How to Make Light & Bright Shrimp Ceviche
Learn how to make shrimp ceviche with this straightforward, step-by-step recipe. Filled with zesty, light and bright flavors, the recipe can be made with either raw or cooked shrimp, and enjoyed as an appetizer or a meal! My version of the recipe is loaded with lime juice, fresh cilantro, tomato, cucumber, avocado, and red onion. The key to making it super flavorful is marinating the shrimp in lime juice, and removing the seeds from the tomato and cucumber.
This bright and zesty shrimp ceviche is always the star of the table when I share it with family and friends. Even my husband who isn’t the biggest shrimp fan ends up coming back for seconds and thirds.
It’s one of those easy dishes that’s perfect for warm summer days, as there’s little to no cooking involved. And because the steps are so simple, there are a few tricks to infusing maxiumum flavor:
- Boil the diced shrimp or let the lime juice ‘cook’ the diced shrimp
- Let the shrimp marinate in the lime juice alone first
- Hollow out your tomato & cucumber before dicing to remove as much water as possible
From there, everything gets tossed together, and you’re ready to dive in!
It’s traditional to serve this on a tostada or scoop it up with some crispy tortilla chips. But I recommend trying ceviche with some crispy tostones or crunchy deep fried plantain chips for some Puerto Rican flair.
If you’re looking for more small bites to serve alongside, I’ve got tons of easy appetizer recipes like it that are low effort, high reward.
The Grocery List
Step by Step Instructions
Let’s dive right into how to prepare this shrimp ceviche:
Tip: Taking time to hollow out the cucumbers & remove seeds from the tomatoes is super important in making sure your ceviche doesn’t come out watery!
Raw vs. Cooked Shrimp
You’ll notice this recipe has instructions for using raw or cooked shrimp. Feel free to use fresh raw shrimp, thawed from frozen shrimp, or pre-cooked shrimp.
The choice can be made based on preference (some people are weary about letting lime juice ‘cook’ the shrimp as it marinates), or based on how much time you have.
If you’re in a rush, cooking the shrimp before you marinate it will cut the recipe time down significantly! Check out the recipe notes for instructions on how to cook your shrimp, if desired.
Either way, this recipe packs a punch of flavor, so do whatever feels right for you and the crowd you’re feeding.
What to Eat with Shrimp Ceviche
It’s traditional to serve shrimp ceviche with tortilla chips or on top of tostadas. You can also garnish with additional cilantro and sliced avocado, if desired.
Some more ideas:
3 Tips for Fresh Flavorful Ceviche, Every Time
A few quick tips on how to make shrimp ceviche perfectly, every time:
- Marinate the shrimp separately from the veggies. This is very important, especially if you’re using raw shrimp, as it allows the lime juice time to penetrate the shrimp and cook it properly.
- Hollow out your cucumbers & tomatoes. Don’t skip this step! It’s crucial in avoiding a watered down flavor, and allows the lime juice to shine through.
- Have patience with all the chopping. The most difficult part of this easy recipe is chopping all of the veggies and shrimp. If you take your time with this, it will really show in the end result. Ceviche is all about those evenly diced bites!
Non-Reactive Cookware
Because this recipe goes hard with the lime juice, you must use non-reactive bowls or containers. I recommend using glass bowls if you have them, but plastic, ceramic, or stainless steel will work too.
Types of cookware to avoid: aluminum, copper, cast iron, unlined tin.
This will help ensure your shrimp ceviche’s texture, flavor, and color stays delicious and fresh.
More Seafood Recipes We Love
Buen Provecho,
How to Make Light & Bright Shrimp Ceviche
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Appetizer, Main Dish, Snack, Side Dish
- Method: Raw, Boiled
- Cuisine: Latin, Mexican, Peruvian
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Learn how to make shrimp ceviche with this straightforward, step-by-step recipe. Filled with zesty, light and bright flavors, the recipe can be made with either raw or cooked shrimp, and enjoyed as an appetizer or a meal! My version of the recipe is loaded with lime juice, fresh cilantro, tomato, cucumber, avocado, and red onion. The key to making it super flavorful is marinating the shrimp in lime juice, and removing the seeds from the tomato and cucumber.
Ingredients
- 1 lb shrimp (raw or cooked*), peeled and deveined
- 1 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1/2 red onion, minced
- 1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced
- 2 ripe roma tomatoes, hollowed & diced
- 2 Persian cucumbers, peeled, hollowed & diced
- 2 ripe avocados, diced
- 2 tbsp cilantro, minced
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Dice & marinate the shrimp. Dice the shrimp into small bite size pieces and add to a non-reactive* bowl or container. Cover the shrimp completely with the lime juice, adding more if needed. Marinate covered in the fridge until the shrimp is pink and opaque if using raw shrimp, about 2 hours (or 15 minutes if using cooked shrimp).
- Prep remaining ingredients. When the shrimp is nearly done marinating, prep the veggies. Remove the seeds from the tomatoes and cucumbers before chopping everything on a clean cutting board. Combine all remaining ingredients in a bowl.
- Add veggies to the shrimp. Once the shrimp has marinated fully, add the remaining ingredients to the shrimp & lime juice, tossing everything to combine evenly. Add salt to taste.
- Serve & enjoy with tostones, tortilla chips, or tostadas. Garnish with additional cilantro, if desired.
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
*If cooking shrimp: bring a pot of water to a boil before adding the shrimp. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until pink and opaque. Remove from water and transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop them from overcooking.
*Non-reactive: reactive materials can result in altered taste and texture when in contact with acidic foods (like lime juice). To avoid this, I recommend using a glass, ceramic, or plastic bowl or container.