Name: What To Serve With Garlic Butter Shrimp
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 portion garlic butter shrimp

Table of Contents

If you’re wondering what to serve with your garlic butter shrimp, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, I list 39 of the most popular side dishes for garlic butter shrimp.

In a rush? Here’s the short answer.

The best dishes to serve with garlic butter shrimp are pesto pasta, focaccia bread, spring pea risotto, jalapeno cheddar grits, and butter lettuce salad. You can also go with zucchini noodles, patatas bravas, or sauteed broccoli. For an affordable surf-and-turf meal, try London broil.

Ready? Let’s jump right in.

Juicy pesto pasta

The problem with pesto pasta is that it can sometimes be so dry and gluey.

But this recipe shares an easy tip to fix that – toss the pasta with a small dash of pasta water.

The starchy water will help emulsify the fat in the pesto, resulting in a luscious, glossy sauce that’ll coat every inch of the pasta perfectly.

Prop a handful of garlic butter shrimp on top for an easy, healthy meal.

Why we love this recipe: it’s perfect for the midweek rush.

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Juicy pesto pasta
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Buttered noodles
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Creamy lemon pasta

No-knead focaccia bread

If you want to try your hand at baking, this version of focaccia is a great starting point.

It requires minimal hands-on work, but you do need to plan ahead because the dough needs to rest overnight.

Serve slices of this shortcut focaccia with your garlic butter shrimp… it’s great for mopping up that finger-licking good sauce.

Why we love this recipe: it has a 4.98 rating from 116 votes.

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Ridiculously easy focaccia bread
Make it French-inspired
Easy baguettes
Make it cheesy
Cheddar biscuits

Butter lettuce salad

If you want something simple, you can’t go wrong with this lettuce salad.

The fresh and crisp veggies combined with a lemon dijon dressing are just what you need to balance out the buttery sauce, without overwhelming the delicate shrimp.

Win-win!

Why we love this recipe: it’s a no-frills salad you can enjoy any day of the week.

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Butter lettuce salad with lemon dijon vinaigrette
Add a fruity note
Mango kale chopped salad
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Romaine lettuce salad

Spring pea risotto

Step up your risotto game with this recipe.

The fresh, bright flavor of the peas is perfect with the slightly sweet shrimp.

And peas aren’t just for garnish – they’re also turned into a puree to give this risotto its lovely green tinge.

Pro tip: don’t add the peas too early, otherwise they’ll overcook and become more brown than green!

Why we love this recipe: it looks like it belongs on a fancy restaurant’s menu.

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Spring pea risotto
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Butternut squash risotto
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Lemon orzo faux risotto

Patatas bravas

Go full-on Spanish and serve this iconic tapas dish with your garlic prawns.

It will work as a starter, or you can serve it alongside the prawns (and whatever other tapas you want) in a ‘help yourself’ type of spread.

Psst… don’t forget the dipping sauce, the classic option is a spicy garlic mayonnaise.

Why we love this recipe: you’ll be transported straight to Spain.

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Patatas bravas
Make it cheesy
Garlic parmesan potato wedges
Make it fun
Crash hot potatoes

Ratatouille

Got a load of veggies you need to use in your fridge? Chuck them all together and make a ratatouille.

This version isn’t intricately-arranged like you’ll see in pictures, but it’s equally as delicious.

The trick to perfecting this dish is to fry each veggie separately to prevent them turning mushy.

Why we love this recipe: it’s so easy to customize.

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Ratatouille (French vegetable stew)
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Summer veggie gratin
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Sauteed zucchini and squash

Zucchini noodles

These zucchini noodles are an excellent pasta alternative to pair with garlic butter shrimp.

They’re low-carb, and a quick saute is all they need to develop an al dente texture.

Add these noodles into the pan just as your garlic butter shrimp are about to finish cooking for a super tasty one-pan meal.

Why we love this recipe: it’s fun to make, and NOT watery.

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Zucchini noodles
Make it Thai-inspired
Pad thai zoodles
Another pasta alternative
Herbed spaghetti squash with garlic and parmesan

Spinach tortillas (for tacos)

I love foods that help sneak in more nutrition to meals, like these spinach tortillas.

This recipe calls for over six cups of blanched spinach that are pureed and mixed with other ingredients to form a dough.

Your pickiest eaters will be none the wiser, especially when you load these up with buttery garlic shrimp and slaw.

Why we love this recipe: the wraps will last for up to a week in the fridge.

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Spinach tortillas
Stick with the basics
Corn tortillas
Make it Greek-inspired
Pita bread

London broil

London broil has a reputation for being a tougher cut of meat, but all it needs is a few hours to marinate.

The acids in the marinade help break down the meat’s protein, making it oh-so-tender,

Enjoy this marinated London broil alongside your garlic butter shrimp for a surf-and-turf dinner that won’t break the bank.

Why we love this recipe: you can guarantee no one will leave the table hungry.

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London broil
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Baked stuffed flank steak
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Pan-seared ribeye with garlic butter

Roasted cherry tomatoes

Roasting transforms tomatoes into something special.

The high heat enhances their naturally sweet-acidic flavors, and the skins burst open releasing the juices, which then concentrates in the tray.

I love serving them on a crostini with some shrimp. YUM.

Why we love this recipe: it requires zero hands-on cooking.

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Roasted cherry tomatoes
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Jalapeno cheddar cheese grits

You can’t get much more classic Southern than a shrimp and grits combo.

But why not mix things up a bit by adding some heat to the mixture with jalapenos?

This recipe also calls for cheddar cheese to make these grits extra creamy, but you can swap it for parmesan or Pepper jack if you prefer.

Why we love this recipe: you can have it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

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Jalapeno cheddar cheese grits
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Cheesy grit fries
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Parmesan polenta

Sauteed broccoli

There are so many ways to cook broccoli, but sauteing had to be my favorite.

The florets are mostly covered in the pan so they steam (this ensures they cook all the way through), but the edges will start to char which adds a nice smokey flavor.

Psst… if you’re in a real rush try microwaving your broccoli.

Why we love this recipe: it only takes 15 minutes and 3 ingredients.

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Sauteed broccoli
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Parmesan roasted broccoli
Swap the veggie
Lemony steamed asparagus

Cilantro lime quinoa

I’m sure you’ve heard of the famous cilantro lime rice, but this Mexican inspired flavor combo will work with any grain.

Quinoa and rice have around the same calories per serving, but quinoa is rich in plant protein and fiber, which means it will keep you feeling fuller for longer.

Load this cilantro lime quinoa with garlic butter shrimp and some veggies of your choice for a complete and nourishing meal.

Why we love this recipe: it’s a great meal prep option.

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Cilantro lime quinoa
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Spanish quinoa
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The best side dishes to serve with garlic butter shrimp

Juicy pesto pasta
No-knead focaccia bread
Butter lettuce salad
Spring pea risotto
Patatas bravas
Ratatouille
Zucchini noodles
Spinach tortillas (for tacos)
London broil
Roasted cherry tomatoes
Jalapeno cheddar cheese grits
Sauteed broccoli
Cilantro lime quinoa