Easy to make and perfect for an impressive dinner, these 27 Side Dishes for Shrimp Pasta give you lots of inspiration to choose from. Serve them with my Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta or follow my notes for Easy Shrimp Alfredo Pasta. These side dishes include fresh salads, roasted veggies, easy veggies on the stovetop, and some grilled options as well.
My Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta is one of our most popular recipes and I get lots of questions about what to serve with it! So today I have all my favorites put together so you can have lots of creative shrimp pasta dinners.
Between the shrimp and pasta, you have protein and carbs taken care of. From there, I add a bit of chopped baby spinach to my recipe for added greens, and all you need is some veggies to go with it.
Asparagus is one of our personal favorites to pair with shrimp pasta, but broccoli and green beans are available more of the year. For salads, there are also lots of seasonal options, from apple spinach salad to strawberry spinach salad.
There is a little something for everyone, plus some menu ideas at the end.
Favorite Salad Sides
- Easy Green Salad
- Strawberry Spinach Salad
- Caesar Salad (made without the chicken)
- Apple Spinach Salad
- Italian Chopped Salad
- Watermelon Basil Salad
- Spinach Berry Salad (made without the chicken)
- Best of Summer Salad
- Roasted Pear Spinach Salad
- Bacon Kale Caesar Salad
The best winter salads are the Bacon Kale Caesar, Pear Spinach Salad, and Apple Spinach Salad. The rest on this list are better in the summer when produce is fresh and local! Salads are great to pair with pasta because you can prep them ahead.
On the Grill & Stovetop Veggies
- Grilled Vegetables
- Grilled Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
- Honey Glazed Carrots
- Sautéed Green Beans
- Maple Sage Carrots
- Garlic Butter Mushrooms
- Balsamic Red Pepper Green Beans
- Garlic Sautéed Spinach
- Bacon Mushroom Green Beans
- Lemon Herb Zucchini
I love pairing the prosciutto wrapped asparagus especially with shrimp pasta because the cured meat is so nice with the shrimp. Also the garlic butter mushrooms are an all-star player that works well with any other veggie dish you choose.
Oven Roasted Vegetable Side Dishes
- Oven Roasted Broccoli
- Garlic Roasted Carrots
- Perfect Roasted Asparagus
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Garlic Roasted Green Beans
- Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
- Parmesan Roasted Asparagus
Oven roasted veggies are my favorite because they’re so convenient. You can have them roasting in the oven while you concentrate on getting the shrimp pasta cooked perfectly.
Asparagus, broccoli, green beans, and sautéed spinach all pair well with shrimp pasta. Fresh spinach salads and Caesar salad also go perfectly with shrimp pasta.
Shrimp alfredo is very decadent and goes well with vegetable side dishes and fresh salads. I like to pair shrimp alfredo with Strawberry Spinach Salad or my Easy Green Salad because they ‘reset’ your palate to enjoy each bite of shrimp alfredo.
Easy Shrimp Alfredo: 1 pound cooked pasta + 1 pound cooked shrimp + 2x Recipe Garlic Parmesan Sauce
Tips & Tricks
- Start these seasonal dinners with either my Antipasto Platter , Summer Antipasto , or Summer Charcuterie Board
- Spring Dinner: Shrimp Pasta + Strawberry Spinach Salad + Asparagus
- Summer Dinner: Shrimp Pasta + Watermelon Feta Salad + Sautéed Green Beans
- Fall Dinner: Shrimp Pasta + Apple Spinach Salad + Roasted Broccoli
- Winter Dinner: Shrimp Pasta + Roasted Pear Salad + Brussels Sprouts
- Garlic Butter Mushrooms go well with all 4 menus and you can swap any salad listed for my Caesar Salad made without the chicken.
- Add your favorite dinner rolls, sourdough baguette, or garlic bread.
- Finish these dinners with one of my dessert recipes . My favorite for entertaining is my Death By Chocolate because you can make it ahead.
Easy to make Sides for Ribs for all seasons, so you can enjoy dinners with ribs year-round! There’s a little something for everyone with 40+ recipes, from potato and pasta side dishes to fresh salads and veggies. You’ll also find my menus for all four seasons, plus appetizers and dessert options too!
Ribs are pure comfort food year-round in my book! Tender meat with caramelized BBQ sauce is always welcome!
Everyone has they’re favorite ribs that take a full day to make. But the ones I make the most often are my Oven Baked BBQ Ribs . They’re super easy to make, way faster, and perfect for all your favorite simple side dishes.
Today, I have all my favorite sides in one place, plus menus for four seasons so you can enjoy ribs all year long.
From potato and pasta side dishes to veggies and fresh salads, these easy side dishes for ribs are all you need for your next feast.
