Are you not sure what to serve with shrimp tacos? This tasty mix of seafood and Mexican flavors is just waiting to be complemented by the right side dishes. There are some traditional sides, some that are a little different, some that are healthy, and some sweet ideas to end the meal.
One of our favorite quick and easy dinners is these tequila lime shrimp tacos, which are made with warm corn tortillas, spicy shrimp, and lime juice. But what can truly set them apart is a symphony of sides when looking to expand the menu.
Elevating this culinary experience goes beyond the taco itself. It lies in the pairing, contrasting, and complementing without overshadowing those plump, juicy shrimp.
Here are some tasty sides that will do just that and take your shrimp taco party to a whole new level.
Shrimp tacos are a delicious fusion of Mexican and seafood flavors. The sweet shrimp pairs perfectly with warm corn tortillas, zesty salsa, and fresh garnishes. While the tacos themselves are utterly craveworthy, the right side dishes can take your shrimp taco dinner from great to extraordinary!
When planning sides for shrimp tacos, aim for a variety of flavors, textures, and colors to complement the tacos Bean dishes, rice, slaws, and salads are all excellent choices And don’t forget drinks and desserts to complete the meal! Read on for 25 sensational sides to serve with shrimp tacos.
Savory Rice Dishes
Rice is a versatile base that soaks up flavors. Mexican-inspired rice dishes are natural pairings for shrimp tacos.
Easy Mexican Rice
Sauté onion, garlic, and bell pepper in olive oil. Stir in tomato sauce, chicken broth, and spices like cumin and oregano. Add rice and simmer until tender. The rice takes on all the delicious flavors!
Cilantro Lime Rice
Cook rice with chicken or vegetable broth. Then stir in fresh lime juice, zest, cilantro, and salt. The bright citrus flavors are perfect alongside the tacos.
Spanish Rice
Sauté onion, garlic, and tomato in oil. Add rice and broth seasoned with tomato sauce, peppers, peas, and spices. The festive rice has something in every bite.
Protein-Packed Beans
Hearty beans offer contrasting textures to the tacos. Slow-cooked and spiced just right, beans make satisfying sides.
Refried Beans
Cook pinto beans with onion, garlic, and epazote. Mash the cooked beans with cooking liquid for a smooth, spreadable texture. Classic!
Black Beans
Simmer black beans with bell pepper, onion, garlic, and spices like cumin, oregano, and smoked paprika. Finish with a splash of vinegar or lime.
Cowboy Beans
This southwest favorite has pinto beans cooked with bacon, onion, jalapeño, tomato, and spices. Smoky, spicy perfection!
Cool Crunchy Slaws
Fresh slaws with Mexican flavors are an excellent taco accompaniment. The crunch offsets the soft tacos.
Jicama Slaw
Toss julienned jicama and cabbage with cilantro, scallions, lime juice and olive oil. Jicama adds great snap!
Mango Slaw
Combine shredded cabbage and carrots with mango, red onion, cilantro and a chili-lime dressing. Sweet, spicy and refreshing!
Mexican Slaw
Mix cabbage, onion and cilantro with a dressing of lime juice, olive oil, cumin and oregano. Simple and tasty!
Tantalizing Salads and Sides
These salads, veggies and other sides complement shrimp tacos for a well-rounded meal.
Mexican Street Corn Salad
The flavors of elote in salad form – grill corn, mix with cheese, chili powder, cilantro and lime.
Mexican Chopped Salad
Chopped lettuce, black beans, corn, cheese and avocado with a creamy cilantro dressing.
Charred Broccoli
Broccoli florets tossed in olive oil, cumin, chili powder and lime juice then roasted until crisp-tender.
Sweet Potato Fries
Crisp oven-baked sweet potato fries served with a flavorful chimichurri sauce for dipping.
Sensational Salsas and Sauces
No taco meal is complete without salsas and sauces for topping and dipping.
Pico de Gallo
A fresh salsa of chopped tomato, onion, jalapeno, cilantro and lime is a must-have taco topping.
Pineapple Salsa
Grilled pineapple, red onion and peppers in a salsa will add a sweet-hot kick.
Avocado Sauce
Blend avocado, cilantro, lime juice and garlic for a cool, creamy sauce.
Chimichurri
A zesty blend of parsley, cilantro, garlic, vinegar and olive oil that’s delicious on everything.
Thirst-Quenching Drinks
Wash down those tacos with a Mexican-inspired beverage.
Horchata
The sweet rice and cinnamon flavors of this drink are so refreshing with spicy tacos.
