Shrimp Boil Sides

Popular Side Dishes for a Shrimp Boil
What are the best Shrimp Boil sides? Some popular side dishes to pair with a Shrimp Boil are Cole Slaw, Green Beans, Baked Beans, Collard Greens, Black-eyed Peas, Red Rice, or a fresh garden salad. Other popular side dishes for a shrimp boil are cornbread and hush puppies. Any of these dishes make great sides for seafood boils too.
Steamed oysters are another Shrimp Boil side dish that go great together. This combination is extremely popular in South Carolina. Especially, during the local oyster harvesting season.
These sides for boiled shrimp are also great for Crab, Seafood, and Crawfish Boils.
Probably the most popular condiment to serve is Cocktail Sauce. Also, melted butter is a favorite.
Desserts For a Low Country Boil
What desserts go with a Shrimp Boil? Try chilled watermelon, apple pie, lemon squares, or peach cobbler for dessert. All of these deserts are Southern classics!

These are just a few popular desert ideas. However, your favorite desert would probably go great with a shrimp boil too.
Old Bay Seasoning or Zatarain’s Seasoning
Old Bay Seasoning and Zatarain’s Seasoning are two of the most popular spices for a Shrimp Boil. Both of these seasonings are great for using on a Shrimp Boil. However, Old Bay Seasoning seems to be the more commonly used spice mix. Old Bay is the Shrimp Boil seasoning we use in our recipe.
However, Zatarain’s Seasoning is more thought of as a Cajun Seasoning associated with the Cajun Cooking style in Louisiana. If you want to make your Shrimp Boil recipe Cajun, use Zatarain’s Seasoning. Zatarain’s Seasoning is excellent to use on a Crawfish Boil to give it that Cajun kick.
How to Cook Shrimp
How to cook shrimp? There are many different ways to cook shrimp. The shrimp in a Shrimp Boil or cocktail are cooked in boiling water and sautéing shrimp using a sauté pan is another popular way to cook shrimp. Sautéed Shrimp are used for making dishes such as Garlic Shrimp, Seafood Alfredo, Barbecue Shrimp and Sausage, and many other delicious shrimp meals.
Also, shrimp can also be put on a skewer and cooked on a grill. Deep frying shrimp is another popular way to cook shrimp. Shrimp is a versatile ingredient and can be cooked in countless different ways.
What Are Other Names For a Shrimp Boil
Shrimp Boils are also referred to by several other names throughout the United States. In the Low Country area of South Carolina and Georgia, Shrimp Boils are known as Low Country Boil, Low Country Shrimp Boil, or Frogmore Stew. In Louisiana and Texas, they are sometimes called a Cajun Shrimp Boil or Texas Shrimp Boil. Names for a Shrimp Boil vary by region, but it’s still the same delicious seafood dish.
Also, you can try making a Shrimp Boil with Old Bay and a Shrimp Boil with Zatarain’s and see which seasoning you like the best!
How Long to Boil Shrimp in Shell
If the water you are going to boil your shrimp in is at a rolling boil, it should only take about one or two minutes to boil up to five pounds of shrimp thoroughly. You will know the shrimp have cooked when the shell has turned orange, and the meat is firm and white. The meat of most shrimp is gray before it is cooked.
Also, if the shells start to come off the shrimp, you have boiled them too long.
Watch our YouTube video about boiling fresh shrimp.
Check out our Blackened Mahi Mahi Recipe, Barbecue Shrimp Recipe, or Deep Fried Shrimp Recipe.