If you’re preparing a fancy meal of delicious shrimp and grits, but have no idea what to serve alongside it, then I’ve got you! While this delicious Southern staple is perfect to have on its own, you can transform this into a little feast, by pairing this with your favorite grilled, or roasted vegetables. Take a dive at some of these delicious and healthy sides outlined for you!
Table of Contents
- What are Shrimp and Grits?
- 15 Healthy Sides for Shrimp and Grits
- How to Make Shrimp and Grits
- Yummy Shrimp and Grits Sides to Try!
- FAQ’s
What are Shrimp and Grits?
Southern shrimp and grits are a traditional dish in the Lowcountry of coastal Georgia and South Carolina.
Grits are made from boiled cornmeal and have a thick consistency, similar to cream of wheat.
Generally, cooked grits are topped with sautéed and seasoned shrimp.
15 Healthy Sides for Shrimp and Grits
Classic smoky, cheesy shrimp and grits topped with a delicious variety of aromatic herbs and spices, can pair with almost any side dish you can imagine. Though the best of the bunch are listed below:
- Sautéed greens
- Garlic roasted asparagus and tomatoes
- Fried okra
- Sweet potato fries
- Grilled asparagus
- Green bean salad
- Creamed corn
- Roasted green beans
- Oven roasted brussels sprouts
- Easy pasta salad
- Buttermilk biscuits
- Lettuce wedge salad
- Spinach and tomato galettes
- Squash puppies
- Slow-cooker ribs
Sautéed Greens
Sautéed greens can be served with almost any kind of spicy protein, to help balance the nipping spiciness. They also taste great with seafood, especially shrimp and grits.
These delicious greens can be seasoned with a variety of spices, such as garlic, pepper and onion to add an extra flavorful element to them.
Sautéed greens don’t take long to cook at all, in fact, you can prepare them 10 minutes before serving.
Garlic Roasted Asparagus and Tomatoes
The fresh subtle sweetness of garlic roasted asparagus blends perfectly with the buttery flavor of the creamy shrimp and grits recipe.
This veggie dish may take a while to prepare, so it’s best to cook right before serving so that you can take advantage of the rich smoky flavors.
To make this you’ll need fresh tomatoes, asparagus, garlic, olive oil and salt. For a flavorful enhancement you can include other spices like pepper and basil.
The best part about this dish is that it can be served as an appetizer before the main event!
Fried Okra
With the increased appreciation of Cajun culture-related food, fried okra has since grown in popularity.
This side dish is especially delicious when accompanied with seafood like shrimp and grits.
The best part is, it’s super easy to make. The main ingredients involve cornmeal, or flour for breading, eggs for drenching the okra in, then deep frying.
You can also include additional spices to spice it up a little, think garlic, onion powder, and cayenne pepper.
You can also try air frying frozen okra!
Sweet Potato Fries
Another scrumptious side dish to pair with your shrimp and grits, is sweet potato fries.
Sweet potato fries are a good source of protein and taste especially great when served with classic sauces, like ketchup or BBQ sauce.
Whether you bake these in the oven, fry them on a stove, or grill them, they guarantee unique flavors.
Grilled Asparagus
While asparagus may taste bitter on its own, once prepped and flavored to your preference, it can quickly transform into a delicious treat.
And grilled asparagus is no exception. Simply place the stalks on pre-washed skewers, and grill at 400 degrees F. They should be ready to devour in 3-4 minutes.
Green Bean Salad
Green bean salad is a refreshing side dish to pair with shrimp and grits, because it’s both healthy and delicious.
Simply take some washed green beans, add minced garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil, then add some of your favorite herbs, like rosemary, and basil.
Once you’ve gathered your ingredients in a large bowl, pour this over your cooked shrimp, for a wonderful blend of flavors, that’ll delight your taste buds.
Creamed Corn
Creamed corn is the ultimate comfort food. The essence of sweet, savory and richness in one pot. And when paired with creamy shrimp and grits, you’ll have a wonderful change in texture.
- Start by preparing some frozen or fresh corn, butter, salt and pepper. Include additional spices to bring forth aromatic flavors, such as garlic powder, or cayenne pepper.
- Mix your ingredients until thoroughly combined.
- Then pour this into a small baking dish to bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F.
- Serve immediately!
Roasted Green Beans
Shrimp and grits may be a classic Southern dish, but they can be prepared with almost any kind of roasted veggie.
