Make this easy Shrimp Ceviche recipe a light summer dinner, appetizer, or side dish—however you serve it, it’s guaranteed to be a hit thanks to its bright, fresh flavor. You can cook the shrimp or leave them raw, it’s up to you!
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Why You’ll Love This Mexican Shrimp Ceviche Recipe
- No Raw Shrimp. Or: yes raw shrimp if you want raw shrimp! But if you’re squeamish at the thought or worry about the safety, you can do what I usually do and give the shrimp a quick boil to cook them through.
- Authentic Flavor. So we might not be using raw shrimp, but the bright, zippy lime flavor is still there to perk things up and make your ceviche delish. Avocado, jalapeños, and cilantro deliver lots of Mexican flair. (They do the same in my Three Bean Salad!)
- Lots of Serving Options. Dip tortilla chips into it, serve it on tortillas or tostadas, eat it with a spoon as a side dish, or serve it in fancy little cups for an elegant appetizer for a summer soiree.
- Easy to Make. Aside from the (optional) boiling, this shrimp ceviche recipe is just a matter of tossing everything together and waiting for the flavors to meld. As the song goes, the waiting is the hardest part!
How to Make Shrimp Ceviche
The Ingredients
- Shrimp. You’ll need to peel and devein them, which is easy to do with a paring knife. Frozen shrimp are fine, but you’ll need to thaw them.
- Avocado. For a creamy element. (I also pair shrimp and avocado in these Shrimp Guacamole Bites.)
- Cherry Tomatoes. Quarter these, or use grape tomatoes and cut them in half.
- Green Onions. These add a mild onion flavor without dominating.
- Jalapeño. Optional, but it adds a nice kick to our shrimp ceviche.
- Lime Juice. Don’t use bottled! It has a dull, flat flavor compared to fresh.
- Cilantro. Pro-tip: Cilantro stems are tender, so rather than stripping off the leaves, chop them up with the stems and save yourself a little bit of time.
- Tortilla Chips. If desired, for serving.
The Directions
- Cook the Shrimp. Boil them in salted water for a minute or two (until they’re pink and curled into a C shape), drain, and drop in an ice bath.
- Chop the Shrimp. Drain the shrimp again, remove the tails, and chop.
- Combine. Add all of the remaining ingredients (except the tortilla chips!).
- Marinate. Chill the shrimp ceviche in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. Season to taste, serve with tortilla chips, and ENJOY!
Recipe Variations
- Make Ceviche With Raw Shrimp. Juice a whole orange into a bowl and add all the lime juice, along with the shrimp. Toss to coat and marinate in the refrigerator for an hour or two, until the shrimp are pink and curl into a C shape.
- Use Pre-Cooked Shrimp. If you use shrimp that are already cooked, you can skip the boiling and ice bath. Remove the tails, chop, and proceed with the rest of the recipe as written. For the best flavor though, I HIGHLY recommend cooking the shrimp yourself.
- Add Some Fruit. If you want to make your ceviche in advance and don’t want the avocado to brown—or if you just want to add a little sweetness—swap the avocado for diced mango or pineapple.
What to Serve with Shrimp Ceviche
- Margaritas. I mean, how could you not?! Try this Spicy Margarita Recipe, fruity Peach Margaritas, or keep it light with a Skinny Margarita.
- Tex-Mex Dishes. Serve ceviche as a side with Cauliflower Tacos or Zucchini Enchiladas.
- Greens. If I’m making this shrimp ceviche a meal, I like to serve it over a bed of greens. You can add a scoop of cooked brown rice with a squeeze of lime juice to make it a meal bowl. (This has similar vibes to my Mexican Shrimp recipe!)
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Chop Everything Small. Especially if you’re planning on eating the ceviche with tortilla chips like Guacamole or Salsa Roja! Big honkin’ pieces of avocado and shrimp are unwieldy on a chip.
- Don’t Use a Metal Mixing Bowl. The acid from the lime juice can react with metal, giving your shrimp ceviche an off flavor. A glass, plastic, or ceramic bowl is best.
- Keep a Close Eye on the Shrimp. You want a loose C shape, not a tight one. The tail shouldn’t curl so much that it touches the body.
Shrimp Ceviche
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 -8 servings (4 as an entree, 8 as an app/side)
Lime and cilantro add bright, fresh flavor to this Mexican-inspired shrimp ceviche recipe. Easy to make with cooked or raw shrimp!
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Ingredients
- 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp* thawed if frozen (16/20 or 21/25 count)
- 1 large avocado diced
- 1 (10-ounce) container cherry tomatoes quartered (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 3 green onions thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup)
- 1 jalapeno seeded and minced, optional
- 2 limes juiced (about 1/4 cup)
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt plus more for cooking shrimp
- Tortilla chips for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice water. Add the shrimp all at once to the boiling water and cook until the shrimp are just pink and curled into a C shape, 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately drain the shrimp and place in the ice bath to cool. Do not overcook!
- After the shrimp have rested a few minutes in the ice bath, drain them, remove the tails if necessary, and chop into 1/4-inch pieces. Pat dry.
- In a large bowl, combine the shrimp, avocado, tomatoes, green onions, jalapeno (if using), lime juice, cilantro, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Stir well, cover, and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, until chilled and the flavors are married. Taste and add additional salt if desired. Serve with tortilla chips.
Notes
- *To prepare with raw shrimp: Juice 1 orange into a bowl. Add the shrimp and lime juice. Marinate in a covered container in the fridge for 1 to 2 hours, until the shrimp are pink and curled into a C shape. Proceed by adding the remaining ingredients.
- *You can start with pre-cooked shrimp and skip the poaching in step 1.
- TO STORE: If you make your ceviche with the cooked shrimp, it will last for 2 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you make it with raw shrimp, it will last 1 day.
Nutrition
Serving: 1(of 4)Calories: 182kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 17gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 143mgSodium: -3mgPotassium: 588mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 894IUVitamin C: 32mgCalcium: 86mgIron: 1mg
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OMG!! This was divine! I have a lot of frozen shrimp in the fridge, so I was eager to try this. I made it last night and it was so delicious. My husband doesn’t eat shrimp so he did not eat any, but this was the best ceviche I’ve ever tasted. The only change I made was adding cucumbers in it.
Glad you enjoyed it, Celestine! Thank you!
Definitely a fiesta in a bowl. My husband couldn’t get over how good it was and was so impressed that I made it. I served it with wonton crackers I made in my air fryer.
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, Ericka!
Such a simple recipe I used raw shrimp and cooked it with lime juice. It’s light and refreshing. I served it with soft tacos instead of tortilla and I love it! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Angelie! Thank you!