Name: Shrimp Boil Foil Packets
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 13 min
Ingredients: 1 lb red potatoes; 2 cobs sweet corn; 14 oz fully cooked Polish Kielbasa (I like to use Johnsonville's rope sausage); 1 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined ); 1/3 c diced red pepper; 2 tbsp butter; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 tsp minced garlic; 1 tbsp paprika; 1 1/2 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional); fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

All the flavors of a shrimp boil, but done in a much simpler way! These foil packets can be prepped ahead of time and served as a quick weeknight meal or grilled at the campground!

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A close up of an open foil packet after it has been cooked with a fork in it.

When I say "shrimp boil," do you have any clue what I'm talking about? If you're like me, when you first heard this term, you were probably thinking about people down south enjoying some Cajun food around a big 'ol pot of water.

Shrimp Boil in the Midwest

On Zach and I's second date, we made a trip up to Rochester, Minnesota for the afternoon. It was the best day - we grabbed lunch, played some miniature golf in Dick's Sporting Goods and went to a movie. We decided on the movie Don Jon - it looked like a sweet romantic comedy....perfect for a 2nd date, right? Wrong. Let's just say that after about 2 minutes, it was pretty clear why it was Rated R! Ha!

Ok, so the flick wasn't ideal, but lunch. Lunch was deeeeelish! Some of Zach's family friends opened a restaurant in Rochester called Fat Willy's, a bar and grill with a garage theme, so that's where we decided to go. We caught up on life, had the best burgers and chatted with the owner, Bill.

I remember Bill telling us about this shrimp boil he often makes when catering. I was intrigued. He explained it as a combination of shrimp, sausage, corn, potatoes, garlic and lots of herbs and spices. He boils the mixture and then dumps it into a "trough" made with PVC pipe and a table cover and is eaten family style. Ok, I realize it sounds a little redneck. Don't let that deter you.

Finally getting a chance to try it!

I was bound and determined to give this stuff a go. So, when Zach's dad turned 55 a few weeks later, we decided to have Bill do a shrimp boil for us. Oh myyyy goodness, you guys! It was some of the best food I've eaten and I remember leaving thinking "gosh I hope I get some of this again soon!"

Fast forward to planning our wedding in 2015. You know how it goes... Thursday you get your nails done, Friday you have the rehearsal dinner and Saturday is the big day. We had a location picked out for our rehearsal dinner, but couldn't decide on a caterer, until *lightbulb* SHRIMP BOIL! So yes, this pig farmer's daughter had seafood (and pork sausage! ;)) for the rehearsal dinner. #NoRegrets #DadLovedIt

So long story short, I was really REALLY excited to make my own version of this shrimp boil. I wasn't sure how well it would work without the "boil" method, but you'd never know a difference! As you can see in the photo below, even the little munchkin couldn't keep her fingers out of the foil packet goodness 🙂 These turned out so good that even though I have about 4 other recipes photographed and scheduled to be posted, I just couldn't wait for this one!! 🙂 I hope you love it as much as we do!!!

A toddler bending down to pick up some food out of a Shrimp Boil Foil Packet.

What is a foil packet?

Using a "foil packet" to cook is essentially enclosing food in aluminum foil and cooking it in the oven or on the grill.

Can you make foil packets ahead of time?

Yes!!! This is one of the things I love most about foil packets. You can make them hours (or even days!) ahead of time, put them in an airtight container and refrigerate until you're ready to cook. This makes foil packet cooking great for tailgating and camping especially!

How do you cook food in foil packets?

Once your ingredients are prepared, you will fill the foil packets (I recommend heavy duty foil, but regular works too) and seal by rolling up the edge. (This video does a great job of explaining how to make a foil packet.) When the foil packets are ready, you can either grill them or bake them in the oven.

What should I serve with foil packets?

To be completely honest, I don't think you need to serve them with much! These packets have protein (sausage & shrimp), vegetables (corn & peppers) and carbs (potatoes). If anything, I'd serve them with a simple green salad and a quick and easy dessert such as Chocolate Cobbler or Oh Henry Bars!