What Goes With Fried Shrimp: Easy to Prepare Side Dish Ideas

If you’re like me and adore fried shrimp, then perhaps you’re wondering what to eat with this terrific dish. Let’s take a look at some of the best side dishes for shrimp. While these side dishes are great for fried shrimp, they also complement coconut shrimp, shrimp scampi, and more.

Table of Contents

• What Is Fried Shrimp?
• How to Make Fried Shrimp?
• What Goes Well With Fried Shrimp?
• What Sauces go With Fried Shrimp?
• What Vegetable is Best for Shrimp?
• Should You Boil Shrimp Before Frying?
• How to Make Crispy Fried Shrimp?
• Bottom Line
• FAQs

What Is Fried Shrimp?

Fried shrimp, also known as Ebi fry in Japanese, is a popular type of seafood dish prepared by breading and frying the shrimp and typically served as an appetizer or side dish. You can fry any type of shrimp you like, but to achieve the best results, always opt for the largest-sized shrimp you can find.

How to Make Fried Shrimp?

The most common method of preparation is to coat the shrimp in flour, salt, black pepper, and any other spice you desire. The shrimp are then deep fried in oil or butter until they become golden brown. You can serve the deep-fried shrimp with anything you like, and many like to opt for a variety of dipping sauces.

What Goes Well With Fried Shrimp?

For many shrimp lovers, fried shrimp is an easy and delicious recipe that can be enjoyed with a variety of side dishes. You can get creative and make some spectacular side dishes to have with your fried shrimp, or simply take some time to prepare a light, fresh salad, and fresh vegetables to accompany your fried shrimp. Let’s take a look at some of the easy and delicious recipes and ideas for fried shrimp sides.

French Fries

When trying to figure out what to eat with fried shrimp, the safest option will always be French fries, because why not, right? These crispy, salty baked potatoes can be eaten alone, dipped in a variety of creamy or tomatoey sauces, along with your breaded butterfly fried shrimp, for a tasty meal.

Sweet Potato Fries

On the hunt for the best side dish cuisine for your fried shrimp, and you’re adamant about sticking to the potato theme, then why not try these delightful alternatives to traditional French fries? Sweet potato fries are incredibly healthy, too, brimming with vitamins, as compared to their white potato equivalent. These fries are ready to be eaten in a matter of minutes. Whether you’re using an air fryer or popping them into a preheated oven, they won’t disappoint!

Serve these sweet potato fries with another mix of your favorite dipping sauce for an amazing mouth-watering experience, though I should warn you – you’ll be reaching for another in no time!

Coleslaw

If you’re worried about the ingredients required to make coleslaw, then I’m here to assure you that this side dish may be the simplest you’ll ever make. Grate a generous amount of cabbage and carrot in a bowl, combine this with 4 tablespoons of mayonnaise, and you’re all set. I like to add some green onions to the mix for a bit of a spicy hit. Sprinkle some salt and a little pepper, and enjoy!

Roasted Vegetables

A wonderful and healthy side dish to have with your fried shrimp would be this vibrant plate of roasted veggies. Choose your favorite veggies such as zucchini, squash, onions, chopped mushrooms, and bell pepper, toss them in a little olive oil, Italian seasonings, salt, and pepper, and pop them in the air fryer for 10 minutes.

Salted Asparagus

Salted asparagus is a delicious addition to any meal, and it’s easy to make. To prepare salted asparagus, simply blanch fresh asparagus in boiling water for about five minutes. Drain the cooked stalks and pat them dry with paper towels before seasoning them with salt. You can also add other seasonings like pepper or garlic powder if you like!

Salted asparagus tastes great on its own but pairs better with fried foods such as fried chicken or shrimp. Salt the tips of the spears and allow the natural flavors to fill your mouth with each bite. A crunchy textured side dish that you and your family will love!

