Bay.

Step 8: Serve with Style

Ladle the chowder into warm bowls and garnish with fresh herbs like thyme, parsley, chives, or sliced green onions. A light sprinkle of paprika also makes for a beautiful presentation.

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Final Thoughts

This Cajun Seafood Chowder is proof that some of the best recipes come from not wanting to waste delicious leftovers. What started as a way to use up seafood boil extras has become one of my absolute favorite comfort food recipes. There's something so satisfying about transforming one amazing meal into something completely different but equally delicious.

The beauty of this recipe is that it celebrates the flavors you already created during your seafood boil while giving them new life in chowder form. It's impressive enough for entertaining but comforting enough for a cozy family dinner—and it's a great excuse to host more seafood boils, knowing you have this incredible second-act recipe waiting in the wings!

Plus, let's be honest - sometimes the chowder ends up being even more popular than the original boil. There's just something about that creamy, rich broth that captures all those Cajun flavors in the most comforting way possible.

Have you tried this recipe? I'd love to hear about your variations and what you served alongside it! Drop a comment below and share your chowder success stories.