As a former prawn and shrimp fisherman, I know that nothing says summer like shrimp on the grill. I also love a good shrimp dinner more than anyone else. I’m pretty good at figuring out what to serve with BBQ shrimp. I’ve done it for casual nights, birthday parties, and even my wedding. Pick a few of these great BBQ shrimp side dishes for your own fabulous feast!.
See the table of contents to quickly find what you want. It has everything from bread and salad to vegetables, casseroles, potatoes, rice, pasta, and salads made with all of those things.
I like to bring a salad, a vegetable (like corn on the cob), buns or bread, a starch (like potatoes, rice, etc.), and maybe one more recipe to cook on the grill for a big party. Skewers or more BBQ seafood always pairs well. Choose a few recipes that can be prepared ahead like cornbread and potato or pasta salad.
For a smaller dinner, Ill just choose 2 side dishes. If its just family, its the perfect time to try out a new recipe. (That broccoli cheese casserole or the skewered and grilled potato salad skewers. yum!) [feast_advanced_jump_to].
BBQ shrimp is a classic Southern dish that is full of flavor. The shrimp are coated in a spicy, garlicky, butter sauce that is finger-licking good. However, BBQ shrimp on its own can be a bit heavy. That’s why it’s important to balance out this rich entree with some fresh, bright side dishes.
Complementing BBQ shrimp with the right sides will help cut through the richness and enhance the overall meal I recommend serving at least two lighter sides along with the BBQ shrimp. Some crunchy, tangy coleslaw, grilled veggies, and a starch like cheesy grits or rice pilaf would be perfect.
Here are my top 25 recommendations for sensational sides to serve with BBQ shrimp:
Crunchy, Fresh Slaw
A scoop of cool, crisp coleslaw is one of the best complements to BBQ shrimp The fresh cabbage adds crunch and the dressing provides a tangy contrast to the rich shrimp Some great slaw options include
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Classic Coleslaw Thinly sliced green and red cabbage tossed with shredded carrot onion and a mayo-based dressing.
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Apple Coleslaw: Green and purple cabbage, apple slices, raisins, and pecan pieces in a cider vinaigrette.
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Jalapeño Lime Slaw: Shredded purple cabbage, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime juice for a spicy kick.
Grilled Veggies
Grilling vegetables adds delicious charred flavor. The caramelization brings out their natural sweetness as well. Grilled veggies go great with shrimp. Try:
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Zucchini and squash: Slice zucchini, yellow squash, and bell peppers then grill until tender.
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Eggplant: Grilled eggplant steaks marinated in a balsamic vinaigrette are amazing.
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Corn on the cob: Grilled corn slathered in compound butter or mayo is a classic.
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Asparagus: Toss asparagus spears with olive oil and grill 2-3 minutes per side.
Perfect Potatoes
Potatoes pair beautifully with shrimp. You can keep them lighter by grilling or roasting instead of deep frying. Great options include:
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Grilled sweet potatoes: Slice sweet potatoes, brush with oil, and grill 5-7 minutes per side.
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Hasselback potatoes: Thinly slice potatoes almost all the way through and bake with olive oil and spices.
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Roasted red potatoes: Toss small red potatoes in oil and roast at 400°F until crispy outside, tender inside.
Rice, Grits, and Breads
Starchy sides help soak up the delicious BBQ sauce. Some recommendations:
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Cheesy grits: Slow-cooked grits mixed with cheddar, Parmesan, garlic, and green onions.
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Rice pilaf: Cook rice with chicken broth, onions, garlic, and herbs.
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Pimento cheese grits cakes: Mix pimento cheese into leftover grits, form into cakes, and fry until crispy.
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Garlic bread: Brush crusty bread with garlic butter and broil for 3-5 minutes until crispy.
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Cornbread: Bake a classic Southern cornbread with cornmeal, buttermilk, eggs, and bacon fat if you like.
Fresh, Light Salads
Cool, crisp salads nicely offset the richness of BBQ shrimp. Try these flavorful salad ideas:
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Watermelon arugula salad: Toss arugula with fresh watermelon, feta, and balsamic vinaigrette.
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BLT salad: Mix romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, bacon crumbles, avocado, and ranch dressing.
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Southern potato salad: Fold together potatoes, mayo, eggs, mustard, onions, celery, and pickle relish.
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Broccoli bacon salad: Blanch broccoli florets, mix with crispy bacon pieces, red onion, craisins, and creamy dressing.