Macaroni Salad

Macaroni salad is a classic side dish that can be made with mayonnaise, vegetables, meat, seafood, or eggs. The possibilities are endless when it comes to macaroni salad. You can also add your favorite dressing to make it more flavourful. You can stick to the theme of your parties and produce a creamy sauce to accommodate the overall macaroni pasta salad dish. How about a BBQ sauce for a barbecue-themed party?

Or how about some red wine vinegar and olive oil for an Italian-themed party? While mayonnaise-based dressings are delicious, stepping out of your comfort zone to experiment with all sorts of dressings may create the perfect side dish for fried shrimp ever!

Potato Salad

Potato salad is a classic side dish that goes perfectly with fried shrimp, and it’s one of the most simple side dishes to make. You can add chopped celery, green onions, and feta cheese for an international version. For another take on potato salad that’s still easy to prepare but has more flavor than mayonnaise-based recipes (which tend to be bland), try making this version with a cream sauce instead of mayo and adding some chopped dill instead.

Zucchini Noodles

You can use zucchini in several recipes, including salads and stir-fries. Zucchini noodles are also a great healthy alternative to regular pasta, especially if you’re trying to cut back on calories or carbohydrates for the day. If you’re looking for a fun way to incorporate some veggies into your evening meals, then now’s your chance!

Simply serve the zucchini noodles (zoodles) with some zesty lemon juice drizzled over the top, and enjoy with fried shrimp.

Greek Salad

Greek salads may have similar ingredients to regular, simpler salads, but the dressing is what makes them so unique. This delicious salad dressing is created using a blend of olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, and a variety of spices melded together to add a brilliant zesty flavor to this refreshing salad.

This dressing is then tossed with romaine lettuce, red onion, cucumber, cherry tomato, olives, and feta cheese, creating an incredibly perfect side dish.

Green Beans

Green beans are a delicious and versatile side dish that can be made both quickly and easily. They’re also high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

The best part about green beans is how easy they are to prepare: all you have to do is wash them off and then put them in a pot of boiling water for about 5-10 minutes until they’re cooked through; drain the water out of the pot, add your favorite spices (such as salt) if desired, then serve or store depending on when you’ll eat them.

Baked Potatoes

Baked potatoes are a great way to add a fun variety to your meal. They’re easy to prepare and can be used as an accompaniment or main dish. If you’re eating with your family, this is a great way to add some veggies while still making something they will enjoy eating. Baked potatoes are also easy enough that kids can help out with this side dish too! And to make it even easier, you can bake your potatoes in a toaster oven.

Au Gratin Potatoes

Au Gratin Potatoes are a classic side dish recipe that can be served with fried shrimp. They can be made in advance and reheated in the oven as well. Add some cheese, butter, milk or cream, salt, and pepper to a pot of Yukon gold potatoes. You can add other ingredients like garlic or onion if you’re looking for some extra flavor, but those aren’t necessary for this recipe to work well.

Bake until golden brown on top, then serve warm alongside your favorite entrée.

Fried Squash

Fried Squash is a tasty summertime favorite and an incredible side dish to have with many fried recipes. It’s incredibly easy to make and can be easily substituted with zucchini, perfect for dipping in tartar or cocktail sauce if you wish.

Orzo Salad

Orzo salad is a popular Greek-inspired pasta salad, a perfect side dish choice for summer meals and potlucks. It’s easy to prepare, so you can have it ready to go at a moment’s notice, not to mention the fact that it complements your fried shrimp perfectly,

The pasta is cooked and mixed with flavorful ingredients such as cucumber, cherry tomato, feta cheese, red onion, and fresh basil. These ingredients are then tossed in some red wine vinegar and lemon vinaigrette dressing creating a side dish bursting with flavors.

It’s best served at room temperature or chilled, which makes it perfect for picnics and potlucks during the warmer months of the year. Orzo salads are super easy to make in advance as well – just store them in an airtight container until you need them.

