What to Serve with Shrimp Scampi? 10 BEST Side Dishes

Shrimp scampi's on the menu tonight! This dish, with its garlicky, buttery goodness, screams for sides that complement, not overpower.

We've been there, staring into the abyss of our fridge, hoping for inspiration to strike. What on earth goes well with shrimp scampi?

It's a meal that feels fancy, yet we're often at a loss for what to pair with it.

We've put our heads together, raided our kitchens, and tried all combinations to bring you a list that will turn that shrimp scampi into a feast. Ready for a rollercoaster of flavors?

10 Side Dish Ideas for Shrimp Scampi

Check out the ten dishes which are often considered the best sides to serve with shrimp scampi - and consider salad mains side suggestions for variety.

1 - Classic Caprese Salad

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You can't go wrong with this dish because Caprese salad makes a nice combo with shrimp scampi - and pairs similarly to caprese chicken side ideas.

You have juicy and sweet seafood on one hand and tangy, crunchy, and fresh salad on the other, which makes a nice balance.

Also, Caprese salad is one of the easiest dishes to make, but it's delicious and versatile as you can serve it with many different items.

It's an Italian salad but has become popular in many regions.

Its colors, green, white, and red, look just like the Italian flag; green from basil, white from mozzarella cheese, and red from the tomatoes.

You only need salt and a little olive oil to complete the dish.

2 - Lemon Garlic Broccolini

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Add crisp-tender broccolini to shrimp scampi, and you'll have an explosion of flavors at once.

Lemon garlic broccolini is a quick and easy dish but immensely delicious, and it shares bright citrus notes with lemon curd side suggestions for sweet-savoury balance.

It will keep your palate fresh and ready for more food.

What's impressive is the fact that you don't need too many ingredients for this simple but tasty dish.

Lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, and salt are the only items needed besides the veggie.

Broccolini has a mild flavor and tastes slightly sweeter than broccoli.

Hence, when you cook it to perfection, it tastes even better.

Even those who don't like broccoli will love this dish because it is that good.

3 - Creamy Polenta

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It originated in Italy, polenta has found worldwide recognition, and it's a popular dish in many places.

It's also one of the most versatile dishes and pairs well with various dishes - see creamy polenta side ideas for matching accompaniments.

Shrimp scampi and creamy polenta also make a nice pair, and you'll have everyone enjoying the dishes at the party.

Creamy polenta is filling, and the two items will fill you nicely.

Creamy polenta is so popular because it's easy to cook with only a few ingredients.

You make the polenta with ground cornmeal, unsalted butter, cream cheese, and salt.

If you use salted butter, use only a tiny amount of salt; add more only if needed.

4 - Tomato Bruschetta

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Shrimp scampi also works well with bread.

Make it more interesting by adding tomato bruschetta to the menu, and your guests will go wild when they see your dishes lined up at the table - similar flavors appear in tomato soup side pairings.

You can make the bruschetta with Italian or French bread as both are suitable.

However, choose Italian ciabatta if you want to make it more traditional.

You will also need ripe tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, basil leaves, salt, and pepper.

While other tomatoes can also work, it's best to use cherry tomatoes as they offer great flavor and will make the bruschetta tastier.

5 - Lobster Bisque

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It may sound odd, but one seafood tastes good with another.

So, why not serve lobster bisque with shrimp scampi? They taste great together, and you will feel full after the meal - see lobster ravioli side options for more seafood-friendly companions.

Unlike most other dishes, lobster bisque requires more ingredients, but it isn't difficult to cook.

It also takes a little more time to make the dish but once done; you'll be happy with the result.

Don't throw the shells in advance because they're useful for adding more flavor to the stock, an essential ingredient for the soup.

It's important to note that fresh, whole lobsters have the best flavor, so try to buy them live if possible.

6 - Lemon Roasted Asparagus

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Crisp-tender and slightly sour roasted asparagus make an excellent side dish with shrimp scampi.

The dish isn't complicated and doesn't need many items, but it's flavorful, and your guests will also enjoy them.

The inclusion of fresh lemon juice adds acidity, and it goes with the sweetness of the shrimp - a similar lemon profile appears in lemon pound cake side ideas for citrus-forward menus.

The combo is great, but neither dish overpowers the other.

But see that you have the freshest asparagus stalks, or the dish won't produce the same effect as expected.

Fresh and young asparagus stalks should be moist and plump with firm spears that break when bent.

7 - Seared Bacon Scallops

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You have two dishes that contain seafood, but both are compatible and not too heavy.

Hence, you won't feel overloaded even if you eat significant portions.

You can always wash it away with veggies or a salad if it does.

Pan-seared bacon scallops are a dish that is fun to make, and similar techniques appear in seared tuna side suggestions for quick seafood preparations.

It's tasty without needing too many steps, ingredients, or time.

Hence, you can make it a regular feature when cooking shrimp scampi.

The usual ingredients for the dish include bacon, scallops, kosher salt, pepper, lemon zest and juice, and parsley.

You don't need extra oil as you can use the bacon fat produced after you cook the meat.

8 - Spinach Orzo Salad

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How about one more salad but not the usual one? Spinach orzo salad can also be an excellent accompaniment to shrimp scampi.

There are two ways you can enjoy the dishes.

You can put the shrimp scampi on top of the salad.

However, some of your guests may not eat shrimp for health reasons, so it's best to keep them separate.

Spinach, artichoke hearts, parmesan, and fontina cheeses are the other ingredients besides orzo pasta.

You can also make a different version with orzo, spinach, cherry tomatoes, feta, and pine nuts.

Make a simple dressing with lemon juice and zest, sugar, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and basil.

9 - Creamy Tomato Risotto

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Adding a rice dish with shrimp scampi will also be nice to make your meal complete.

Rice on one side and shrimp on another; what can be tastier?

You can cook this creamy tomato risotto on the stovetop or in the oven, depending on convenience and availability of time.

Use Arborio rice to make the risotto to get the perfect texture and flavor.

Parmesan cheese is popular for this dish, but you can also add vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese.

Other items include chopped tomatoes (canned), tomato paste, veggie stock, olive oil, onion, garlic, white wine, lemon juice, double cream, salt, and pepper.

10 - Caesar Salad

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We will complete the list with Caesar salad.

It makes an excellent side dish for shrimp scampi and is also a popular item.

Making Caesar salad is also easy as you can readily obtain the ingredients.

However, use only fresh lettuce leaves, or the salad may not taste good.

You can use readymade croutons or make fresh ones at home if you have sufficient time.

Once you finish making the salad, you'll have a creamy, tangy, and savory dish ready to pair with shrimp scampi.

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