Fresh and Easy Shrimp Ceviche
- PREP 10min
- COOK 30min
- TOTAL 40min
This shrimp ceviche is made with limes, lemon, red onion, cucumber, chile peppers, cilantro, and avocado for a fresh, healthy, and delicious shrimp ceviche recipe. Watch our video above to see us make it. The ceviche is best served the day of making it, after which the shrimp become tough and the cilantro starts to taste bitter.
You Will Need
1 pound large or extra large shrimp, peeled and deveined
3/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice, 6 to 7 limes
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, 1 to 2 lemons
1/4 medium red onion, finely minced
1 cup diced cucumber
2 chile peppers like serrano or jalapeño, deseeded and minced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 medium avocado, diced
Directions
Fill a pot 2 quarts (8 cups) of water and add 2 tablespoons salt. This makes up a poaching liquid and helps to season the shrimp.
Bring the water to a boil, add the shrimp, and then immediately take the pot off of the heat. Leave the shrimp in the poaching liquid until just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. You can tell when the shrimp is cooked when it’s firm and opaque throughout.
Note, if you have fresh caught shrimp, you can skip the poaching step, see our tips in the notes below and in the article above.
Remove the shrimp from the poaching liquid and spread out on a cutting board to cool. When the shrimp are cool enough to handle, remove the tails (if there are any) and chop into bite-size pieces.
Optional: To tone down the raw flavor of the onion, de-flame them by adding the chopped onion to a small bowl and cover with water. Set aside for 30 seconds or so, and then drain.
Add the cucumber, onion, minced chile peppers, and cilantro, and chopped shrimp to a non-reactive bowl (glass, stainless steel, and ceramic bowls are perfect).
Pour over the citrus juices and a pinch of salt. Toss well, and then press the shrimp down into the liquid as much as possible. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
Just before serving, stir in the avocado. Taste, and then season with salt if you feel it is necessary.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Using raw shrimp: If you have access to very fresh shrimp, you can skip the poaching step and allow the citrus juices to “cook” the shrimp. To make our recipe with raw shrimp, cut the shrimp into small pieces (no larger than 1/2 inch). Cover the shrimp with the citrus juice — use enough juice to cover the shrimp and allow it to float freely (this might require a bit more juice than called for in our recipe). If there is not enough juice, the shrimp will cook unevenly. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until the shrimp is “cooked” through.
- For a spicier ceviche, leave some or all of the seeds of the peppers. Or add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce.
- Nutrition facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA database to calculate approximate values.
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #inspiredtaste — We love to see your creations on Instagram and Facebook! Find us: @inspiredtaste