Grilled shrimp is a popular summer dish as it’s such a quick meal to make. Just add a little seasoning, get the shrimp on some skewers, and pop them on the grill. But what do you serve with them? Check out this list of over 60 options, broken down by type.

While it makes a great appetizer on its own, do you know what to serve with grilled shrimp if you want to use it as the main dish?
This post lists over 60 of the best side dishes for grilled shrimp that are sure to please any palate. They’re broken down into the following categories to make the recipes easier to find:
Grilled Shrimp Sides by Category
Just click the category names above to get to each type of side, or scroll through to see which ones sound best to you!
Every recipe listed is gluten free, but some are dairy free (DF), paleo, and/or Whole30 compatible where noted. There are lots of healthy recipes and some that are indulgences – pick whichever is right for you.
If you need help with grilling shrimp on an outdoor grill check out this post on how to make grilled shrimp skewers, which includes step by step instructions for a super delicious grilled shrimp recipe as well as a how-to video.
Or, if you’re trying to figure out how to serve grilled shrimp, consider making it into grilled shrimp tacos, a grilled shrimp bowl, or a super delicious shrimp, corn, and avocado salad.
Now onto the grilled shrimp side dishes!
Veggies
Veggies are a great option to go with grilled shrimp as they’re so abundant in the spring and summer. Have extras from your garden? Throw it on the grill! Zucchini is one of my favorite vegetables grilled, with the recipe just below.
Grilled Zucchini (Whole30, Paleo, GF)
Grilled Bell Peppers (Whole30, Paleo, GF)
Perfectly Grilled Onions
Easy Grilled Asparagus Recipe (GF, Paleo, Whole30)
Grilled Cabbage Steaks – Pip & Ebby (GF w/ DF, Paleo, Whole30 option)
Grilled Yellow Squash – Girls Can Grill (GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30)
Cauliflower Rice with Asparagus – Debra Klein (GF, DF)
Lemon Garlic Zoodles – Pink Fortitude (GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30)
Grilled Garlic Herb Eggplant – Good Food Baddie (GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30)
Fresh Green Beans with Tomato & Basil – Tessa the Domestic Diva (GF, DF)
Fruit
Who doesn’t love fruit? And grilling it helps caramelize the sugars to make them even sweeter. Since shrimp has a lighter flavor it pairs well with lots of different fruits.
Healthy Grilled Pineapple (Whole30, Paleo, GF)
Grilled Peaches (Whole30, Paleo, GF)
Honey Lime Grilled Cantaloupe – Marisa Moore (GF, DF, Paleo)
Grilled Watermelon – The Wimpy Vegetarian (GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30)
Grilled Fruit Salad – Real Simple Good (GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30)
Salads
Pairing a salad with grilled shrimp makes for a nice light meal when there’s warm weather. Any of these recipes would help round out a lighter lunch or dinner.
Spring Green Salad
Berry Mandarin Tossed Salad – Fluxing Well (GF, DF)
Fresh Tomato Salad – This Old Gal (GF, DF, w/ Paleo & Whole30 option)
Melon & Prosciutto Caprese Salad – Saporito Kitchen (GF)
Shirazi Salad – Little Sunny Kitchen (GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30)
Shaved Asparagus Salad – Alternative Dish (GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30)
Kale & Brussels Sprouts Salad – G-Free Foodie (GF)
Summer Blackberry Salad with Cashew Ricotta – Health My Lifestyle (GF, DF)
Caprese Salad Recipe – The Forked Spoon (GF)
Crunchy Broccoli Cauliflower Salad – Fannetastic Food (GF)
Coleslaws
A section just for coleslaw! This is a classic summer side with many variations, including some great recipes below. The pineapple coleslaw listed below is a favorite for our dinner table.
Pineapple Coleslaw
Healthy Apple & Broccoli Slaw (Paleo, Whole30)
Kale Kohlrabi Carrot Coleslaw (GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30)
Cajun Coleslaw – Bite on the Side (GF, DF w/ Paleo & Whole30 option)
Asian Summer Slaw – Urban Farmie (GF, DF)
Creamy No Mayo Coleslaw – Healthy Taste of Life (GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30)
Thai Style Cabbage Salad – Small Farm Big Life (GF, DF)
Broccoli Stem Slaw – It’s Not Complicated Recipes (GF)
White Bean & Cabbage Slaw – Fannetastic Food (GF, DF)
Cilantro Lime Bacon Coleslaw – Downshiftology (GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30)
Starchy Salads
Is it still a salad if it’s mostly made of carbs? Whatever you call it, these starchy salads make the perfect pairing for grilled shrimp kabobs.
Greek Rice Salad (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
Instant Pot Gluten Free Potato Salad
Corn Tomato Avocado Salad
Greek Chickpea, Avocado, & Cucumber Salad – Cook At Home Mom (GF)
Southwestern Quinoa Salad Recipe – The Helpful GF (GF, DF)
Mexican Street Corn Salad – Two Healthy Kitchens (GF)
Rice & Fava Bean Salad – The Short Order Cook (GF, DF)
Puerto Rican Potato Salad – Sense & Edibility (GF, DF)
Summer Quinoa Salad – Lemons & Zest (GF)
Wild Rice Salad – Little Sunny Kitchen (GF, DF)
French Potato Salad – The Short Order Cook (GF, DF)
Vegan Mexican Street Corn Salad – Strength & Sunshine (GF, DF)
Lentil Salad Recipe – Lemon Blossoms (GF)
Gluten Free Macaroni Salad – Fearless Dining (GF, DF)
Starchy Sides
Sometimes you just want carbs, and these starchy side dishes are there to fill that need. There are potato dishes, rice dishes, and of course the classic shrimp pairing – grits.
Easy Grilled Potatoes
Golden Rice Pilaf – What A Girl Eats (GF)
Pesto Quinoa – A Sweet Alternative (GF, DF)
Goat Cheese Polenta – Chisel & Fork (GF)
Arroz Verde – A Taste For Travel (GF, DF)
Hawaiian Rice Pilaf – Garlic & Zest (GF, DF)
One Pan Mexican Quinoa – Vegan Huggs (GF, DF)
Foil Packet Grilled Potatoes – Binky’s Culinary Carnival (GF, DF, Whole30)
Yellow Turmeric Rice – Rhian’s Recipes (GF, DF)
Pure & Simple Grits – Home Cooks Guide (GF, DF)
Toppings
If you’re wanting a lighter meal, you can just add a fun topping with maybe a sprinkling of fresh parsley and call it a day. These different variations of salsa would work wonderfully with grilled shrimp.
Peach Salsa – Pesto & Potatoes (GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30)
Pineapple Salsa – Hungry Foodie (GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30)
Easy Cowboy Caviar – Homemade Interest (GF, DF)
Keto Salsa – Low Carb Yum (GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30)
Mango Salsa – Urban Farmie (GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30)
Pin this list of what to serve with grilled shrimp for later!
If you make end up making one of these recipes then email me at taryn@hotpankitchen.com to let me know how it went!
YOU CAN ALSO FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM AND PINTEREST TO SEE MORE GOOD TO EAT, GLUTEN FREE FOOD.
Marta
What a fantastic roundup of side dishes! I can’t wait to try some of these out!
Taryn Solie
Thanks Marta – there are a ton of great options!
Kathy
So many delicious and different options. I don’t even know which one to pick first. I’ll better get cooking!
Taryn Solie
Yes, so many great recipes – thanks Kathy!
Shelley
I had so much fun looking through this wonderful list – so many terrific ideas!
Taryn Solie
Thank you – and yes, so many great ideas!