Seafood nachos with blackened shrimp, catfish, and crab topped with a spicy Cajun cheese sauce are the perfect game-day appetizer. Add sour cream, jalapeños, pico de gallo, or serve them as-is.
These nachos blend Tex‑Mex and Louisiana flavors for a bold, spicy dish. We combined two favorites — fresh seafood and loaded nachos — to create an unforgettable recipe for weekend football or any gathering.
If you enjoy seafood and Cajun seasonings, these nachos will be a hit. Friends still ask for this one year after year, and it’s one of Marrekus’ top picks on the site.
Ingredients
The nachos use blackened shrimp, catfish, and crab, but you can substitute other fish or shellfish such as mahi mahi, cod, salmon, lobster, or scallops. Marrekus’ blackened seasoning is simple to make at home — mix the spices and stir until even.
Other basics you’ll need:
- tortilla chips
- butter
- blackening seasoning
- toppings: sour cream, pico de gallo, jalapeños, cilantro, etc.
Spicy Cheese Sauce
- butter
- flour
- milk
- shallot
- beer (optional)
- sharp cheddar
- blackened seasoning
Blackened Seasoning
- Blackened seasoning is a blend of paprika, kosher salt, black and white pepper, onion and garlic powder, cayenne, dried thyme, and oregano. Make your own or use a store-bought mix.
- Blackening is a Cajun technique where seasoned protein is seared in a very hot skillet with butter until a dark crust forms. The flavor comes from the seasoning and the butter browning.
How to Make Seafood Nachos
- Season and cook the shrimp: Toss shrimp with 1 tablespoon blackened seasoning. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium‑high heat and sauté the shrimp until opaque and light pink, about 3–4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, pour any leftover butter from the pan over the shrimp, and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Cook the catfish: Season catfish with 1 tablespoon blackened seasoning. Melt 2 more tablespoons butter in the same skillet over medium‑high heat and sear the catfish 3–4 minutes per side until cooked through. Roughly chop and keep covered to stay warm.
- Heat the crab: Season crab meat with 1 tablespoon blackened seasoning. Add the remaining butter to the skillet, melt, then heat the crab until warmed through, about 4–5 minutes.
- Assemble the nachos: Arrange tortilla chips on a large shallow platter. Top with the blackened shrimp, chopped catfish, and crab. Spoon or drizzle the spicy cheese sauce over the nachos. If you prefer, place under the broiler for a minute to melt and brown the cheese a bit. Finish with toppings like sour cream, pico de gallo, jalapeños, and cilantro. Serve immediately.
Spicy Cajun Cheese Sauce
A creamy cheese sauce with a Cajun kick ties the dish together. Use blackened seasoning in the sauce for a consistent flavor profile.
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add flour and whisk to form a roux, then reduce heat to low and slowly whisk in the milk.
- Bring to a gentle simmer and stir until the sauce thickens, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Stir in diced shallot, beer (if using), and shredded sharp cheddar until smooth.
- Season with blackened seasoning and salt to taste. Keep warm and drizzle over the nachos when ready to serve.
Video: Watch Us Make Seafood Nachos
Tried this recipe at home? Leave a comment and tag us on social media with #cookswithsoul — we’d love to hear how it turned out.
📖 Recipe
Seafood Nachos with Blackened Shrimp, Catfish, and Crab
Ingredients
Blackened Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons granulated onion
- 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
Seafood Nachos
- 3 pounds large raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails off
- 1 pound catfish fillets, boneless
- 12 ounces crab meat, drained (jumbo lump, lump, or claw)
- 3 tablespoons blackened seasoning
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cubed
- tortilla chips, good quality, lightly salted
Spicy Nacho Cheese Sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 shallot, diced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup beer (lager recommended), optional
- 1 pound sharp cheddar, shredded
- 1 teaspoon blackened or Cajun seasoning
Instructions
- Blackened Seasoning: Combine all seasoning ingredients in a small bowl and stir.
- Shrimp: Season shrimp with 1 tablespoon blackened seasoning. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a cast iron skillet over medium‑high heat and cook shrimp until pink, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and pour any remaining butter from the pan over the shrimp. Cover to keep warm.
- Catfish: Season catfish with 1 tablespoon blackened seasoning. Melt 2 more tablespoons butter in the skillet and sear catfish about 4 minutes per side. Remove, roughly chop, and keep covered.
- Crab: Season crab meat with 1 tablespoon blackened seasoning. Add remaining butter to the skillet and heat the crab until warmed through, about 5 minutes.
- Assembly: Arrange tortilla chips on a platter and top with shrimp, catfish, and crab. Drizzle the spicy cheese sauce over the top and add toppings like sour cream, pico de gallo, and jalapeños. Serve warm.
Spicy Cheese Sauce
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Whisk in flour and cook briefly to form a roux.
- Reduce heat to low and slowly add milk, whisking until smooth.
- Simmer until thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Stir in shallots, beer (if using), and shredded cheddar until smooth. Add 1 teaspoon blackened seasoning and salt to taste.
- Drizzle over nachos and serve immediately.
Video
Nutrition
Let us know how it was!
If you make these seafood nachos, tell us about it in the comments or tag #cookswithsoul on social media — we’d love to see your version.