What to Serve with Shrimp Boil? 10 BEST Side Dishes

Are you planning to serve shrimp boil this weekend or at an outdoor event? Lovely.

But are you serving it on its own? The dish is delicious, but it won't be enough if you invite many people.

Besides, the event won't be too exciting with a single dish.

So, now you must also be thinking about what to serve with a shrimp boil.

Not to worry because we have it covered for you.

Below, we will tell a little about the ten best dishes you can serve with seafood.

10 Best Sides for Shrimp Boil

Let's see what you can serve with a shrimp boil - or consider chili party side ideas for gatherings that bring hearty options.

1. Avocado and Cucumber Salad

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Adding a fruit-veggie combo salad to the menu is an excellent idea as you have something of everything, making a complete meal.

Avocado and cucumber salad is fresh, creamy, crunchy, and delicious.

It goes nicely with shrimp boil and delivers the expected flavors.

You can also add onion, tomatoes, and fresh cilantro for that extra freshness - or pair it with cucumber soup side ideas for cool menus for matching flavors.

Once you drizzle fresh lemon juice, the salad will be perfect.

Choosing the right avocados is important to make the perfect salad.

If you intend to use the fruit immediately, choose one that is dark.

You can pick a slightly lighter shade if you use it in a few days.

2. Jalapeno Cornbread

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A spicy cornbread can also serve as an ideal side dish with shrimp boil.

Basic cornbread is tasty, but adding jalapeno or cayenne pepper can amp up the flavor.

The Native Americans were the first to make cornbread, but it has also become a staple in the Southern US.

Cornbread is simple and requires few ingredients.

It uses baking powder and doesn't take long to rise.

Hence, you can make several batches quickly if you have people at the dinner or an event.

Along with the typical ingredients, add crushed or chopped jalapeno or cayenne - and see jalapeno popper side ideas for spicy crowds for complementary dishes.

Your cornbread will taste incredible with a slight kick, making it perfect for serving with shrimp boil.

3. Roasted Green Beans

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Green beans are among the most widely found bean variety, as there are numerous cultivars.

They grow all year round, so they're popular and used in many dishes.

Also called French beans or snap beans, green beans are versatile as you can cook them in different ways, with roasting being one of them.

Roasted green beans go with the shrimp boil, and the veggies will cleanse your palate - similar to roasted carrot side pairings for simple dinners that add sweet-roasted balance.

So, you won't feel overwhelmed even if you eat a lot of seafood.

The dish is one of the simplest, but it's delicious with a crisp-tender texture.

All you need are beans, olive oil, salt, and pepper; your dish will be complete.

4. Sourdough Bread

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Slightly tangy sourdough bread can also be a perfect side dish for a shrimp boil - for more bread-based pairings see sourdough bread side suggestions for meals.

Your meal will become even heartier and fill you up nicely.

Sourdough recently gained plenty of attention, but it's the oldest type of leavened bread and has been around for centuries.

It's also a famous bread in various cultures worldwide.

You can make sourdough bread at home if you have the time, equipment, and ingredients.

However, if you can't spare the time, you can buy freshly-baked bread from the store.

Sourdough bread isn't just easy to make or delicious, but it's also considered one of the healthiest bread varieties.

5. Creamy Coleslaw

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You can add as many salads as you like to your menu, and your meal will only improve.

Shrimp boil teams up perfectly with any salad, so you have plenty of options.

Creamy coleslaw is one of these salads; it's fresh and delicious and provides a tangy and sweet flavor.

Coleslaw is a popular salad dish in many places and is served frequently.

You can use only one variety or all three to make the salad bright and colorful.

Add onions, carrots, and herbs to complete the dish.

Mayonnaise or vinaigrette are the two ingredients most widely used.

But you may use sour cream for this particular dish for a change.

Cabbage, along with its cousins (broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts), are low in calories and contains loads of vitamin C.

Hence, you'll be absorbing the nutrients with every bite.

For a warm, creamy contrast consider polenta as a side - creamy polenta side pairings for rich plates suggests compatible options.

6. Crunchy Okras

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Most people often overlook okras because they turn slimy when cooked.

But crunchy okras are different, and you'll not want to stop eating them.

If you love breaded and fried veggies, then crunchy okras are the way to go.

They also taste delicious with shrimp boiled, so you have an ideal combo with veggies and seafood.

However, you must mix the okras with the other ingredients in the dry form before frying instead of making a liquid mixture and coating them.

It makes the dish even simpler as you can mix the items and deep fry them till the okras are crisp.

Add the salt only after frying and not before for best results.

7. Roasted Potato Salad

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A potato salad is one of the most frequently served dishes at outdoor events.

It's a versatile and tasty dish and pairs well with shrimp boil.

You often make potato salad with boiled potatoes but have you tried roasted? If not, you must because it might be even better than the typical potato salad.

You follow the same steps but roast the potatoes first of all.

Besides, you'll also have to use light mayo instead of the full-fat variety.

The final result will be crunchy on the outside potatoes with a slightly creamy texture.

Roasted potatoes also complement roasted pepper soups; see roasted red pepper soup side ideas for balanced meals for pairing inspiration.

8. Hushpuppies

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It's another corn-based dish, but who's complaining? Everyone loves corn in one form or another, so you won't be disappointed with hushpuppies when you serve them.

Hushpuppies are round, deep-fried balls made of cornmeal-based batter, and they're a regular feature on many occasions.

The deep-fried balls are popular with kids and grownups, so that everybody will love them.

While most hushpuppies are round, you can make them into rectangular patties or other shapes.

All shapes use the same batter so that they will taste the same.

9. Mac and Cheese with Broccoli

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Like potato salad and coleslaw, mac and cheese are a crowd-pleaser, and adding the dish to the menu will never go wrong - especially when paired with chili mac side ideas for hearty spreads.

The dish isn't just pleasant but also perfect as a side for a shrimp boil.

You can add broccoli to the dish to make it a little different.

Your meal will be heartier and heavier, and everyone will have a full belly when the event ends.

You don't have to do anything extra to add broccoli.

Cook the dish as usual and add the veggie florets and cooked pasta in the creamy sauce at the same time.

10. Vegetable Skewers

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Grilled veggie skewers also combine nicely with shrimp boil so let's finish the list by adding this dish.

It's a simple dish but so flavorful that you'll make everyone happy.

Grilled vegetable skewers contain multiple ingredients, so you have numerous items to choose from.

However, selecting veggies that cook simultaneously will be a good idea, or some may overcook, and some remain undercooked.

Bell peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, and pineapple are some items that can cook at the same time.

A little olive oil, dried basil, salt and pepper will be enough to make the dish perfect.

What to serve with garlic butter shrimp has many complementary sides listed at garlic butter shrimp side pairings for rich flavors. For lighter, crisp options for battered seafood see tempura shrimp side ideas for crunchy menus.