What to Serve with Shrimp Scampi: 15 Elegant Sides

Lemony, buttery, garlicky shrimp scampi is one of the best meals you can make. It’s perfect for seafood lovers.

It turns a weeknight dinner into something more special while taking just minutes to prepare.

And it’s absolutely elegant enough to serve when you have guests come for dinner. 

Shrimp scampi is often served over pasta, but there’s no hard and fast rule that says you MUST do so.

You can pair it with another Italian pasta dish and make it an appetizer, using hunks of fresh-baked garlic bread as your vessel.

You can keep things simple with a salad, throw it on top of rice or quinoa, or go for broke and put on a huge spread.

Any way that you choose to serve your shrimp scampi, you’re here because you need ideas.

And boy do we have them for you so that you can fill your table with as many or as few sides for shrimp scampi that you like!

So, what should you serve with your shrimp scampi? There are plenty of ways to serve this dish for family, friends, and other notable guests.

These 15 ideas will certainly give you a table full of delights!

1. Luxuriously Creamy Polenta with Parmesan-Ricotta 

Whether you choose pasta or not to serve with your shrimp scampi, creamy polenta made with parmesan and ricotta makes a wonderful side dish.

In fact, polenta makes a great side dish in many meals!

The contrasting cheese flavors are a splendid way to make this simple side extra rich. 

2. Lemony Asparagus Sauté 

Perhaps one of the best side dishes to serve with shrimp scampi is asparagus. With a little lemon and garlic, it is light, refreshing, and full of flavor.

Plus, it’s so simple to make that you’ll spend very little time in the kitchen. Add a little white wine and fresh herbs too to jazz it up even more!

3. Classy Caprese Salad

Bursting with bright, beefsteak tomatoes layered with slices of fresh mozzarella and garden-picked basil, all you need for a classy caprese salad are the simplest of ingredients.

A little drizzle of quality olive oil, a splash of balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste keeps this classic Italian salad ranking high on the list of favorite sides to serve with shrimp scampi. 

4. Simply Spectacular Spinach Pesto Pasta

If you prefer to keep your shrimp scampi separate from your pasta dish thy this!

It’s a great way to add more veggies and flavor is to make a pesto pasta using spinach along with the traditional basil, pine nuts, garlic, and parmesan.

Choose your favorite pasta shapes and round out the meal.

Short on time? Get some Knorr pasta sides (see more recipes here!) and be eating in no time.

It’s perfect for vegetarian guests and picky children alike!

5. Cheesy Spinach Orzo Salad

Orzo is another fun pasta shape that makes for a refreshing pasta salad to serve alongside your shrimp scampi.

Add artichoke hearts, lemon, spinach, and a mixture of fontina and parmesan cheeses for both stunning flavor and presentation.

You can put your shrimp scampi directly on top of the pasta salad, serving it warm. Or serve it on the side to let your guests fill up their plates as they see fit. 

6. Creamy Risotto Milanese

Indulge your gourmet senses with a risotto that features creamy melted parmesan mingling with the rice. Saffron gives it this special hue for a brightly-colored dish that matches the appeal of your shrimp scampi.

For elegant plating, fill small bowls with the risotto and top with a few pieces of the shrimp, then garnish with fresh parsley.

7. Refreshing Vine-Ripened Tomato Bruschetta 

Whether you serve it as an appetizer before you trot out your shrimp scampi or your fill up your table family-style with all your dishes, nothing beats a fresh-made tomato bruschetta. It’s perfect for parties and weeknight dinners alike. Plus, it motivates kids to eat their veggies, and you can’t ask for anything better than that!

Check out this bruschetta recipe from Jaclyn at Cooking Classy. 

8. Zingy Zoodles with Goat Cheese and Tomatoes

What if you love shrimp scampi but don’t want to serve it with so many carbs? Grab your veggie spiralizer and zucchini and make zoodles.

Zucchini noodles taste great and keep up with your low-carb lifestyle. They cook quickly too, making it easy to get these zingy zoodles on your table.

Add some fresh tomatoes and corn together along with goat cheese which will melt it all together for an unbeatable flavor.

9. Bountiful Burrata Salad

Love caprese salad but want something even more luxurious? Make a burrata salad with grilled nectarines and herby homemade pesto to give a contrast of sweet, savory, creamy, and citrusy flavors all together.

This lively epicurean delight is perfect for shrimp scampi on date night or when you’ve got your favorite friends and family joining you for dinner. 

10. Luscious Lobster Bisque

When it comes to serving a seafood dish as a main, you can’t go wrong with a seafood starter. One of the most perfectly elegant choices is a luscious lobster bisque.

That rich brandy taste pairs so well with the sweetness of lobster. Creamy and decadent, it is the ultimate way to kick off a dinner party of shrimp scampi. 

11. Seared Lemon Butter Bacon Scallops

Have a big family or lots of guests joining you? Then serve your shrimp scampi with seared lemon butter bacon scallops.

It’s like those bacon-wrapped scallops except with less work, allowing you to get another divine dish on the table in just 30 minutes.

Julia at Julia’s Album has a fantastic recipe for the simplified version of everyone’s favorite scallop dish!

12. Amazing Antipasti Platter

Start things off by letting friends and family graze before you bring out your shrimp scampi to finish the meal.

An amazing antipasti platter full of charcuterie, cheeses, and all the trimmings is sure to set the stage for one of the best meals ever. 

13. Cheesy Garlic Bread

If you love making extra sauce with your shrimp scampi, you need something to sop it up with.

Cheesy garlic bread is the answer to your prayers, allowing you to soak up every bit of that refreshing, buttery, lemony, garlicky sauce until your plate is practically wiped clean!

14. Garlicky Broccolini

On a busy weeknight, shrimp scampi is an easy enough dish that tastes like you slaved over it.

But you need something green to make the meal complete, which is why a little garlic and sauteed broccolini can go a long way.

Even for company, this is one quick side that will save the day. 

15. Sublime Spiedini Alla Romana 

And finally, what could be better than a roasted Italian loaf hailing from Italy’s Lazio region?

It’s a baked bread that oozes with mozzarella and a heavenly sauce with capers and anchovies. So savory and incredible, you’ve simply got to try it before you have FOMO.

Lucky for you, Kris & Wesley at How to Feed a Loon have all the details on how to make this epic accompaniment to shrimp scampi!

Now that your mouth is surely watering, it’s time to plan which of these 15 fine dishes you’ll serve with your shrimp scampi tonight!

And if you love shrimp dishes, check out ideas for grilled shrimp sides and coconut shrimp pairing ideas to complete your tasty seafood meal.