Whether you serve boiled shrimp hot or cold, the right sides make all the difference. These easy side dishes pair perfectly with shrimp and round out the meal. Keep it fresh and simple for a dinner that’s light, balanced, and full of flavor.
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Best Side Dishes for Boiled Shrimp
The best dishes are made with simple, fresh ingredients. Pairing it with fresh produce like sweet corn, red potatoes, green beans, and asparagus bring fresh flavor and bright color to your plate.
Visit your local farmer’s market for the season’s freshest picks.
- Corn on the Cob
- Steamed Asparagus
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Summer is the time to pull out fresh fruit. Mango, peaches, plums, apricots, cherries, and watermelon are perfect sides for shrimp.
Our Favorite Sides for Boiled Shrimp
Cold Salads
Fresh cold salads are perfect for summer entertaining. They’re light, colorful, and easy to prep ahead.
More Seafood!
Try these fish and crab dishes with your boiled shrimp and have a fiesta!
Beverages
For drinks, keep it simple and refreshing.
A cold white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc goes great with shrimp.
Chilled champagne or prosecco is always a special touch.
Cold beer works too!
If you want something without alcohol, make a big pitcher of infused water with lemon, cucumber, and mint. It's nice and cold and an unexpected touch for serving water.
Garnish
Make the shrimp look as great as they taste! When you peel the shrimp, leave the tails on to make them easier to grab and better for presentation.
Serve the shrimp on a platter or in a big bowl and garnish with fresh parsley, lemon wedges, and a bowl of cocktail sauce and melted butter.
Dessert
In Key West Florida, we eat Key Lime Pie with everything!
Check out our recipe for an easy refreshing dessert or pick one up at Kermit's Key Lime Shop in Key West or your grocer's freezer.
Shrimp Recipes
We boil a lot of shrimp. Our local caught Key West pink shrimp are an excellent source of protein and iodine, and we can't get enough!
Summary
For summer entertaining, boiled shrimp are amazing. They can be served cold, warm, or hot right out of the pot. A classic shrimp boil calls for simple side dishes like corn on the cob, red potatoes, baked beans, and coleslaw.
Serve shrimp cold, warm, or hot right out of the pot.
Serve the best sides like fresh corn, creamy potatoes, coleslaw, and crusty sourdough bread.
FAQ
Place frozen shrimp in a bowl of cold water for about 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you're not in a rush, you can also thaw them overnight in the fridge.
Yes, you can boil shrimp a few hours ahead. Chill them quickly in an ice bath, then store in the fridge until ready to serve.
Yes, add salt and lemon to the water for extra flavor. Add Old Bay seafood seasoning for extra flavor.
Cold shrimp goes well with cocktail sauce, lemon wedges, cold salads such as coleslaw. Add crackers or sliced sourdough bread to make it more filling.
Leaving the shells on adds flavor and helps keep the shrimp tender. You can peel them before serving or let guests peel their own.
Sourdough, French bread, or garlic bread are all great choices. They're perfect for soaking up the flavorful juices.
Seafood Recipes
Make your seafood feast even better with by adding fresh caught fish, lobster and other local seafood. Down here in the Keys, a typical dinner can include many different types of seafood.
Air-Fryer Snapper: A quick and healthy way to cook snapper fillets. Just season, spray, and let the air fryer do the work--ready in 20 minutes.
Snapper Tacos: A fun way to enjoy yellowtail, red snapper, or any thin white fish fillet. Load them up with slaw, avocado, and a squeeze of lime.
Green Mussels: Sold frozen, New Zealand green mussels are sweet and delicious. They're simmered with garlic, shallots, butter, and white wine for a dish that’s hard to beat.
Boiled Spiny Lobsters: Key West Lobsters have great flavor and no claws like their cousins from Maine. Catch them and boil in salted water for one of the finest delicacies of the Keys.
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