Why you’ll love this family favorite recipe!
Every time we go out to eat at a fancier Mexican restaurant, a freshly made ceviche is ALWAYS a must-order off the menu!
Whether it’s fish or shrimp ceviche doesn’t matter. Made right, they all serve as a perfectly refreshing, low-carb dish to accompany any meal.
Nothing could ever beat the incredibly fresh, authentic ceviche that we had while visiting Costa Rica this past summer. But this homemade version, carefully crafted, has come to be a very close second!
Fresh shrimp are the key to making the most of this vibrant diced vegetable medley, all soaked in the bright acidity of citrus juice.
It’s perfect to serve as a dip or light appetizer for a Cinco de Mayo celebration, or even as an easy meal prep to eat throughout the week! I can personally confirm, it’s also delicious served on top of grilled chicken breast, or as a surf and turf alongside a Filet Mignon or Steak Fajitas.
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Shrimp. Either white or pink shrimp can be used for this recipe. However, fresh shrimp that haven’t been frozen will taste the best, and wild shrimp will be the healthiest while in season. If they can’t be found, frozen or farm-raised will do.
- Citrus. A blend of fresh lemon, lime, and orange juice is used as the base for the marinade. The acidity is what would typically “cook” the shrimp, but it also adds brightness and flavor to the ceviche. Freshly juiced citrus is the best option for this recipe, for its clean, vibrant flavor compared to bottled juices.
- Onion. A red onion is used here for color, but a sweet or white onion will also do.
- Tomatoes. Any type of fresh tomato will work for this recipe, whether of the vine-ripened, de-seeded, cherry, or grape variety.
- Cucumber. An English seedless cucumber is the best kind to use when making ceviche. Their uniform shape makes them easy to dice, and you can choose to leave the skin on or peel it before chopping.
- Avocado. Mixed in at the very end, this creamy addition helps to balance out the crunch of the cucumbers and onions. Don’t leave this out!
- Cilantro. Fresh cilantro is finely chopped, to add a wonderfully fresh herbal flavor. Cilantro is typically used in many authentic Mexican ceviche recipes.
- Chiles. Jalapeño peppers were used for this recipe, but are completely optional if you don’t like your ceviche spicy. It can also be substituted with serrano pepper, multiple jalapeños, or whatever variety is preferred to bump up the spice level.
Pro Tip: The recipe below is based on medium-sized, 20/24-count shrimp. If using larger or smaller shrimp, the cooking time will need to be adjusted accordingly.
Step-by-step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Boil the shrimp.
Traditional ceviche uses raw seafood “cooked” in citrus juice. This version speeds things up by boiling the shrimp for 1–2 minutes first, ensuring they’re fully cooked and safe to eat.
To prep: peel, devein, and remove tails. Boil in a pot of water until pink and curled, then drain and cool. Don’t overcook—rubbery shrimp = no thanks!
Pro Tip: While unconventional, pre-boiling the shrimp shortens the marinating time and kills any lingering bacteria clinging to them.
Make the marinade.
Juice the citrus into separate containers for accurate measuring, then mix with olive oil and salt in a large bowl. Taste the marinade with a piece of cucumber or lettuce and adjust if needed.
Once shrimp are cool, chop into bite-sized pieces and toss in the marinade. Chill for 10 minutes before serving.
Chop and mix.
While the shrimp marinate, dice the tomatoes, cucumber, and onion. Mince the chiles if using.
Stir veggies into the shrimp and marinade, then chill for another 10 minutes.
Right before serving, add diced avocado and minced cilantro. Enjoy!
FAQs
Since the citrus juices will “cook” the shrimp by a process called denaturation, you can technically use raw shrimp and other seafood in ceviche. However, this recipe calls for using boiled shrimp that are completely cooked through so it will be ready in less time.
Shrimp will turn from translucent and grey-brown to opaque and pinkish-white once cooked through. They will also be firm to the touch and no longer squishy.
If using raw seafood in your ceviche recipe, you’ll want to make sure to marinate it for at least 30 minutes or up to two hours. The length of time you marinade the ceviche depends primarily on how small or large the seafood pieces are.
It is indeed possible to “overcook” shrimp ceviche by leaving it to marinate for too long. This is why ceviche is best when prepared shortly before eating, as marinating for more than a couple of hours could render the shrimp tough and rubbery.
Yes! You can prep the ingredients a day or two in advance and store them in the fridge. Just wait to add the marinade, cilantro, and avocado until you’re ready to serve for the best texture and flavor.