Watermelon Agua Fresca
Puree watermelon with lime and mint for a sweet agua fresca to accompany your meal.
Classic Margaritas
A tangy lime margarita is the quintessential partner to tacos. Salud!
Indulgent Mexican Desserts
End your fiesta on a sweet note with churros, flan or other Mexican favorites.
Churros
Fried, cinnamon-sugar coated dough sticks perfect for dunking in chocolate sauce.
Mexican Wedding Cookies
Buttery, powdered sugar-dusted cookies are a perfect sweet finish.
Flan
Rich, silky caramel-topped custards are a dreamy dessert.
With so many wonderful sides to choose from, you can create an amazing shrimp taco dinner for any occasion. Beans, rice, salsas and more – the possibilities are endless! Now invite some friends over…it’s time for a fiesta!
Far from Boring Rice
The best thing about these budget-friendly recipes is they use simple ingredients you probably already have on hand. 1.
Adding onion, red bell peppers, garlic, jalapeño, tomato sauce, broth, and spices to plain white rice makes it taste much better. It pairs great with seafood and will help create the ultimate Mexican-inspired meal with fresh shrimp tacos. 2.
This copycat recipe is great for people who love Chipotle! It has lots of fresh cilantro, lime juice, and minced garlic to give it extra flavor. An easy make-ahead side dish and you can use white rice or brown rice. Plus, it can be made on the stovetop, instant pot or rice cooker! 3.
Lighten up the carbs with this flavorful cauliflower rice loaded with garlic and herbs for extra zing. It’s super easy and quick to make, especially with prepackaged rice from the grocery store. A healthy and gluten-free side that goes with just about everything! 4.
Adding onions, garlic, tomato chunks, and lots of fresh herbs and spices to your rice is another great way to make it taste great. You can also make a lot of it to go with your tacos and freeze it for later.
Next level bean recipes to create the perfect side dish. 5
Pinto beans cooked with ham hocks, chicken broth, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and bay leaves will give your shrimp tacos a southern comfort food flair. A great option when looking for a hearty side dish to feed a crowd. 6.
Bring real refried beans to the party that taste just as good as the ones at your favorite Mexican restaurant. They are creamy, good for you, and can be used in a lot of different ways. You can use canned beans instead of dried pinto beans to make them from scratch. 7.
This Cuban-inspired black beans recipe is quick, easy and delicious using just pantry ingredients. They get their flavor from onion, green peppers, garlic cloves, oregano, cumin and bay leaf. Fresh lime juice adds just the right amount of acidity and brightness. 8.
You’ll love these charro beans, which are made with tomatoes, cumin, chili powder, dried oregano, bacon, and fresh cilantro. You can make them on the stove, instant pot or slow cooker to boot!.
If you thought coleslaw was one dimensional full of mayo, think again. 9
When bright red and green cabbage are mixed together, they not only add color but also a different texture that makes the dish satisfyingly crunchy. For an extra spicy kick, add jalapeños along with the lime zest. This will make a slaw that dances on the tongue!
Add some Asian flavor to your Mexican taco night with this quick and easy sesame ginger dressing that coats crisp, crunchy slaw but doesn’t have any mayo. A healthy and delicious year-round side dish and an eye-popping topping for tacos. 11.
Jicama, with its crisp, starchy texture brings a refreshing element to this fun slaw. Mango and lime add a tropical twist to it, making it a bright, crunchy, and citrusy side dish for shrimp tacos. 12.
Fresh green and red cabbage, red onion, cilantro, carrots, lime juice, and a little honey are used to make this dish. Its quick and simple, and another versatile side dish that can be made ahead.
Both healthy and indulgent side dishes can make a great addition to your shrimp tacos. 13
A healthy twist on a favorite Mexican side dish. Corn that has been slightly charred and mixed with peppers, red onion, cotija cheese, grilled lime, and a little bit of cream still tastes sweet and smoky. A great accompaniment for shrimp tacos! 14.
In search of more healthy shrimp taco sides, this tasty Mexican quinoa salad should be at the top of your list. The fluffy quinoa, crunchy vegetables, and sweet and sour dressing make for a great mix of tastes and textures. 15.
This is a hearty potato salad with bell peppers, zucchini, sweet corn, and a honey mustard vinaigrette made with apple cider vinegar. You can grill or roast the vegetables to perfection over medium heat. This salad is even better the next day. 16.
A fresh and tasty salad with red onions, black beans, tomatoes, and corn, topped with a creamy yogurt dressing made with cilantro. A refreshing and healthy side dish to go along with your shrimp tacos. 17.
