Bye, store-bought potato salad. It’s time to up your game for your next shrimp dinner. Whether you skewer them on the grill, fry them gambas al ajillo-style or sear them for ceviche, your entrée will come alive with these 45 sides for shrimp.
What Goes with Shrimp? 48 Sides To Eat with This Shellfish
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Published Oct 26, 2022
How to Thaw Shrimp
Fresh shrimp is delicious, but frozen shrimp is convenient and, if we’re being honest, tastes just as good. It’s also quick and easy to thaw. If you have 12 hours (and can remember to do it ahead), thaw the frozen shrimp in a lidded container in the fridge overnight. If you have 20 minutes (or forgot to put the shrimp in the fridge overnight), transfer the frozen shrimp to a colander and submerge them in a bowl of cold water, making sure all the shrimp are covered with water. After ten minutes, drain the water, refill the bowl once more and wait another ten minutes until the shrimp are thawed before draining and using.
1. Burrata Salad with Stone Fruit and Asparagus
It’s ready to eat and on the table in 20 minutes, but everyone will think you spent a ton of effort making it.
2. Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables
It’s fresh and easy, and requires little more effort than choosing your favorite veggies.
Swap the tofu for shrimp and you’re in business. (For even more protein, you can serve both.)
4. Patatas Bravas with Saffron Aioli
Crispy, tomato-laced fried potatoes? You simply can’t go wrong.
This eggplant is silky soft, tender and creamy, not to mention perfectly seasoned with soy, vinegar, ginger and sesame.
6. Pan-Roasted Broccoli ‘Steaks’ with Garlic-Sesame Vinaigrette
Peep our new favorite way to prepare broccoli. The cut surface gets super caramelized for extra flavor.
Cooking in a searing hot cast iron skillet is the key to golden-brown edges.
8. Corn Fritter Caprese with Peaches and Tomatoes
With mozzarella, juicy peaches and golden fritters, this side dish might steal the show (but we’re not complaining).
9. Sweet and Spicy Plantain Salad
Bonus: This colorful dish is completely plant-based. For the best results, make sure the plantains are super ripe when you buy them.
This stir-less polenta gives a new meaning to “shrimp and grits.”
11. Keto Instant Pot Greek Cauliflower Rice
Time to jazz up your basic cauliflower rice. Want to riff even further? Try chopped fresh herbs like dill, mint and oregano as additions.
12. Avocado, Radish and Walnuts with Carrot-Miso Dressing
Who said salads need lettuce? We’re going all in on avocado.
13. Zoodles with Summer Vegetables
A quick trip to the farmers market and dinner is halfway done.
14. Jicama Mango Slaw with Cilantro and Lime
This is the perfect bed for a couple of shrimp skewers, don’t you think? The addition of mango is surprising, but the fruity flavor totally works.
If you’re tired of quinoa as a base, it’s time to try millet. Did we mention it’s gluten free and cooks quickly?
16. Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad
Eight ingredients, zero complaints. This pasta salad is naturally vegetarian, but you can easily make it dairy free, vegan and even gluten free with a few ingredient tweaks.
17. Sesame Garlic Roasted Asparagus
Sometimes a few flavorful additions are all you need to zhuzh up a plain side dish. And here we thought asparagus was boring.
18. Sweet Corn, Tomato, and Zucchini Grain Salad with Peach-Dijon Vinaigrette
This produce-heavy dish makes ideal lunch leftovers, too. (The edible flowers are optional, but you get major style points if you add them.)
Never had panzanella before? Think of it like a salad where the croutons are the star ingredient. (Dreamy, right?)
20. Zucchini Rice
Eat your heart out, cauliflower. This low-carb side dish is slightly sweet, a little crunchy and ready with just seven ingredients.
Pretend you’re gazing at those blue rooftops in Santorini. (What? You don’t like olives? Just leave them out.)
22. Sesame Honey Quinoa and Carrot Salad with Sliced Avocado
Quinoa already had its moment in the spotlight, but that doesn’t mean we’re over the protein-packed grain (seed, if you want to get technical). A sweet, nutty dressing and lots of colorful veggies make it a fitting side or base for shrimp.
23. Avocado Rice
It’s creamy, rich and anything but boring. (That’s the power of an avocado, people!)
