Ceviche - A Beautiful Mess

Ceviche is one of our favorite appetizers to order at restaurants, especially when traveling. If my husband sees ceviche on the menu, it’s pretty much guaranteed we are ordering it! I most often see it made with shrimp, called Ceviche de Camarón, but it can be made with many different fish and shellfish. The meat gets marinated in citrus, usually lime and lemon juice, and the dish reminds me a lot of pico de gallo. It tastes so fresh and has a ton of flavor!

Ceviche, which is sometimes spelled a number of ways, including cebiche, sebiche, or seviche, is a traditional Peruvian dish that has many different variations and twists in other Latin American countries and beyond. Given that the meat is cooked (denatured) in citrus rather than with heat, it can be a little intimidating to make at home. I have tips! I have ideas! No matter which method you choose, ceviche is fresh, tasty and an easy dish to make.

Related: Next up, try our homemade salsa recipe, shrimp dip, or smoked salmon dip.

Ingredients

Shrimp
Limes
Lemons
Tomato
Red onion
Jicama
Jalapeno pepper
Cilantro
Avocado
Salt

This shrimp ceviche recipe is made with cooked shrimp (cocktail shrimp) which makes it less intimidating to make at home, especially if you live in an area were it is difficult to buy fresh, ocean caught fish or shellfish. See the notes below for information on making traditional ceviche with uncooked (raw) seafood.

How to make Ceviche

Thaw the shrimp. If needed, pinch off the tails and devein. Some packaged frozen shrimp will already have this done. Chop the shrimp into small pieces. Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and sprinkle with salt. Pour the citrus juice (lime juice and lemon juice) over the shrimp, cover and refrigerate as you prep the other ingredients.

Finely chop the tomato and red onion. Finely chop the jalapeno, removing the seeds and inside veins as you do. Peel and finely chop the jicama, or cucumber if using.

Remove the marinated shrimp from the refrigerator and stir in the other ingredients. Refrigerate for another 30 minutes and up to four hours. Before serving, add the chopped avocado and taste to add more salt if you feel it needs.

Once the avocado has been added, use the ceviche within a few hours. Ceviche is best the day it is made.

Tips, Notes and Substitutions

What kinds of fish to use? Ocean caught white fish is best: mahi mahi, halibat, sea bass, grouper, cod, halibut, snapper, sole and flounder. Shellfish? Shrimp or scallops are more common in ceviche recipes, but you could also use octopus, clams, mussels or even squid. If you are are making traditional ceviche, using uncooked fish or shellfish, find the freshest fish you can. It should not smell fishy. Places that sell sushi grade fish are a good bet. And marinate the meat in the citrus juice for 30-60 minutes so the meat becomes opaque.
If you are unsure about the quality/freshness of your meat or concerned about bacteria (like planning to serve the ceviche to pregnant women, elderly family members, etc.), using cooked shrimp may be a safer option as it removes any doubt or concern.
The best way to thaw frozen shrimp is to place the sealed bag in the refrigerator overnight.
You can substitute jicama for cucumbers if you can’t find it. They are not exactly the same thing and couldn’t necessarily be substituted in other recipes, but for this ceviche recipe they both provide a delicious crunch.
I like to serve ceviche with tortilla chips or plantain chips. You could also serve with tostadas, crackers or in corn tortillas as a taco.

More Latin American-Inspired Recipes

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ceviche safe to eat?

If fresh fish or shellfish is used and the meat is marinated, or cured, in citrus juice for at least 30 minutes, ceviche is generally considered safe to eat. But, similar to sushi or even uncooked or undercooked egg yolks, some risk is present.

Is ceviche cooked?

Traditionally ceviche is made with uncooked (raw) fish or shellfish that gets denatured in lime juice or other citrus. However, ceviche can be made with cooked shrimp as well.

What is ceviche made of?

Fish or shellfish, limes and other citrus, tomato, onion, cilantro and salt. Sometimes other ingredients are added depending on the region or the recipe.

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Easy homemade ceviche made with cooked shrimp, citrus and other fresh ingredients.

Yield 6

Prep 10 minutes

Cook 30 minutes

Total 40 minutes

Instructions

Thaw the shrimp. If needed, pinch off the tails and devein. Some packaged frozen shrimp will already have this done.
Chop the shrimp into small pieces. Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and sprinkle with salt. Pour the citrus juice (lime juice and lemon juice) over the shrimp, cover and refrigerate as you prep the other ingredients.
Finely chop the tomato and red onion. Finely chop the jalapeno, removing the seeds and inside veins as you do. Peel and finely chop the jicama, or cucumber if using.
Remove the marinated shrimp from the refrigerator and stir in the other ingredients.
Refrigerate for another 30 minutes and up to four hours. Before serving, add the chopped avocado and taste to add more salt if you feel it needs.
Once the avocado has been added, use the ceviche within a few hours. Ceviche is best the day it is made.

Notes

What kinds of fish to use? Ocean caught white fish is best: mahi mahi, halibat, sea bass, grouper, cod, halibut, snapper, sole and flounder. Shellfish? Shrimp or scallops are more common in ceviche recipes, but you could also use octopus, clams, mussels or even squid. If you are are making traditional ceviche, using uncooked fish or shellfish, find the freshest fish you can. It should not smell fishy. Places that sell sushi grade fish are a good bet. And marinate the meat in the citrus juice for 30-60 minutes so the meat becomes opaque.
If you are unsure about the quality/freshness of your meat or concerned about bacteria (like planning to serve the ceviche to pregnant women, elderly family members, etc.), using cooked shrimp may be a safer option as it removes any doubt or concern.
The best way to thaw frozen shrimp is to place the sealed bag in the refrigerator overnight.
You can substitute jicama for cucumbers if you can’t find it. They are not exactly the same thing and couldn’t necessarily be substituted in other recipes, but for this ceviche recipe they both provide a delicious crunch.
I like to serve ceviche with tortilla chips or plantain chips. You could also serve with tostadas, crackers or in corn tortillas as a taco.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Ceviche

Amount per Serving

% Daily Value*

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.

Ceviche – A Beautiful Mess