12 Best Side Dishes for Shrimp

Cook Up a Full Seafood Dinner

By
Cathy Jacobs
Cathy Jacobs
Cathy Jacobs
A freelance journalist and avid home cook, Cathy Jacobs has more than 10 years of food writing experience, with a focus on curating approachable menus and recipe collections.
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Published on 08/20/20
Grilled Corn Salad

The Spruce/Leah Maroney

Wondering what to serve with shrimp? Whether you like your shrimp grilled, breaded, sauteed, barely cooked in ceviche, or folded into creamy pastas, you'll find a perfect pairing here. We've collected our favorite side dishes recipes that you can serve with every kind of shrimp to round out a seafood lunch or dinner.

  • 01 of 12

    Parmesan-Ricotta Polenta

    Parmesan-Ricotta Polenta

    Violeta Pasat/Getty Images

    Make a meal out of breaded butterfly shrimp by adding a side of creamy polenta. This version is luxuriously rich and cheesy, with a one-two punch of creamy ricotta and Parmesan. To avoid splattering your stovetop while whisking or stirring, use a pan with tall sides, or employ your Dutch oven.

  • 02 of 12

    Coleslaw

    Coleslaw with vinegar or creamy dressing recipe

    ​The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

    Take easy shrimp tacos to the next level with this light and tangy coleslaw. It takes little time to toss it together, for topping juicy grilled or sauteed seasoned shrimp in flour or corn tortillas, loaded up with avocado, tomatoes, salsa, and other taco toppings. Serve them at summer backyard parties or for weeknight dinners anytime.

  • 03 of 12

    Southern Macaroni and Pimiento Cheese

    Southern Macaroni and Pimiento Cheese

    Diana Rattray

    Create a game day plate to rave about when you pair battered, breaded shrimp with a heaping side of macaroni and pimiento cheese. This rich and creamy pasta casserole with a crunchy French fried onion topping bakes to perfection in about 30 minutes for a crazy-good dish you can load up with juicy shrimp.

  • 04 of 12

    Sautéed Asparagus With Lemon

    Sautéed Asparagus With Lemon

    The Spruce

    When you're craving a lighter dinner, create an elegant meal for two or more by pairing garlicky shrimp scampi with fresh green asparagus. You'll go back again and again to this easy, classic technique for pan-sautéeing crisp-tender asparagus with lemon, butter, a little white wine, and your choice of herbs.

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  • 05 of 12

    Spanish-Style Green Salad (Ensalada Verde)

    Spanish-Style Green Salad (Ensalada Verde)

    SL Liang/Getty Images

    Singing with a simple red wine vinaigrette, this super-easy, tossed green salad is the perfect pairing for creamy shrimp pasta. Every refreshing bite will cleanse your palate, allowing you to enjoy your dinner even more. Use mild iceberg lettuce or crunchy romaine hearts for a salad that will balance, but not compete with a richer main.

  • 06 of 12

    Tostones (Fried Green Plantain Chips)

    Tostones: Twice-Fried Green Plantain Chips Recipe

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

    Turn a shrimp ceviche appetizer into a satisfying lunch or light dinner when you serve it with twice-fried tostones. This recipe is great introduction to plantains for home cooks trying this ingredient for the first time. It makes a delicious alternative to store-bought tortilla chips as a dipping vehicle for ceviche.

  • 07 of 12

    Butternut Squash Cornbread

    Butternut Squash Cornbread

    The Spruce-Diana Rattray

    Shrimp and cornbread together bring a taste of New Orleans to your kitchen. Baked with butternut squash, this tender cornbread is more nutritious than most, and makes a fabulous side dish for fried breaded shrimp. Serve them together at game day events, cookouts, and other casual gatherings when you host guests.

  • 08 of 12

    Pasta With Spinach Pesto Sauce

    Pasta With Spinach Pesto Sauce

    Diana Rattray

    Whiz up this fresh, vibrant, green spinach pesto sauce in a food processor, and freeze it in ice cube trays, for an instant pasta sauce that's always at the ready. Store the frozen cubes in an airtight bag, and add one or more to freshly-cooked, al dente noodles, stirring well to combine. Top with quickly stir-fried shrimp for an elegant seafood pasta dinner you can get on the table in minutes.

    Continue to 9 of 12 below.
  • 09 of 12

    Grilled Corn Salad

    Grilled Corn Salad

    The Spruce/Leah Maroney

    There’s nothing better than freshly grilled corn in summer. Brimming with bright, lemony flavor, this crunchy, colorful corn salad is packed with great nutrition from fresh zucchini and cherry tomatoes, plus creamy feta cheese. It makes a fabulous side dish for shrimp tacos at Mexican-themed cookouts or taco Tuesday dinners.

  • 10 of 12

    Almond Rice Pilaf

    Almond Rice Pilaf

    Alison Miksch/Getty Images

    Take comfort food to the next level when you top a bowlful of nutty rice pilaf with crunchy, tender popcorn shrimp coated with flour and seasonings. You need just 20 minutes to make the toasty, savory rice with slivered almonds. The combo of rice and shrimp is easy enough to eat in front of the television, but tastes special enough for guests.

  • 11 of 12

    Burrata Salad

    Burrata Salad

    Elaine Lemm

    Fresh burrata salad with grilled nectarines and a herbaceous pesto dressing, is sweet, creamy, and bursting with citrus flavor. Combine it with shrimp poke or ceviche, for a refreshing, light lunch that won't weigh you down, and tastes like a trip to the tropics on a plate.

  • 12 of 12

    Loaded Baked Potato Soup

    Loaded Baked Potato Soup

    Diana Rattray

    Tired of the same soup-and-sandwich lunch? Enjoy this loaded baked potato soup with a plate of breaded shrimp, for a delicious change from the everyday. If you can't resist the temptation to dip the shrimp into the creamy potato chowder, we promise to look the other way.