This is one winter dish we’ll gladly eat year-round. Using the slow cooker means you won’t heat up the whole house, either.
Mayo-haters, take note. This slaw is dressed in a vinegar-based sauce, so it’s always refreshing and never gloppy.
26. Sugar Snap Pea Salad with Chèvre Ranch
Take advantage of those crispy snap peas while they’re in season, people. (Psst: The dressing tastes like a fancy version of ranch. Hungry yet?)
With onion, lemon zest and lots of cumin, you might never go back to glazed carrots.
This refreshing side dish—which requires just five ingredients and no cooking—is exactly what we crave on a hot day.
29. Heirloom Tomato, Beet and Burrata Salad with Basil Oil
If you ask us, burrata goes with everything, including seafood. (The jewel-like beets and tomatoes don’t hurt anything either.)
30. Cauliflower Rice
Our go-to vegetable is at it again, this time subbing in for rice. It takes 20 minutes to put together as written, but for a touch more flavor, try sautéing it in olive oil before serving.
31. Roasted Parmesan Pesto Potatoes
If you thought you liked potatoes before, wait until you try them with cheesy, salty Parmesan pesto.
Behold the easiest dinner ever: Just top this rainbow bowl of deliciousness with shrimp. The salad will keep in the fridge for up to two days, so feel free to make it ahead.
It’s creamy like traditional risotto, but faster and more foolproof thanks to orzo pasta. Even better, you only need ten ingredients to make it.
34. Corn and Tomato Salad with Feta and Lime
We paired two of our favorite in-season vegetables into one summery side dish. Behold the corn and tomato salad. It serves six as a side dish, but for two or three, you could make it the base for a bright, refreshing shrimp salad.
Introducing the easiest, fastest, fluffiest southern biscuits with a little secret. (It’s a can of soda in the batter—that’s the secret.)
36. Roasted Poblano and Corn Guacamole
Seriously upgrade taco Tuesday with shrimp tacos and a heaping bowl of this guac. You won’t be disappointed by the bright flavor and crunchy-creamy texture.
37. Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Sriracha and Lime
If there’s a sweet potato fan club out there, we’d like to join. Be warned: These spuds are spicy, but you can adjust the amount of sriracha to your tastes.
38. Grilled Corn with Spicy Aioli
It’s a summer classic (and for good reason). If you’re already lighting the coals for the shrimp, why not cook your entire meal on the grill?
39. Roasted Cauliflower Macaroni and Cheese
Psst: If you’re not a cauliflower fanatic, pack in a veggie punch with whatever produce you have in your fridge. Broccoli or peas would be delish.
40. 15-Minute Mediterranean Couscous with Tuna
What looks totally fancy but takes virtually no effort to make? Why, this 15-minute couscous number. Trade out the canned tuna for grilled shrimp and you’ll love it even more.
41. Chickpea and Vegetable Coconut Curry
Your new go-to when you want to impress someone (or just really want curry). Quickly sear a few shrimp while the 30-minute dish bubbles away, or add them straight to the pot at the end for a one-and-done deal.
42. Vegan Chilaquiles with Red Sauce
This dish is entirely plant-based and brunch-ready. We should also mention it takes just 15 minutes to make. (Grilled shrimp, tossed in hot sauce, would go great with this, BTW.)
43. Crunchy Ramen Noodle Salad
Sweet, tangy and crispy, this potluck favorite is tossed with a simple sesame vinaigrette and loaded with healthy veggies.
It’s the bowl of our wildest dreams (hello, cauliflower), plus it’s super healthy and ready in about 30 minutes.
Pair this with our coconut shrimp, and you’re basically on vacation.
46. Heirloom Tomatoes with Basil and Olive Croutons
If you can’t get olive bread, just use any rustic loaf and add a handful of chopped olives instead. (Nothing wrong with adding burrata or buffalo mozzarella to the mix either.)
47. Watermelon Salsa
This plus a few charred tortillas and some spicy seared shrimp? Dinnertime bliss has never been easier to achieve.
48. Marinated White Bean and Tomato Salad
This dish fits our ideal: It goes with everything, is less than ten ingredients, can be made in advance and doubled for a crowd, plus, it’s vegetarian and gluten free.
