Hey there fellow food lovers! As someone who’s been cooking up storms in my kitchen for years, I’ve discovered that panko shrimp is like that cool friend who gets along with everyone at the party. Today I’m gonna share my favorite side dishes that’ll take your crispy panko shrimp from “meh” to “AMAZING!”
Why These Sides Work So Well with Panko Shrimp
Before we dive into the good stuff, lemme tell you why picking the right side dish matters. Panko shrimp has this awesome crispy coating that’s light and crunchy – way different from regular breading. So, we wanna pair it with sides that’ll:
- Complement that crunchiness
- Add different textures
- Bring in fresh flavors
- Balance out the meal
Fresh and Crispy Salad Options
1. Classic Caesar Salad
Y’all, this is my go-to! The crispy romaine lettuce and creamy dressing are perfect with panko shrimp Plus, those crunchy croutons? chef’s kiss
2. Cilantro Lime Slaw
I make this super easy slaw that’s:
- Tangy from lime juice
- Fresh from cilantro
- Crunchy from cabbage
- Perfect for hot summer days
3. Arugula Salad
This is literally the easiest thing ever – just toss some arugula with
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Salt and pepper
- Shaved Parmesan
Warm Veggie Sides
4. Garlic Butter Green Beans
These aren’t your grandma’s boring green beans! I make ’em with:
- Fresh green beans
- Lots of garlic (like, seriously lots)
- Real butter
- A pinch of red pepper flakes
5. Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Trust me on this one – when they’re done right, they’re amazing:
- Cut in half
- Tossed with olive oil
- Roasted until crispy
- Finished with balsamic glaze
Starchy Sides (Because We Need ‘Em!)
6. Coconut Jasmine Rice
This is my secret weapon:
- Jasmine rice cooked in coconut milk
- Pinch of salt
- Optional: sprinkle of toasted coconut
- Pairs AMAZINGLY with Asian-style panko shrimp
7. Crispy Roasted Potatoes
Who doesn’t love potatoes? Here’s how I make ’em perfect:
- Cut into small cubes
- Tossed with olive oil and seasonings
- Roasted until super crispy
- Finished with fresh herbs
Sauce Game Strong
Listen up, because the right sauce can make your panko shrimp sing! Here are my faves:
8. Spicy Aioli
Mix together:
- Mayo
- Sriracha
- Lime juice
- Minced garlic
9. Sweet Chili Sauce
Store-bought is fine, but I sometimes jazz it up with:
- Extra lime juice
- Chopped cilantro
- A splash of fish sauce
Quick and Easy Sides
10. Black Bean and Corn Salad
This takes like 5 minutes to make:
- Canned black beans (drained)
- Frozen corn (thawed)
- Diced red onion
- Lime juice
- Cilantro
11. Quick Quinoa
Make it interesting:
- Cook in chicken broth
- Add butter
- Toss in some herbs
- Season well!
Comfort Food Sides
12. Mac and Cheese
Because sometimes you just need that comfort food:
- Creamy cheese sauce
- Al dente pasta
- Crispy breadcrumb topping
- Extra cheese (always!)
13. Garlic Bread
Quick tip: Make it extra special:
- Use real butter
- Fresh garlic
- Add some herbs
- Toast until golden
Fresh and Light Options
14. Cucumber Salad
Super refreshing:
- Thinly sliced cucumbers
- Rice vinegar
- Sesame oil
- Sesame seeds
15. Mango Salsa
Perfect for summer:
- Fresh mango
- Red onion
- Jalapeño
- Lime juice
- Cilantro
Asian-Inspired Sides
16. Sesame Noodles
These are addictive:
- Cold or room temp
- Sesame oil
- Soy sauce
- Green onions
17. Asian Slaw
A twist on traditional slaw:
- Napa cabbage
- Rice vinegar
- Sesame oil
- Crispy wonton strips
18. Edamame
Simple but perfect:
- Steamed
- Sea salt
- Optional: chili oil
Pro Tips for Serving
- Temperature contrast is key – serve hot shrimp with cold salads
- Don’t overcrowd your plate – let each item shine
- Consider your sauce choices – have at least 2 options
- Fresh herbs make everything better
- Don’t forget the lemon wedges!
Quick Note on Portions
For a main course, I usually plan:
- 6-8 large shrimp per person
- 2 side dishes
- At least one sauce option
Y’all, these combinations are gonna make your panko shrimp dinner absolutely epic! Mix and match based on what you’re feeling – there’s no wrong answer here. And remember, cooking should be fun, so don’t stress too much about getting everything perfect.
What’s your favorite side dish for panko shrimp? Drop a comment below – I’d love to hear your ideas too! Now, if you’ll excuse me, all this writing about food has made me hungry. Time to go make some panko shrimp!
Quick & Easy Dinner
Is fried shrimp on the menu tonight?
If that is a yes in our house, it typically means we are trying to make dinner easy to make, whether that is because we are busy, tired, or its hot outside – often all three at once!
Of course we want to serve more than just friend shrimp for dinner. We need some sides. I want to share with you the kinds of side dishes we like to make with fried shrimp and all of them have the requirement of being easy to prep and cook.
When we buy frozen fried shrimp for dinner, we like to either get the Kirkand Panko Fried Shrimp or the Kirkland Tempura Shrimp from Costco. Sometimes we serve a combo of both as some of many kids dont love the tempura shrimp.
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Easy to Make Sides
So what sides go well with Panko fried shrimp? Here are some recommendations.
