Shrimp Ceviche Recipe

Shrimp Ceviche in a bowl, served with a side of chips

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Marinate: 60 mins
Total: 90 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings

This delicious, refreshingly tangy shrimp ceviche with lime juice, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, serrano peppers, and cilantro is the perfect appetizer for a summer dinner party. There are countless ways to prepare shrimp ceviche in Mexico—different styles abound along both coastlines of the country. This version, however, is probably the most common.

Here's What Goes into Shrimp Ceviche

  • Fresh raw shrimp: Use the freshest shrimp possible—freshly-caught within a day or two is ideal. If you cannot get fresh raw shrimp, you can use frozen and thawed shrimp. If you prefer not to use raw shrimp, you can lightly poach it before marinating it. Since the shrimp is cut into pieces, you can use any size of shrimpyou'd like.
  • Lime juice: Freshly squeezed lime juice, not bottled, is the way to go here for the best flavor, as well as the texture of the finished ceviche.
  • Tomatoes, cucumber, onion, serrano, and cilantro: A combination of chopped vegetables and herbs gives this ceviche tons of bright flavor.
  • Avocado: Diced avocado is a nice creamy counterpart to the crunchy vegetables and sharp lime juice.
  • Olive oil: The fats and fruity flavors of olive oil balance the acidity of the lime juice and tomatoes.
  • Kosher salt: The clean, pure flavor of kosher salt works particularly well in ceviche. You could also use your favorite sea salt.

Does Lime Juice Cook the Shrimp in Ceviche?

When you marinate the shrimp in the lime juice mixture, the citric acid in the lime juice denatures the protein in the shrimp, which creates the same change in texture as heat cooking. This is the basic concept behind ceviche. The lime juice does not necessarily kill bacteria or parasites, so you still want to be sure to use the freshest shrimp available. This is also why ceviche is not recommended for immunocompromised people.

Tip: Use a Nonreactive Bowl to Marinate the Ceviche

Be sure to use a nonreactive bowl, such as glass, to prepare the ceviche. Reactive metals, such as aluminum, can give the ceviche a metallic flavor.

How to Serve Shrimp Ceviche

Shrimp ceviche is most often served in tall cocktail classes with tostadas or salty crackers. You can also serve it with tortilla chips. Always eat ceviche on the day that you make it, preferably within four hours.

"This shrimp ceviche is very refreshing and full of citrusy, spicy flavors. Great with tortilla chips! Depending on your taste, you can add more chile. There is no cooking in this recipe but there is lots of chopping, which I kinda enjoyed. You can easily halve the recipe if you are serving fewer people." -Tara Omidvar

Shrimp Ceviche/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

  • 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

  • 2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped

  • 1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped

  • 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced

  • 1/2 medium avocado, diced

  • 1 medium serrano chile, thinly sliced

  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

  • About 7 tablespoons olive oil

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Tostadas, tortilla chips, or saltines, for serving, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Shrimp Ceviche ingredients in bowls

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  2. Combine the shrimp and lime juice in a medium non-reactive bowl. Cover the bowl and marinate, refrigerated for 1 hour.

    Shrimp and lime juices in a glass bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  3. Strain the shrimp (reserve the liquid) and add the tomato, cucumber, onion, avocado, serrano, cilantro, and olive oil. Fold the mixture together. Adjust the seasoning with salt to taste.

    Shrimp, tomato, cucumber, onion, avocado, serrano, cilantro, and olive oil in a glass bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  4. Add back some of the reserved liquid, if desired. Serve with tostadas, tortilla chips, or saltines. 

    Shrimp Ceviche in a bowl, served with a side of chips

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Caution With Ceviche

The acidic marinade may not kill all of the bacteria and other pathogens that can be present in raw shrimp, so ceviche is not recommended for people who are at increased risk from foodborne illnesses, including children under 5, adults 65 and older, and people who have a weakened immune system. In these cases, we recommend poaching the shrimp first.

Ceviche with Cooked Shrimp

Poach the shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes in salted, boiling water. Remove with a slotted spoon directly into an ice bath to stop the cooking; then transfer the shrimp to the citrus marinade.

Storing

  • Once ceviche is finished marinating, it should be eaten right away, or at the very most within 4 hours.
  • Do not store in refrigerator for more than 4 hours or attempt to freeze for later.

Make Ahead

You can prepare the chopped ingredients (except for the avocado) a day or two ahead, but do not add the shrimp until the day you plan to eat it.

What’s the Difference Between Ceviche and Aguachile?

Ceviche and aguachile are very similar, but they differ in small details. Aguachile is much spicier, and the marinade includes cucumber, chile pepper, and cilantro blended together (or crushed in a molcajete). Ceviche can include sweeter ingredients like fruit.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
341 Calories
25g Fat
13g Carbs
20g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 341
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 25g 32%
Saturated Fat 4g 18%
Cholesterol 160mg 53%
Sodium 779mg 34%
Total Carbohydrate 13g 5%
Dietary Fiber 5g 18%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 20g
Vitamin C 27mg 134%
Calcium 95mg 7%
Iron 1mg 6%
Potassium 692mg 15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)