Potato Sides for Ribs
- Mashed Potatoes
- Potato Salad (no egg option)
- Roasted Potatoes & Carrots
- Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Crispy Potatoes
- Pan-Fried Rosemary Potatoes
- Baked Sweet Potato
- Mashed Sweet Potato
- Roasted Sweet Potato
Both sweet potatoes and regular potatoes are perfect partners with ribs. In the summer months, I love to serve ribs with my Grilled Potatoes (below) or my Mom’s Potato Salad .
In the winter months, any kind of mashed potatoes or roasted potatoes is perfect. My cheesy mashed potatoes are a special favorite because they can be made ahead, and no one ever complains about anything cheesy with ribs.
Pasta Side Dishes for Ribs
- Garlic Parmesan Pasta
- Gluten Free Mac & Cheese
- Creamy Tomato Pasta
- One Pot Caprese Pasta
- Lemon Cream Sauce tossed with/1 pound of pasta
- Mediterranean Pasta Salad
- Creamy Pasta Salad
- Italian Pasta Salad
- Veggie Pesto Pasta Salad
If you don’t go with the above potatoes, pasta is also pretty hard to beat. I lean towards creamy/cheesy options like Garlic Parmesan Pasta and Mac & Cheese in the winter months.
But in the summer, any of the pasta salads are incredible with ribs and full of fresh flavor. And they’re a fun departure from the classic American-style macaroni salad.
Fresh Salads
- Apple Spinach Salad
- Strawberry Spinach Salad
- Easy Green Salad
- Caesar Salad (made w/o the chicken)
- Best of Summer Salad
- Italian Chopped Salad
- Watermelon Feta Salad
- Best Broccoli Salad
- Bacon Kale Caesar Salad
- Citrus Spinach Salad
- Cilantro Lime Slaw
A fresh salad is the perfect backdrop to decadent barbecue pork ribs. Choose whatever salad works for the season you’re in.
I love every single salad in this section and just choose whatever is in season. My Cilantro Lime Slaw is a flavorful version to replace the coleslaw I grew up with.
From the Grill
- Grilled Vegetables
- Grilled Potatoes
- Prosciutto Asparagus
In the height of summer, I like to make side dishes from the grill. Pick any veggie that works with the season to grill along with some grilled potatoes for an understated but no less impressive dinner with ribs.
In the spring, I grill asparagus and onions. In the height of summer, I love grilling peppers, corn, zucchini, and eggplant.
Assorted Sauces & Snacks
- Deviled Eggs + 10 Toppings
- Marinated Mozzarella Balls
- Dairy Free Ranch Dressing
- Cilantro Chimichurri
- Honey Mustard Sauce
- Basil Aioli
- Strawberry Mango Salsa
- Caramelized Pineapple Salsa
- Summer Antipasto
- Antipasto Platter
- Summer Charcuterie Board
If you’re entertaining, it’s fun to have some snacks and/or sauces as well. Deviled Eggs are always a hit at any gathering, and the 10 toppings make them extra special.
Instead of BBQ sauce to glaze the ribs, try using my Honey Mustard Sauce. Or serve my BBQ ribs with a drizzle of cilantro chimichurri for something different. Both the strawberry salsa and pineapple salsa are so good with ribs.
And of course, if you want the ultimate easy appetizer, try my antipasto or charcuterie boards. There’s no cooking needed, and everyone can snack until dinner is ready.
Or go with the classic ranch and veggies I grew up with. Sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, and broccoli are all great on a platter with fresh zesty ranch to dip in.
Both carbs and veggies go well with ribs. In the summer, we serve ribs with pasta salad, salads, and a veggie. In the winter, we serve creamy pastas or potatoes, roasted veggies, and a seasonal salad.
A combination of cooking ribs low and slow while keeping them moist, then finishing over higher heat with a brush of BBQ sauce.
Ribs for Dinner Ideas
- Start with: Antipasto – Summer Antipasto – Charcuterie – Deviled Eggs
- Enjoy while snacking: Strawberry Mocktails – Mango Blackberry Mocktails – Cranberry Mocktails – 5 Easy Kombucha Mocktails
- Spring – Oven Baked Ribs + Prosciutto Asparagus + Strawberry Spinach Salad
- Summer – Oven Baked Ribs + Grilled Veggies + Grilled Potatoes + Watermelon Feta Salad
- Fall – Oven Baked Ribs + Mac & Cheese + Easy Green Salad
- Winter – Oven Baked Ribs + Cheesy Mashed Potatoes + Apple Spinach Salad
- Add dessert: Death by Chocolate – Raspberry Ice Cream – Gluten Free Chocolate Cake – Funfetti Cupcakes – Cookie Dough Ice Cream Sandwiches
