What to serve with grilled shrimp! Here are the BEST side dishes for shrimp to make a totally delicious dinner.

What to serve with grilled shrimp! Here are the BEST side dishes for shrimp to make a totally delicious dinner.

Shrimp is the perfect canvas for so many tasty flavor profiles.

And it can be prepared in so many different ways!

Whether you like it fried, steamed, sauteed, or on grilled shrimp skewers, you can customize it however you’d like.

You can buy fresh jumbo shrimp from the meat counter, or pick up a bag of coconut shrimp in the freezer section.

Once you’ve decided how you want to prepare it as your main dish, you might be wondering what sides go with shrimp.

So I put together this fun list of the 39 best side dishes!

There’s something for everyone on this list – from healthy keto veggie options to more indulgent comfort food ideas.

Let’s check out these easy side dishes for your favorite easy grilled shrimp recipe!

What to Serve with Shrimp

1. Potato salad

When you’re serving grilled shrimp skewers at a summer cookout or barbecue, potato salad is always a crowd favorite!

It adds a creamy and hearty element to the light shrimp dinner.

So especially if you’re serving hearty eaters, potato salad is the way to go!

2. Veggie kabobs

Vegetable kabobs make such a good side dish for shrimp.

They’re healthy and light, and fun to make and eat.

Veggie kabobs work especially well if you are making shrimp skewers, since you can cook everything on the grill together.

Mushrooms, red onions, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and squash would make great kabobs. And you can even add mango or pineapple for a tropical feel.

3. Grits

Shrimp and grits is an iconic Southern dish that sounds fancy, but can be made easily at home.

The creamy, butteriness of the grits brings out the shrimp flavor, and the addition of peppers, onions, and bacon only adds to magic.

4. Roasted asparagus with parmesan

Roasted garlic asparagus with parmesan is the perfect side dish if you want to stick with a low carb meal.

Plus, it’s really delicious!

5. Coleslaw

Cilantro lime coleslaw is fresh and zesty, making it a light, fun side dish.

It also makes an excellent topping for shrimp tacos.

You can make it super easy by picking up a bag of shredded coleslaw at the store, and make the dressing with just a few ingredients.

6. Grilled corn

Grilling corn on the cob brings out it’s natural sweetness, and gives it a slight smoky flavor that can’t be beat.

If you’re not planning to grill your shrimp, you can also make corn on the cob in the Instant Pot, slow cooker, or on the stovetop.

7. Zoodles with pesto

Zucchini noodles, or ‘zoodles’ are a lower calorie twist on traditional noodles.

You can purchase zoodles premade in the fresh or frozen section of your store, or make your own really inexpensively.

Toss them in pesto for a really flavorful side dish.

8. Sweet potatoes

You can turn sweet potatoes into so many different side dishes.

From fries or wedges, to serving whole baked sweet potatoes, or you can dice them up and cook them in the air fryer or oven.

They can take on different flavor profiles really well too.

Sweet and spicy sweet potatoes would go especially well with shrimp!

9. Grilled veggies

Peppers, asparagus, onions, zucchini, and mushrooms all taste fantastic on the grill.

Whether you cook them in a foil packet or on a grill mat, the color and flavor they glean from a gas or charcoal grill is oh so good.

Toss them in a little olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and watch everyone gobble them up.

10. Green salad

A fresh green salad is a great side for shrimp.

You can’t go wrong with a simple tossed, spinach, or caesar salad.

Some guests might even want to top their salad with the shrimp.

11. Cauliflower rice

To keep dinner light and low carb, consider serving cauliflower rice.

It has the appearance and texture of rice, but is actually made from cauliflower.

You can make it easily with a food processor, or buy it frozen at the grocery store.

This 10 minute healthy cauliflower rice is healthy twist on takeout fried rice, which makes it the perfect side dish for shrimp.

12. Greek veggie salad

Romaine, feta, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, and cucumbers come together with a tasty vinaigrette in this greek veggie salad.

It’s perfect for a summer dinner because all the ingredients are in season and super fresh.

Even though it’s light, it packs a flavor punch that pairs so well with shrimp.

13. Corn chowder

For a heartier meal, consider serving corn chowder with your shrimp dinner.

It’s a good mix of savory and slightly sweet, and is always a crowd pleaser.

14. Couscous

Lemon couscous is a great recipe to pair with shrimp.

Citrus flavors go extremely well, so feel free to make a citrusy simple marinade out of lime juice or lemon juice for the shrimp as well.

It only takes about 10 minutes to make, and will probably become a side dish staple.

15. Spinach salad

Berry orange spinach salad has a refreshing citrus balsamic vinaigrette that pairs well with shrimp.

Fresh spinach, berries, oranges, walnuts, and feta come together with a simple 4 ingredient dressing to pack a big flavor punch.

Your guests may even want to top their salad with shrimp, since the flavors work so well together.

16. Rice pilaf

Rice pilaf is super delicious as a stand alone side dish, and you can jazz it up by adding extra veggies, nuts, or even citrus zest.

This makes it a fantastic option for however you plan to serve your shrimp – from fried to grilled to steamed.

17. Fruit salad

Seriously, everyone loves a fruit salad. You can use your favorite fruit combo, or put it together based on what’s in season and on sale.

You can even buy a fruit tray from the grocery store, or make them into ‘fruit skewers,’ which would be a nice touch if you’re serving grilled shrimp kabobs.

18. Grilled romaine hearts

If you’ve never had grilled romaine, you may be thinking that I’ve lost my mind.

But the smoky, slightly charred flavor that lettuce gets when you grill it is quite a treat.

It seems fancy, but it’s actually super easy!