Baked potato – It really doesnt get much easier than making baked potatoes. You throw them in the oven and dont even have to dirty any dishes. I have switched recently to using my air fryer instead because it doesnt need to be preheated and I dont warm up my kitchen when using it. If you want the most stunning baked potatoes, you need to try out my Purple Baked Potatoes, made with purple potatoes are purple inside and out.
️ Recipe – Purple Baked Potatoes in the Oven or Air Fryer.
Baked Potato Fries – Did you know that you can bake potatoes and then turn them into fries? If you are ok with adding one more step, you can bake your potatoes ahead of time. Then when its dinner time, cut them into fries and cook them in your air fryer.
️ Recipe – Fries from Baked Potatoes
Crinkle Cut Fries – Another option is to use a crinkle cutter to cut fries and air fry them for about 20 minutes after tossing them in some oil. My daughter does this all the time, so its an easy option your kids can help do.
Leeks & Potatoes – We typically think of leeks and potatoes in soup, but you dont have to limit them to just that. I love to cut up some leeks and potatoes and throw them together in the air fryer. Leeks dont make me cry like onions do, so that definitely helps make prepping this dish easier.
️ Recipe – How to Air Fry Leeks (including with potatoes)
Asparagus – Asparagus is easy to throw into the oven and roast but if you want asparagus even quicker there is a way to cook it in the microwave in just a few minutes. You wrap the asparagus in a slightly wet paper towel and cook it that way.
️ Recipe – Microwave Asparagus in Paper Towel
Carrots – Any easy, hands-off way to make carrots is to slice them up, put them on a sheet pan, and throw in a whole stick of butter. The carrots will come out filled with flavor.
️ Recipe – Buttery Roast Carrots
Corn – An easy option is just taking some frozen corn and cooking it in a pan with butter. If you top it off with some smoked salt or smoked paprika, it can be really good without barely any work on your part.
If you want to try something a little more fancy and involved, I have a great recipe for Elote/Mexican Street Corn style creamed corn. It doesnt take very long to make so it can be thrown together while you are cooking your fried shrimp.
️ Recipe – Elote or Mexican Street Style Creamed Corn
Grits – One of my daughters favorite foods is homemade grits. And they arent as hard to make as one might think. Shrimp & grits is a popular dish in the south. You can also pair fried shrimp with grits as well.
Instant grits will come together fast, but you are much better off taking the time to make grits from stone ground grits with way more flavor. My method for making grits involves:
- Cooking 1 cup of grits with 2 cups of whole milk and 2 cups of water over medium heat.
- Whisk them often until they are thicken.
- It takes about 15-20 minutes, so its still a quick side dish to pair with shrimp.
Salad – Why not pair a good old salad with your fried food We love to make our own salad dressings because they are easy to make and taste better. My wife and I love a good Cesar and my oldest is obsessed with any salad with blue cheese dressing that we make in our food processor. This can be done well ahead of the meal, so you arent doing that while trying to get dinner on the table.
️ Recipe – Homemade Blue Cheese Salad Dressing
Coleslaw – You could call this a salad as well. Best if you can make it yourself. Pretty much every grocery store carries bags of pre-cut cabbage and carrots. Then you can make a sauce for it that is perfect to your liking. My daughter will eat coleslaw if its not too sweet, which you find that a lot of ready made coleslaw is because they add sugar.
Broccoli – Whether steamed, roasted, or air fried broccoli is a cheap, easy choice to pair with fried shrimp. Did you know that you can take frozen broccoli right from the freezer and put it into your air fryer and cook it? It actually works better with frozen as the stems are softer to start so the broccoli ends up being more evenly cooked.
️ Recipe – Air Fry Frozen Broccoli
Cauliflower – I am obsessed with multicolored cauliflower. They are so attractive, and even though the flavor isnt different, its still very fun to serve up a mix of purple, orange, and white cauliflower. I always either roast or air fry my cauliflower. If you want to dress it up, I have a recipe for roast cauliflower that uses a Tahini sauce. The sauce can ne made right when the cauliflower comes out and it simple involves mixing together some Tahini with honey, salt, and water.
️ Recipe – Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini Sauce
Snap Peas – Last but not least, I wanted to talk about using snap peas as a side. I think they are extremely underrated. They are so good, just roasted in the oven and finished with a touch of honey. You can use snow peas as well but I prefer those for stir-fry and the snap peas for roasting.
️ Recipe – Roasted Snap Peas with Honey «
Costco Panko Shrimp! Fantastic! #costco
FAQ
What do you eat with panko shrimp?
I like my panko shrimp with fried rice, but plain rice also works great. Still, if you use plain rice, make sure you give it enough flavor by seasoning.May 11, 2023
What do you dip panko shrimp in?
What can I serve with Panko Shrimp? It is delicious with sriracha mayonnaise (which is so simple to make – you literally just stir some sriracha through good-quality mayonnaise) or other sauces like sweet chilli. I also love them with a sour cream and chive dip or a garlicky aioli, tartare sauce.
What is a good side to eat with shrimp?
Classic sides for grilled shrimp are grilled veggies, wedge and French fries, potato salad, rice dishes, pasta side dishes, casseroles, lemon, tartar sauce and other sauces. Grilled fresh shrimp are also stellar on top of spinach, green and Caesar salad. And don’t forget a great cocktail.
What do breaded shrimp go well with?
Two of the most common sides with fried shrimp is french fries and coleslaw. If you would like something different mash potatoes, corn, beans and rice, or salad as a side would be nice.