What to Eat with Shrimp

So, you bought shrimp this week. Good for you! But now you have to make it a meal or you can’t brag to your mom about how you “didn’t just microwave something from Trader Joe’s” and you “actually meal prepped” and also “bought something healthy and perishable for once.” Anyone? Just me? Anyhoo, if you are wondering what to eat with shrimp, here are some go-withs for your very adult choice of protein.

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St. Elmo Steak House World Famous Shrimp Cocktail Sauce

It’s classy, it’s classic, it’s a classy classic: it’s shrimp and cocktail sauce. I mean these two truly capital G Go together. There’s no easier way to dress up your shrimp and call them fancy than to simply buy cocktail sauce. Cocktail sauce is likely first on most people’s lists of what to eat shrimp with (unless it’s being cooked into a dish). And this cocktail sauce truly is a banger. It’s actually spicy, according to Senior writer Jordan Myrick, and the consistency is “smooth but with enough horseradish tidbits to chew on.”

Related: It’s Cocktail Hour! These Are the 5 Best Cocktail Sauces

Why tortillas? Because shrimp tacos, baybee! If you are wondering what to eat with shrimp, there are few things more delicious than an oniony, limey, cilantro-y grilled shrimp taco. And seeing as tortillas are a defining feature of a taco, you’d better choose a good one, and these are good. These are so good, in fact, that they prompted Jordan to ask, “Am I in a restaurant?” Sporked contributor Danny Palumbo noted that these are “soft, tasty, and have a slight hint of corn that is enhanced when you toast them on an open flame.” Go. Make. You. Some Tacos. (And me. Make me some tacos, too, pls n thanx).

Related: The Best Corn Tortillas for at-Home Tacos

Tony Chachere’s Creole Dirty Rice

The Mythical Kitchen will forever be loyal to good ol’ Tony C’s. And the Sporked Crew will forever be loyal to Tony Chachere’s Creole Dirty Rice. As a general rule, when asking what to eat with shrimp, Creole and/or Cajun food should always be in the mix of answers, and this rice is a quick and easy way to get all that flavor and dress up your shrimpies without having to make a whole jambalaya from scratch. Jordan called this dish “one of the best rice dishes we tried.”

Related: Store Bought Cajun Rice Dishes You’ll Geaux Crazy For!

Pantai Sweetened Chili Sauce for Spring Roll

Wondering what to eat with fried shrimp? Get you some sweet chili sauce, my dude. This stuff is so good I could drink it. But I wouldn’t drink it, because I think it is even better paired with fried food and, specifically, fried seafood. This sauce contains peppers, but it isn’t all that spicy. That can be a good thing, though, as the “sweetness and mild tang make it a crowd-pleaser—the best sweet chili sauce for a crowd of varied palates,” according to editor-in-chief Justine Sterling. Honestly, dip anything you can in this; I’m sure it will taste amazing. Forget the question of what to eat with fried shrimp—this sauce answers the question of what to eat, period.

Related: Best Sweet Chili Sauce for Egg Rolls, Chicken Nuggets, Your Fingers, Whatever

Jin Ramen Mild Korean Style Instant Noodles

Lastly, some instant noodles. Now, I know you just told your mom you were cooking for yourself, but, hey, this ramen is not a frozen meal. Plus, you are going to be doctoring it with shrimp and possibly some veggies (if you have the energy). So, don’t worry, you aren’t lying to your mom. And, anyway, this ramen is so, so good. According to Jordan, “Everything about Jin Ramen Korean Style Noodles is wonderful, but the noodles are particularly spectacular.” The broth comes in hot and mild, and I think either would go with shrimp just swimmingly.

Related: The Best Instant Ramen! College Students Rejoice!


About the Author

Jessica Block

Jessica Block is a freelance contributor to Sporked, a comedian, a baker, a food writer, and a firm believer that Trader Joe's may just be the happiest place on earth. She loves spicy snacks, Oreos, baking bread, teeny tiny avocados, and trying new foods whenever she can. Also, if you give her a bag of Takis she will be your best friend.

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