What To Serve With Shrimp

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Shrimp is a seafood that can be prepared and cooked in many ways.  It can be baked in the oven, grilled on a flaming hot grill, sauteed, breaded and deep-fried, and even consumed chilled.

But for every way shrimp can be consumed, there are different side dishes you’ll want to serve along with it.

The following is a list of complementary side dishes to serve with your shrimp entrée, whether you’re grilling, baking, sautéing, deep-frying, or eating your shrimp chilled.

Contents

17 Side Dishes to Serve with Shrimp

1. Coleslaw

Coleslaw is arguably one of the best-known side dishes for any seafood dish.  Made from shredded cabbage, carrots, mayonnaise, and vinegar, you can’t go wrong pairing coleslaw with any shrimp entree.

For a healthier version of coleslaw, try it without mayonnaise and use a light vinaigrette in its place to add a zesty flavor to your entire meal.

2. Pesto Zoodles

Zoodles are noodles made from zucchini as opposed to pasta, and they are a great option if you’re avoiding carbohydrates.

The addition of pesto, chickpeas, and white cheddar cheese make these Zoodles the perfect dish to serve with shrimp entrees, and the zesty lemon vinaigrette dressing enhances the entire meal.

3. Roasted Parmesan Asparagus

Roasted Parmesan asparagus pairs perfectly well with shrimp-especially when the shrimp is served over pasta.  The Parmesan pays the dish a perfect complement.

While roasted Parmesan asparagus is great for shrimp dishes served over pasta, it works just as well when paired with other shrimp entrees thanks to the addition of cheesy Parmesan.

4. Grilled Kabobs

Grilled kabobs are the perfect side dish for grilled shrimp.  When grilling shrimp, grab some skewers and stack them with your favorite vegetables, potatoes, meat, and fruit.

Zucchini, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers and pineapple are all great options to try, but don’t be afraid to get creative. Sprinkle spices and seasonings on your kabob skewers and you’re good to go.

5. Mango Guacamole

Serving key lime shrimp or Cajun-grilled shrimp?  A side of mango guacamole is just what your meal needs.  It’s a little bit sweet, a little bit tangy, and a little bit spicy-enhancing the flavor of your entire meal.

Serve with lime-flavored tortilla chips, and don’t be afraid to dip your shrimp into the mango guacamole itself.

6. Macaroni Salad

Macaroni salad is a type of salad made from cooked elbow macaroni and doused in mayonnaise.  It particularly pairs well with boiled shrimp.

With hard-boiled eggs, celery, bell peppers, and a creamy dressing, cold macaroni salad is a great choice to pair with boiled shrimp on a hot summer’s day.

7. Couscous Primavera

Couscous is a type of pasta that can be cooked with other ingredients to make tasty side dishes that complement garlic and herb shrimp dishes perfectly.

Couscous primavera borrows from the classic pasta primavera, made with asparagus, green onions, stock, and spices.  Serve with garlicky grilled shrimp for the best flavor.

8. Greek Salad

Serving shrimp alfredo?  With shrimp pasta entrees, you’ll want to choose a side dish that’s on the lighter side, and a Greek salad fits the bill.

Chock-full of ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, olives, feta crumbles, and sprinkled with lemon juice, oregano, and salt and pepper, serve this salad the next time you make pasta with shrimp.

9. Coconut Rice

As white rice can be plain and flavorless, you’ll want to step it up a notch when serving rice with shrimp.  Use basmati or jasmine rice and mix with chicken broth, coconut milk, mangoes and pistachios to make coconut rice.

The flavorful coconut rice goes great with Cajun-inspired shrimp entrees and is perfect for summertime barbeques for a tropical vibe.

10. Oven-Roasted Red Potatoes

To add a little more sustenance to your meal, dice up some red potatoes and make oven-roasted potatoes.

The crispy, seasoned red potatoes are roasted doused in olive oil and salt and pepper, and are healthier than most other kinds of potatoes.  They particularly go well when served alongside grilled garlic shrimp entrees.

11. Elote-Style Corn on the Cob

Who doesn’t love grilled corn on the cob in the summertime?  It’s the perfect solution when serving grilled shrimp off the backyard grill.

But to kick it up a notch, add mayo, cotija cheese, chili powder, lime juice, and chopped cilantro to your freshly-grilled corn to add a Mexican-cuisine feel to your meal.

12. Spinach and Orzo Salad

Orzo pasta with cooked spinach, red onion, feta crumbles, pine nuts, and olive oil and balsamic vinegar is great when paired with herb-flavored shrimp entrees.

This light and healthy pasta salad is satiating and satisfying while offering a healthy dose of vegetables to your meal.  The balsamic vinegar gives a zesty flavor to your herb-flavored grilled shrimp.

13. Grilled Yellow Squash

A summertime favorite, grilled yellow squash is great for spicy grilled shrimp entrees cooked on your backyard grill.

The sweetness of the squash is just what your spicy entrée needs to play down the heat, while the garlic of the roasted yellow squash enhances the flavor of your spicy shrimp meal.

14. Butternut Squash Cornbread

If fried shrimp is what’s for dinner, butternut squash cornbread is a great dish to serve along with it.  With butternut squash as the main ingredient, it’s a healthier, lighter version of your run-of-the-mill cornbread recipe.

Try it with battered fried shrimp the next time you host a cookout or even on game day for a crowd-pleasing meal.

15. Caesar Salad

When in doubt, you can’t go wrong with a classic Caesar salad.  Made with a bed of romaine lettuce, chopped tomatoes, parmesan cheese, crunchy croutons and Greek dressing, a Caesar salad goes well with any grilled shrimp entrée.

This light side salad is a great way to get your vegetables into a meal and its fresh and flavorful textures are complementary particularly with grilled shrimp.

16. Au Gratin Potatoes

When it comes to serving fried shrimp, you’ll want to pick a starchy, heavier dish to serve along with it.

Au gratin potatoes made from starchy Yukon gold potatoes, cream and cheese, with a touch of garlic and spice will get the job done.  The creamy and cheesy potatoes are just what your fried batter-coated shrimp need.

17. Caprese Salad

If you’re looking for a yummy dish to serve with shrimp off the grill, try a caprese salad, made from mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, and basil.

A light salad makes for a perfect pairing for grilled shrimp during the hot summer months, or just when you’re in need of a lighter side dish with your shrimp entrée.

Wrap Up

Now that you know what to serve with shrimp, you should have no problem coming up with recipes to serve at the dinner table or backyard barbeque.

Try combining side dishes that enhance the flavor of the shrimp entrée you’re cooking and have fun mixing and matching complementary side dishes every time you make shrimp.

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