Simply brush romaine hearts with olive oil or vinaigrette, and place on the grill for a few seconds.

19. Black bean and corn salad

This fun, colorful black bean and corn salad comes together in about 5 minutes, with no need to even chop anything!

It’s equal parts fresh and flavorful, and goes so well with shrimp tacos or a Tex-Mex style shrimp marinade.

This ‘salad’ may even become one of your family’s new favorite sides!

20. Caesar salad

It doesn’t get any easier than a store bought caesar salad kit.

Or you can certainly make your own dressing from scratch. The salad itself consists of only a couple ingredients, but it’s always a crowd pleaser.

Shrimp caesar salads are a fun and flavorful twist on a traditional shrimp dinner.

21. Squash au gratin

Zucchini and yellow squash gratin is just about the most luscious way to eat squash there.

It’s creamy and cheesy, and a good mix of hearty and healthy. (From a ‘eat your vegetables’ perspective anyway.)

Plus, it’s a great use-up for all the extra garden squash you might have lying around.

22. Cornbread

The lightness of shrimp sometimes calls for some serious comfort food on the side, and cornbread can be just the ticket.

It’s easy to make, and everybody loves to eat it.

Cornbread with spiced sauteed shrimp would be the perfect application!

23. Grilled pineapple

Grilled pineapple is such a refreshing and flavorful side dish, and can also double as dessert.

The grill helps caramelize the flavors, and adds a smokiness that your guests will love.

The sweetness pairs so well with shrimp!

24. Elote

Elote, aka Mexican-style corn, is a grilled corn, slathered in a creamy and slightly spicy sauce and topped with cotija cheese.

You can also make elote off the cob if you prefer!

25. Roasted tomatoes

Oven roasted tomatoes are surprisingly delicious – and I don’t even like tomatoes typically!

The flavor totally changes, and you can make it more flavorful by adding olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

They get soft enough that they can almost become a sauce, and are unbelievably easy to make.

26. Macaroni salad

No barbecue is complete without macaroni salad, at least here in the Midwest.

It’s summer comfort food at its finest, uses inexpensive ingredients, and can be made as much as a day in advance.

27. Baked potatoes

Another super easy and cheap side dish idea is baked potatoes.

They take very little prep work, and are a ‘set it and forget it’ dish that cooks itself while you do other things.

Put out a few toppings like butter, sour cream, bacon, or shredded cheese, and watch everyone gobble them up!

28. Caprese salad

Caprese salad is one of those dishes that looks and sounds fancy, but it’s really just sliced tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil layered on a plate and drizzled with balsamic.

It’s a great appetizer or side dish, and is sure to impress!

29. Creamed spinach

Creamed spinach is one of the tastiest ways to eat your greens.

Commonly served at steakhouses, it feels luxurious, but is actually easy and inexpensive to make.

It’ll certainly elevate your shrimp dinner, however you plan to serve it.

30. Corn and avocado pasta salad

Basically summer in a bowl, corn and avocado pasta salad is the perfect combo of fresh and comforting.

Cherry tomatoes, corn, pasta, and avocado might not be an obvious combination, but it totally works.

31. Clam chowder

Homemade clam chowder is creamy and flavorful, and can really complete your shrimp and seafood dinner.

It’s the kind of soup that can be eaten in any kind of weather!

32. Summer vegetable farro salad

Not your average cookout salad, this summer vegetable farro salad is chock full of deliciously chewy farro and fresh veggies.

It’s an unexpected side dish, but will probably become a summertime staple.

33. Apple bacon slaw

Apple bacon slaw is a unique twist on coleslaw, mainly due to the addition of bacon, apples, and sunflower seeds.

The dressing comes together with apple cider vinegar, mayo, brown mustard, and brown sugar, making it a delicious combo of sweet and savory.

34. Linguine

Linguine in a lemon butter sauce is the perfect shrimp side dish.

Especially if you’re serving shrimp scampi.

Your guests will be licking their plates clean, so be sure to make extra.

35. French bread

If your shrimp dinner includes any type of sauce, french bread is a must.

It gives people a polite way to sop up the extra sauce, and something carb-y to sink their teeth into.

You can pick up a loaf from the grocery store or bakery, or make your own if you’re feeling ambitious.

Be sure to set out some spreadable butter too.

36. Watermelon salad

Mediterranean watermelon salad is a unique and delicious way to use up that very large watermelon you got on sale.

The addition of cucumber, feta, and honey-lime dressing gives your shrimp dinner a tropical ‘on vacation’ vibe.

37. Lemon herb pasta salad with green beans

Fresh herbs, crisp green beans, fun-shaped pasta, and a citrusy vinaigrette come together to form this bursting-with-flavor lemon herb pasta salad.

It’s the perfect complement to shrimp on the grill!

38. Mango guacamole

For more tropical vibes, consider making mango guacamole.

It goes really well with shrimp tacos, or simply set out some tortilla chips and everyone will know what to do.

The sweet and salty combo is hard to beat!

39. Salsa

Fresh salsa or pico de gallo would be the perfect topping or side dish for shrimp.

Even if you’re not serving shrimp tacos, chips and salsa is always a crowd favorite.

Garlic butter

Many types of seafood call for garlic butter for dipping, and shrimp is no exception.

Melted butter mixed with fresh garlic or garlic powder is all it takes to make your shrimp dinner feel more indulgent!

Ready to serve these shrimp side dishes for dinner?

I hope this list of side dishes for shrimp has given you lots of inspiration for what to serve.

Shrimp is a quick meal and easy main course, but eating it over and over can get boring if you don’t change up the menu, and these side dishes are the perfect way to take it to the next level!

What to Serve With Grilled Shrimp

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