Keep shrimp ceviche in an airtight container in the fridge for 2–3 days. Press plastic wrap directly over the surface to help prevent the avocado from browning.
What to serve with it?
Shrimp ceviche is traditionally served as a dish with Baked Tortilla Chips, but there are many other ways to enjoy this low-carb recipe:
- It can be paired alongside a grilled chicken breast, Filet Mignon, or Steak Fajitas for an amazing surf and turf.
- Serve it as a light and refreshing protein to accompany Cilantro Lime Rice.
- The bright, delicate flavors of the ceviche can also be left to shine on their own, made into lettuce-wrap tacos. It can also be enjoyed directly, by the spoonful!
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Easy Shrimp Ceviche Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp* 20/24 count, peeled, deveined, tails removed
- ½ cup lime juice fresh
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice fresh
- ¼ cup orange juice fresh
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup red onion finely diced
- 1 jalapeño seeded, finely diced
- 1 cup tomatoes finely diced
- 1 cup seedless cucumber finely diced
- 1 cup avocado finely diced
- ½ cup cilantro finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Add shrimp to boiling water and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until shrimp turn a light pink color and are cooked through.1 pound shrimp*
- Immediately remove shrimp so they stop cooking. Once shrimp are cool enough to touch, cut shrimp into bite-sized pieces.
- Combine lime juice, lemon juice, orange juice, olive oil, shrimp and salt in a large bowl. Marinade in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.½ cup lime juice, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, ¼ cup orange juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt
- While the shrimp are marinading, finely dice the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and jalapeño.½ cup red onion, 1 cup tomatoes, 1 cup seedless cucumber, 1 jalapeño
- Mix vegetables in with the shrimp. Marinade in refrigerator for at least another 10 minutes.
- Just before serving, stir in avocado and cilantro. Serve with baked tortilla chips or over chicken and enjoy!1 cup avocado, ½ cup cilantro
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Video
Notes
- Shrimp: You can use smaller or larger shrimp as long as you adjust the boil time accordingly.
- Spice: More than one jalapeño may be used for a spicier ceviche.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Mexican Dip Recipes
Shrimp ceviche is just one of many bright and flavorful dip or salsa recipes that can be enjoyed, whether for Cinco de Mayo or a weekday treat:
I thought the shrimp in ceviche “cooked” by soaking in the lime juice, not by precooking with heat. Am I wrong? (My brother-in-law is Mexican, and he makes it using only the acidity of the citrus to cook the shrimp.)
Hi Clarissa! You’re totally right—traditional ceviche often uses just citrus juice to “cook” the shrimp, and it’s a classic method in many Latin American countries, including Mexico! In my version, I lightly cook the shrimp first for food safety reasons, especially since not everyone feels comfortable with raw seafood. It still soaks up all that bright, citrusy flavor, just with a little extra peace of mind!
This is my go to for parties. There is never any left overs, and everyone loves it. Easy to make and delicious!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Dorothy! It’s definitely popular here, too. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
What do you do with leftover liquid from marinade? Should I spill it out or does it get absorbed when you add tomatoes, avocado, etc?
There shouldn’t be a ton of liquid leftover. It’s ok to have some marinade in the final dish, though. If it’s more than you prefer, you can drain some out.
This sounds so good. I have made ceviche with firm white fish before but using shrimp— sounds delicious!
It is so good! I hope you try this recipe. Let me know if you have any questions!
How long will this last in the refrigerator?
It will last for up to 2-3 days. After this time the avocado will start to brown. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Greeting from Plymouth, UK.
Been making this for a while now, but just wanted to share that it’s on our New Years Eve snacking list. Take care.
Oh that’s so awesome to hear! I hope you and yours had a very Happy New Year. Thank you for your comment and rating 🙂
I just made the recipe (without the jalapeño, too spicy) and it’s marinating right now ! When I was cutting up the ingredients everything smelled so good ! Reminded me of that date when I ate ceviche with my boyfriend ( can’t see him right now because of the current situation) but this brings memories and it makes me very happy ! Smells the exact same !
Isn’t that amazing how food/smells can bring back memories! So happy you enjoyed the recipe, Ines. And thank you for your comment and rating!
Hi there! This looks mouth watering. I will be making this for a potluck tomorrow and was wondering if I make it a day before and keep it in the refrigerator? Thanks!
Yes, Brenda! You totally can. If you want your avocado to be more firm and bright green, I would wait until an hour or two before serving to add it in. Hope you have a wonderful potluck dinner 🙂
Made this for college roommates weekend! They loved it. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Yay, Karen! So happy to hear they enjoyed it so much. Thanks for your comment and rating!