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Shrimp louie salad: Combine shrimp, romaine, hard boiled eggs, avocado, tomatoes, and louie dressing.
Perfect Pasta Salads
Pasta salads are substantial enough to hold their own next to BBQ shrimp. Great recipes to try:
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Italian pasta salad: Toss rotini with tomatoes, bell peppers, salami, olives, mozzarella, and Italian dressing.
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Ranch bacon pasta salad: Mix pasta with crispy bacon, cheddar, green onions, grape tomatoes, and ranch dressing.
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Southern macaroni salad: Elbow macaroni, mayo, mustard, hard boiled egg, onion, celery, and sweet pickle relish.
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Garden veggie pasta: Penne pasta with zucchini, yellow squash, bell peppers, parsley, basil, oregano, garlic, and olive oil.
So there you have it – 25 phenomenal side dishes to serve alongside messy, saucy BBQ shrimp. Crunchy, tangy coleslaw, grilled vegetables, starchy sides, and fresh light salads are all great complements. With the rich shrimp as the star and 2-3 of these tasty sides, you’ll have an incredible Southern-inspired meal. Dig in and enjoy!
How To Choose The Right Side Dish
Match your flavors. If you have plain shrimp, you can choose any of these delicious sides. But if you have an heavily flavored recipe, pair up matching flavors. Mediterranean shrimp go great with the grilled zucchini or eggplant. Southern Old Bay seasoned shrimp love cornbread and collard greens.
If you have a BBQ shrimp recipe with Asian flavors, try the Asian quick pickles, the Japanese goma avocado salad, and the coconut basmati rice.
When you add BBQ shrimp, don’t forget to add a dip or sauce. These sauces, like chili crisp, fresh mango salsa, kimchi mayo, and a tasty scallion oil, will really make the shrimp taste great.
Warm, soft bread goes great with fresh shrimp. If you’re not making shrimp scampi, bake one of these breads or biscuits to go with the smoky flavor and sweet juices of barbecue shrimp.
Tart and crisp, a great pickle cuts through rich barbecue sauce flavored shrimp and makes a great garnish. These easy pickles take only 5 minutes so theyre perfect for a quick dinner.
BBQ shrimp and salad is ALWAYS good option. A great way to get your daily veggies in. There is a salad here for every shrimp recipe, whether you want a light side salad or a hearty salad to finish off the meal.
Here are some of the best side dishes to go with barbecue shrimp. They range from sweet bell peppers on a stick to fresh asparagus and broccoli baked with cheddar cheese.
Southern grilled shrimp love collard greens for a complete meal. For a kid friendly bbq shrimp dinner, make and bake this awesome broccoli cheese casserole. If you like crunchy veggies, make the bbq skewers or Traeger asparagus. Which ever veggie side dish you choose, I promise, these are delicious and flavor packed!.
Fire up the outdoor grill and barbecue some corn to go with your favorite shrimp dish. Cooking New Orleans barbecue shrimp, coconut shrimp on the grill, or shrimp tacos? Grilled corn is one of the best side dishes you can make. Eat it in a salad, salsa or corn on the cob for a sweet and salty side dish.
Serve up a flavorful sauce with your barbecue shrimp. You can go super simple with bottled hot sauce or Worcestershire sauce. or go big with one of these fresh and tasty homemade salsas and sauces. These sauces add unique flavor and will make your dinner unforgettable.
Make your BBQ shrimp dinner into a full on seafood feast. Toss some oysters on the barbecue or BBQ up some salmon for an impressive party.
Potatoes + Potato Salad
White potatoes or sweet potatoes are delicious side dishes that everyone loves. Potatoes are a great, versatile side. For a great shrimp cookout, you can roast, fry, top with cheese, or make them into a salad. You can season them with Dijon mustard or make French fries with them.
With BBQ shrimp, rice is a classic side dish. But why make plain white rice when one of these great rice recipes will make it even better? Coconut basmati or jasmine rice are great with Asian grilled shrimp.
Got a spicy shrimp recipe? Jamaican rice and peas is made to pair with spicy seafood. For shrimp recipes with an Indian flavor, curried rice adds a big, bold flavor that goes well with the shrimp. Dig in!.
Beans are a classic side for BBQ shrimp in Italy and in many Spanish countries. Baked brown beans are great as are these creamy, garlicky white beans. A blank canvas for your favorite spiced shrimp.
