How to Make Shrimp Ceviche
Mexican Shrimp Ceviche Recipe – This rustic, vibrant, and sophisticated seafood appetizer (or light dinner) is easy to make with only a handful of simple, fresh ingredients like plump shrimp, tomatoes, avocado, and red onion. Or any of your favorite add-ins!
Why We Love This Mexican Shrimp Ceviche Recipe
We have another classic Mexican Fish Ceviche and bright Aguachile recipe on the site, but we thought we would share this fabulously perky Shrimp Ceviche recipe with you today! It’s a wonderful recipe to serve as an appetizer with tortilla chips, or a main dish on its own, or on top of a green salad.
Is Ceviche Raw?
Ceviche is technically a raw seafood dish… However, the shrimp will “cook” in the lime and lemon juice if it rests in the acidic marinade long enough. It’s essential to leave the raw shrimp in the juice for at least one hour before making the rest of the recipe. (If you are concerned about raw seafood, you can let it rest in the citrus juice for up to 3 hours.)
It’s easy to personalize this easy recipe to your tastes by swapping ingredients out with optional goodies like fiery chili paste, sliced radishes, cucumber, mint, or other fresh toppings!
Ingredients You Need
- Raw shrimp – fresh or previously frozen and thawed, peeled and deveined
- Limes and a lemon – left whole to start
- Tomato – your choice of Roma or tomatoes on the vine
- Red onion – diced
- Cilantro – chopped
- Jalapeno – chopped (seeds removed or not, your choice)
- Garlic – minced
- Salt and pepper – a bit of each to taste
How to Make Ceviche with Shrimp
- Chop the shrimp into small bite-size pieces, about ¼ – ½ inches, and place in a medium bowl. Squeeze one lime and one lemon over top of the shrimp, reserving the second lime for later use. Give the shrimp a good toss, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour, or up to 3 hours.
- When the shrimp is almost done marinating, chop the tomatoes, red onion, and cilantro. Then finely dice the jalapeño pepper and mince the garlic.
- Once the fresh shrimp has had time to “cook” in the citrus juice, drain off the juice and discard it. Juice the second lime over the top of the chopped shrimp.
- Now add all the fresh chopped vegetables and garlic. Add a generous pinch of salt and pepper, and toss the ceviche. Give it a taste, then add additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Get the Complete (Printable) Recipe For How to Make Shrimp Ceviche + VIDEO Below. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- Seafood – Feel free to swap the shrimp for another raw seafood. You can make other versions of ceviche with bay scallops, octopus, Dungeness crab, white fish, or chopped lobster tail.
- Spicy – We dice the jalapeno and leave the seeds in for a bold kick of heat. You can remove the seeds for a more subdued version, or omit the peppers entirely to make a mild ceviche.
- Veggies – Substitute tomatoes with chopped bell pepper, leave out the avocado, add sliced green onions, radishes, or cucumbers… Mix things up however you like here!
- Herbs – Simply leave out the cilantro for shrimp ceviche without cilantro. You can add fresh mint, if you prefer, for a delightful and cool flavor!
- Servings – As-is this recipe makes 8 servings (4 cups total), perfect for a dinner party or other small gathering. Halve the ingredients to feed a smaller crowd of 3-4 people.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy refreshing and hearty Mexican shrimp ceviche as an appetizer, or light summer lunch or dinner! The rustic dicing of the (kinda) cooked shrimp and vegetables makes the dish perfect for scooping up with crunchy tortilla chips.
For an entree, try loading a scoop of ceviche onto tostadas with shredded cabbage or iceberg lettuce. Or add onto a fresh green salad for a POP of hearty-but-not-heavy protein!
Make it a full meal with your favorite Mexican side dishes! Ceviche with shrimp is delicious alongside Arroz Verde (green rice), Arroz Amarillo (yellow rice), or Spanish Rice. It’s also a nice balance with other warm sides like Mexican Street Corn Salad and Papas Bravas (Mexican potatoes).
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, so long as you purchase high-quality seafood from a reputable source. While the shrimp aren’t technically “cooked” (that requires a form of heating), the acid from the citrus fruits breaks down the meat in a way that keeps it “raw” but is now considered safe to eat.
I don’t recommend making ceviche too far ahead of time. It can rest for several hours. However, if it marinates overnight, the citrus will likely over-tenderized this shrimp and make it mushy.
I would not keep ceviche in the refrigerator for more than 5-6 hours. It should be enjoyed shortly after marinating for the best taste and texture. And with how refreshing and delicious the dish is, we’ve never had a problem with leftovers!
Looking for More Refreshing Appetizer Recipes? Be Sure to Try:
- Crab Salad Recipe
- Clam Dip Recipe
- Classic Tuna Tartare
- Salmon Tartare Recipe
- Garlic Lime Shrimp Salad
How to Make Shrimp Ceviche
Ingredients
- 1 pound raw shrimp peeled and deveined
- 2 limes divided
- 1 lemon
- 1 large tomato or 2 small tomatoes
- 1/3 cup diced red onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon diced jalapeno optional
- 1 clove garlic minced
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Set out a medium bowl. Chop the shrimp into small bite-size pieces, about ¼ – ½ inches. Place the chopped shrimp in the bowl. Squeeze one lime, and one lemon over top of the shrimp, reserving the second lime for later use.
- Toss the shrimp, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
- Meanwhile, chop the tomatoes and red onion into ¼ inch pieces. Remove as much of the tomato seed jelly as possible. Chop the cilantro, finely dice the jalapeño pepper, and mince the garlic.
- Once the shrimp has had time to "cook" in the citrus juice, drain off the juice and discard. Then squeeze the second lime and pour the fresh lime juice over the top of the chopped shrimp.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, red onion, chopped cilantro, jalapeño, and garlic. Add a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Toss the ceviche. Taste, then add additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
This recipe made me fall in love with ceviche all over again! The fresh ingredients and the bright, tangy flavor were exactly what I was looking for. It’s easy to make, healthy, and great for a party!
I’ve tried several ceviche recipes, and this one is by far the best!! The step-by-step instructions were super clear, and the end result was absolutely delicious!