When corn is in season, grilled Mexican street corn is a real treat. The corn on the cob is smothered in mayo, crema, chili powder and crumbled cotija or queso fresco. It’s a classic side dish for any fiesta and could easily become a true favorite. 18.
There’s no resisting these charred sweet potato fries topped with sweet n spicy fresh cherry corn salsa. Theyre a delicious and healthy addition to your taco menu as an app or a side. Plus, theyre vegetarian, paleo, and gluten-free.
Any of these are an excellent choice to top your taco. 19
The combination of tomatoes, onions, and cilantro makes a light and refreshing mix that gives every bite a burst of freshness. And, a squeeze of fresh lime juice imparts a zesty and tangy dimension to this fresh salsa. A classic topping to any taco! 20.
Mexican guacamole is always made with perfectly ripe avocados, which give it a rich flavor that goes well with shrimp. Add grated garlic for extra kick and pomegranate seeds for a visual pop in taste and texture to make guac even better. 21.
A tasty mix of diced mango and other tropical fruits, plus a tangy lime dressing that goes great with salty shrimp. 22.
Pineapple chunks bring a sweet and tart contrast, creating a salsa thats both refreshing and flavorful. Also, poblano pepper and red onions give the pineapple salsa just the right amount of heat and crunch, making it a sweet and spicy treat for shrimp tacos. 23.
Red and green peppers (tomatillos, poblano, and jalapeño), onion, garlic dipped in olive oil, and fresh cilantro are used to make this homemade salsa verde. It has a sweet, spicy flare thats more than an amazing chip dip. Youll want to put it on everything! 24.
Move over sour cream, creamy avocado crema brings much more to the top of tacos. It’s smooth and creamy, and it’s healthy because it’s made with Greek yogurt and avocados that are just the right amount ripe.
In a high-powered blender, blend chives, parsley, kosher salt, red pepper flakes for some heat, and lime and lemon juice until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Dessert Delights to Conclude25
These irresistible soft and sweet pillows of deliciousness are a great ending to any taco feast. You can make them with things you already have in your pantry, and you don’t even need yeast! Just mix the dough, cut it into the shapes you want, and fry it until it’s puffy and golden brown.
It’s best to serve them warm with a dusting of powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar. You can also serve them with your favorite jam or melted chocolate for an extra sweet treat! 26.
Conclude your shrimp taco feast with a dessert delight—chili chocolate-dipped pineapple featuring a dark chocolate infusion. Spice things up by adding cayenne chili powder. It will give the sweet pineapple and chocolate a kick. 27.
Cinnamon-sugar coated churros are golden-fried perfection! The cinnamon-sugar coating gives the delicious churro a delightful sweetness, making a memorable end to your shrimp taco extravaganza.
Plan ahead for a meal that the whole family will love on Taco Tuesday to take it to the next level!
- When making shrimp tacos for a big group, choose sides that you can prepare ahead of time.
- Offer a range of tastes and textures to go with the main dish.
- Squeeze some lime juice on the avocado slices before serving to keep them from turning brown.
20-Minute Shrimp Tacos (With THE BEST Shrimp Taco Sauce!)
What to serve with shrimp tacos?
To round out the meal and make your shrimp tacos a true fiesta, serve these 12 satisfying side dishes. From tortilla chips and mango salsa to Mexican corn salad and margaritas, get ready to say, ‘ole! With these 12 sides, your shrimp tacos will be the talk of the town! 1. Tortilla chips and mango salsa
What Rice goes with shrimp tacos?
One mouthful of this rice and you will enjoy a burst of bright and fresh flavors. This cilantro lime rice recipe is the perfect side pairing to go with shrimp tacos, and any tacos for that matter! It has a silky, smooth flavor with its combination of garlic, green onion, white rice, lime juice, and cilantro.
What kind of salsa goes with shrimp tacos?
Fresh Pineapple Salsa This fruit salsa pairs perfectly with tortilla chips and shrimp tacos. It mixes pineapple, red bell pepper, red onion, and cilantro into a perfect summertime side dish. For the salsa to live up to its name, you should choose fresh, juicy, ripe pineapple.
Can you use Chipotle rice as a side dish for shrimp tacos?
Chipotle Rice as a side dish for shrimp tacos can be used in a few different cases. This is the way to go when you want to give your shrimp tacos an extra flavor boost. The benefits of using the side dish are that it is packed with flavor, and can complement the shrimp nicely.