The Best Shrimp Ceviche (2024)

June 22, 2020By Caitlin

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This shrimp ceviche is the perfect summer meal! Featuring citrus marinated shrimp, lots of fresh veggies, & creamy avocado! Serve it as an appetizer with chips or top it over tostada shells for an easy dinner!

Shrimp. Ceviche. Two little words that make my heart flutter! I feel like for most people ceviche is strictly a summer food. But for Charlie and I, we could definitely eat it all-year-round. (Even when it’s freezing outside…😉) Fresh crisp veggies, lots of lime juice, creamy avocado…it just doesn’t get any better!

This easy shrimp ceviche recipe only requires a handful of ingredients and tastes so good! It’s a light and refreshing meal that’s perfect for summer or can easily be served as an appetizer!

Ingredients for Shrimp Ceviche

Raw shrimp: We use medium to large shrimp for our ceviche. (21-25 count) I wouldn’t suggest using smaller shrimp (like bay shrimp) as they can have a very different taste and texture to them.

Tomatoes: We always use cherry or grape tomatoes for our ceviche.

Persian cucumber:They’resmaller in sizeand have athinner skinthan regular cucumbers.(Plusless seedstoo!)English cucumbers would also work for this recipe.

Onion: Red onions work the best for this recipe.!

Cilantro: Use the leaves and stems for maximum flavor!

Jalapeño: Always deseed your jalapeño! (We want the flavor – not the heat.)

Limes: An essential ingredient for every ceviche recipe! It’s hard to tell exactly how many limes you’ll need (some are juicier than others), but we’ll usually use about 8-12 limes.

Avocado: Optional but definitely recommended! You can dice it and mix it into your ceviche or mash it and spread it over tostadas.

What is ceviche?

Ceviche is a Peruvian dish that’s typically made by marinating raw fish or shrimp in citrus juices until the fish is fully cooked. (The citric acid from the juice helps to cure the fish causing it to become firm and cooked while also infusing it with flavor.) It’s then tossed with a variety of fresh ingredients including cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and sometimes hot peppers. Ceviche can usually be found served as an appetizer in most restaurants but our family loves it so much that we’ve turned it into a meal!

How To Make Shrimp Ceviche

1. Prepare your shrimp. Rinse your shrimp and remove the tail shells. Then cut each shrimp into bite sized pieces.

2. Marinate. Add your chopped shrimp in a large baking dish and pour your lime juice over the top. (You’ll need enough lime juice to completely submerge your shrimp.) Then cover the dish with plastic wrap and leave it out at room temperature for 1 hour. Once the hour is up, transfer your dish to the refrigerator to continue cooking for 1-2 more hours.

3. Add your chopped veggies. While the shrimp is marinating, cut the rest of your ingredients and add them to the dish 15-30 minutes before you’re ready to serve.

4. Serve! Serve your ceviche with tortilla chips, tostada shells, mashed avocado or guacamole if desired.

Looking for a simpler version of shrimp ceviche? Try my OR Avocado Salsa Shrimp Salad! They taste just like the real deal but use cooked shrimp instead of raw & can be made in half the time too!

Tips For Making The Best Shrimp Ceviche

Use a large baking dish instead of a bowl. This allows your ingredients to spread out more and helps the shrimp to marinate/”cook” faster. (We use a 9×13 inch pan when making ours.)
Use enough lime juice to completely submerge your shrimp! If there’s not enough lime juice in dish then your shrimp will take much longer to cook or won’t fully cook.
Let your shrimp marinate at room temperature for at least 1 hour. This helps to speed up the cooking process of your shrimp.

Serving Suggestions & Variations

Shrimp ceviche can be enjoyed in a variety of ways and they’re all soo good! Here are a few ideas to help get you started:

Eat it with tortilla chips!
Spread a layer of mashed avocado over tostadas & top them with your ceviche!
Serve it with guacamole!
Add your favorite salsa/hot sauce to the mix!
Replace the jalapeños with serrano peppers!

FAQ’s

I don’t have enough lime juice! What do I do? Lemon juice can also be used if you run out of lime juice. It won’t change the flavor of your ceviche as long as there’s more lime juice than lemon.

How do I know when my shrimp is done “cooking? The shrimp will turn from dark grey to opaque (pink-ish) and will be firmer to the touch. If you aren’t sure whether the shrimp is fully cooked or not, just leave them in the pan for another 15-20 minutes and check them again. You can also add more lime juice to help speed up the process.

Can I cook my shrimp beforehand instead? Yes. If you’re worried about your shrimp not being fully cooked then I would suggest slightly poaching your shrimp first. To poach your shrimp: Drop them in boiling water & poach for 2-3 minutes. Then chop them into pieces and marinate them in your lime juice for 30 minutes – 1 hour.

Why you’ll love this shrimp ceviche recipe!

So easy & healthy! Just chop, marinate and mix! This ceviche recipe is loaded with lean protein, lots of veggies and healthy fats making it the best all-in-one meal!
The perfect summer meal! Fresh ingredients, lots of lime & so refreshing too! This dish will become a summer staple in no time!
Fun to serve! Eat it chips, topped over tostadas or even by the spoonful! There’s so many options for serving – everyone can choose their favorite!

More shrimp recipes you might like:

Mango Avocado Shrimp Salad
Avocado Salsa Shrimp Salad
Chipotle Lime Shrimp Tacos with Chipotle Lime Sauce

[Made one of my recipes? Make sure to tag my Instagram @kalefornia_kravings & leave a review in the comments. I love seeing what you create!]

Print RecipePin It!

5 from 1 vote