These roasted green beans are no exception.
- To prepare them you’ll need fresh or frozen green beans, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Include spices like garlic powder, or onion powder; anything that may impact the overall flavor of this delicious side dish.
- Toss your green beans in your chosen spices.
- Drizzle with olive oil, before spreading them out on a baking sheet.
- Cook for about 25 minutes at 400 degrees F.
Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts
The best kind of brussels sprouts are crisp and golden on the outside, while succulent on the inside. Tossed with crispy bacon, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar to set this spectacular side dish apart from the rest.
This brilliant vegetable complements any meat based dish you can think of, such as roast chicken, salmon, meatloaf, or roast turkey!
If you weren’t a fan of brussels sprouts before this will certainly change your mind!
Easy Pasta Salad
Brimming with fresh, flavorful ingredients, this simple pasta salad recipe makes the perfect side to have with shrimp and cheesy grits.
The creamy salad begins with a smooth dressing consisting of mayo, lemon, fresh basil and garlic. Serve this cold pasta salad with your favorite meat-based appetizers, think pulled BBQ pork, grilled chicken, burgers, steak, or fried chicken.
Buttermilk Biscuits
Buttermilk biscuits are normally accompanied by thick gravy. Though these buttery, flaky biscuits are just as good when served alongside shrimp and grits.
Just the thought of scooping up some warm and gooey grits with a buttery biscuit should have you salivating.
These biscuits are best served after a light brush of butter, to give them a glossy sheen that melts in your mouth beautifully.
Lettuce Wedge Salad
This crispy wedge salad is super easy to make, and requires minimum prep time.
Make a fantastic dressing with mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, vinegar, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. You can refrigerate this beforehand, so that it’s nice and cold once you’re ready to serve.
Then simply cut the head of a lettuce into 4 parts and drizzle with your tangy dressing, top with tomatoes, hardboiled eggs, and crispy bacon. Yum.
Spinach and Tomato Galettes
Why not serve shrimp and grits with spinach and tomato galettes for brunch?
These scrumptious galettes are crisp and buttery, with a creamy spinach-feta filling. Add sliced tomatoes atop the flaky pastry and you’re in for a delight!
Squash Puppies
If you love hush puppies, you’ll love squash puppies. The addition of chopped squash, creates a sweetened twist to this much-loved side dish.
Enjoy a few of these with your shrimp scampi, and you won’t be disappointed. The contrasting flavors of sweet with savory, will have you immediately fixated.
Serve alongside your favorite dipping sauce, and don’t be afraid, take a bite!
Slow-Cooker Ribs
Transform your shrimp scamp into a surf and turf meal, by whipping up some delicious barbecue ribs to go with it.
These barbecue ribs can be made on a grill or slow cooker. Simply prepare them with your choice of flavorings and spices, then drop them into a slow cooker.
Six hours later, you’ll have a scrumptious palate of glossy barbecue ribs, to serve with your shrimp and grits.
How to Make Shrimp and Grits
This scrumptious recipe features cooked shrimp, sprinkled in aromatic spices, and served over grits.
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken broth
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- 1 cup stone-ground grits
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4 slices of chopped bacon
- 1 tbsp creole seasoning
- 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 clove of mined garlic
- 1 stalk of celery thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 cup thinly sliced scallions
Instructions
- Add chicken broth, salt and pepper to a large pot, and bring it to a boil, before adding the grits and butter. Stir and cook for 22 minutes, or until the liquid has disappeared.
- Add bacon to a skillet and cook until crisp, then remove and add the shrimp and creole seasoning to the pan, cooking for 2 minutes on each side.
- Remove the cooked shrimp and add garlic, celery and lemon juice. Cook for 1 minute before adding the cooked shrimp and bacon back to the pan, and stir to combine.
- Serve the shrimp mixture over the grits and garnish with chopped parsley and scallions.
Yummy Shrimp and Grits Sides to Try!
While you can certainly serve shrimp and grits with a variety of side dishes, you may find yourself enjoying the taste of the fantastic greens listed above.
FAQ’s
What is Usually Served with Grits?
Grits is usually served with butter, grated cheese, sausage, bacon, salt and pepper or red-eye gravy.
What do Southerners Put in Their Grits?
Normally a variety of additions are included in their grits, such as butter, cheese, herbs, tomatoes or roasted red peppers.