Corn Salad

We all love some grilled corn, so why not incorporate this buttery sweet side dish into a delightful salad to go with your perfectly fried shrimp? You’ll need fresh sweet corn, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, green peppers, and red onion combined with a drizzle of olive oil, and lemon dressing

Chopped Green Salad

When opting for a green salad, you know that you’ll only acquire the greenest of ingredients to accompany your main meal. With a scrumptious blend of chopped iceberg lettuce, spinach, bacon, blue cheese crumbles, purple onion, and cherry tomatoes, topped with a drizzle of balsamic glaze to create a fantastic masterpiece.

Brimming with flavored vegetables in just under 20 minutes, serve alongside a plate of fried shrimp or any other main dish.

Mango Salad

Whether you’re serving fried shrimp, grilled shrimp, or any other type of shrimp dish, mango salad is a great side dish option. The sweet and tart flavors of the mangoes complement the savory taste of shrimp perfectly.

This salad takes a total of 15 minutes to prepare with mangoes, avocado, green onion, red bell peppers, and sunflower seeds tumbled in olive oil and lemon dressing, combined with fresh cilantro or parsley. You can even throw your fried shrimp into the mix for a one-pot meal!

Pesto Zoodles

Zucchini noodles or zoodles are a fresh, low-carb alternative to most traditional pasta dishes. These zucchini noodles are slathered in a pesto sauce to make a delicious and healthy side dish for any main meal.

With fresh basil, olive oil, garlic, parmesan cheese, and a splash of lemon juice meshed together to make this spectacular side dish, these are especially great when topped with your fried shrimp to enjoy contrasting textures and flavors with every bite.

Cilantro Jasmine Rice

Cilantro jasmine rice is the perfect side dish to go with fried shrimp. It’s super simple, refreshing, and tastes delicious. Both versatile and light, it still manages to satiate anyone that’s hungry enough to eat lots of fried shrimp!

Spanish Rice

Spanish Rice is a superb versatile side dish that can complement a variety of seafood cuisines, such as fried shrimp. This Spanish rice recipe has black beans, tomatoes, garlic, cilantro, and onion for an easy one-pot meal. The seasoning for this rice is salt, pepper, and cumin added directly to the pan before stirring in the other ingredients.

Buttered Noodles

Buttered noodles are a simple yet fantastic side dish to have with fried shrimp. The wide surfaced noodles are cooked in a chicken broth and butter, and once they’re nice and tender, add in some more butter, garlic, salt, and pepper, topping with parsley if desired. This is a great dish to pair with all sorts of protein, whether it’s fried chicken, grilled chicken, boiled shrimp, and more!

Seasoned Rice

If you’re looking for a way to spice up your plain white rice, then this one is for you! Brimming with impeccable flavors, this dish takes roughly 30 minutes to cook and pairs beautifully with a variety of dishes. For this side dish, you’ll need:

• Rice – Typically long grain white rice, but you can substitute this for your choice of rice.
• Butter – Unsalted or salted butter provides the same results
• Onion – Flavor and texture
• Soy sauce – Saltiness
• Paprika – A little heat to the dish
• Parsley – Additional freshness and flavor
• Garlic powder – Can substitute with a tablespoon of minced garlic
• Onion powder – More flavor

Vegetable Kabob

You can also try vegetable kabobs! The vegetables should be cut into bite-sized pieces and secured with a skewer. The more variety you have on the skewer, the better. You can easily customize this recipe to accommodate your guests’ preferences.

You can use corn on the cob, zucchini, onion, bell pepper, mushroom, and Brussel sprouts; the secret ingredient is the fajita butter, which is essentially melted butter mixed into a fajita seasoning mix. Top this with some lemon juice, and coat the grilled veggies with a tangy, zingy, lemony finish. A truly satisfying side dish for any meal.

Plain Rice

Breaded butterfly shrimp and rice is a simple yet delicious option for your main meal, incorporating both dishes to make something extraordinarily flavourful and accommodating to your evening meal cravings!

What Sauces go With Fried Shrimp?

Much like fried chicken, fried shrimp pairs well with a variety of sauces. Here are some of the best sauces to choose from.

Pina Colada Dipping Sauce

This is a light, sweet, creamy dipping sauce that tastes so good you’ll be dunking almost everything into it. It’s especially perfect for fried fish like shrimp or coconut shrimp. A unique combination of coconut cream, pineapple, Malibu rum, sour cream, lime juice, and a smidge of sugar.

Sweet Chilli Sauce

Chilli sauce is a must-have with most fried dishes, so why not try it with fried shrimp? It’s super quick and simple to prepare. In a matter of minutes, you’ll have a red, flaky sauce bursting with promising flavors. Since it’s a sweeter version, you can always amp up the flavors with a sprinkle of dried chili flakes, depending on your heat preference.

Tartar Sauce

For the perfectly creamy flavored dipping sauce, try tartar sauce. This mayonnaise-based sauce is incredibly creamy, coupled with a little crunch, and complements fried shrimp wonderfully. You can even dip some homemade fries into this sauce for extra deliciousness.

Cocktail Sauce

Cocktail sauce is normally eaten with shrimp cocktails, but it tastes just as great with fried shrimp too. This homemade sauce is so simple to make, using only four ingredients. It’ll beat the taste of any store-bought sauce you have ever purchased. You’ll need chili sauce, prepared horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice to provide a good balance between all the flavors.

Lemon Butter Sauce

Lemon butter is a fairly light and refreshing sauce made with a generous splash of lemon juice, oozing melted butter, and fragrant garlic.

What Vegetable is Best for Shrimp?

When we cook shrimp and look for an appropriate side dish, we find that most vegetables pair with almost everything, but like many side dishes, one may taste better than the other when matched with its true companion. Here are a few vegetables that taste brilliant when eaten with shrimp.

Mushrooms

Grilled mushrooms on a barbecue stick coupled with thick pepper slices will be tasteful and extremely delicious enough for you to thread some shrimp through to try!

Brussel Sprouts

Some may wrinkle their nose at the thought of it, but let me put you on some impeccably roasted brussels sprouts. Your childhood fears won’t come back to haunt you – I promise! Combine these sprouts with some shrimp, and you’ve got yourself a mouth-watering evening snack. It’s all about the seasonings, douse your brussels sprouts in a little olive oil, sprinkle some garlic powder over the top, a little salt and pepper, and roast them to perfection.

Beans

Baked beans are a classic dish that complements shrimp, specifically BBQ shrimp. The hearty sauced white beans are a direct contrast to the seafood, and you can even attempt to add a salad to the mix! You can also have fried shrimp with a bowl of hot baked beans, depending on what you particularly fancy.

Should You Boil Shrimp Before Frying?

Typically, you should have boiled shrimp before frying it. While boiled shrimp may pack a nice texture and flavor on its own, boiling your shrimps actually helps remove their tough shells and internal organs, making them easier to eat, as well as improving the flavors and texture of the shrimp.

How to Make Crispy Fried Shrimp?

Nothing beats a large bowl brimming with crispy fried shrimp. Not only is it simply delicious, but it is one of the simplest ways of cooking with shrimp, and you’ll be sitting down and going through your bowl of fried shrimp in no time. Here’s how to make a delicious, flavorful dish of fried shrimp, ready to be devoured by you and your family in no time. Be warned; these are particularly irresistible!

• In a large bowl, combine milk, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and oregano. Add in the shrimp and allow it to soak for 10 minutes
• Shake off the excess milk, and combine your choice of spices and flour on a plate, then coat the shrimp
• Heat the oil to 375 degrees and fry the shrimp in batches until wonderfully crispy.
• Serve and enjoy!

Bottom Line

If you want to keep your fried shrimp as a part of your meal, make sure you prepare the side dishes accordingly. We hope this list of potential side dish recipes has given you some ideas on how to do that. Remember that there are many different ways to go about it. You can choose from any of these recipes or come up with something completely new based on what suits your needs best.

FAQs