This easy Shrimp Ceviche recipe (Ceviche de Camarón) is a brilliant summer standby full of fresh, tangy, zesty flavors that can be served as the ultimate no-cook light meal or summertime appetizer!
Learn how to make Shrimp Ceviche with this surprisingly easy, speedy, light, refreshing, zippy recipe! Ceviche de Camarón is a no-cook Latin American dish made with chunks of buttery shrimp that cure in bright, tangy lime juice tossed with creamy avocado, juicy tomatoes, crispy cucumbers, zesty cilantro, and sassy jalapeños (think shrimp salsa with loads of lime!). This healthy, burst of refreshment is light, yet protein packed, ideal for lunch or dinner on a hot summer day or as a tasty, fun appetizer for parties or gatherings served up with crackers, tortilla chips or tostadas. The recipe I’m sharing with you today is Ceviche de Camarón, or shrimp ceviche, however, it can also be made with a variety of shellfish and seafood – recipe variations included!
Shrimp is the quickest and easiest protein to make! We love serving it up in countless ways from this shrimp ceviche to jerk shrimp, cilantro lime shrimp, grilled shrimp, shrimp tacos, firecracker shrimp, and creamy Tuscan shrimp.
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What Is Ceviche?
Ceviche (pronounced “seh-vee-chey” and sometimes spelled as seviche or cebiche) is a Latin American dish popular in the coastal regions of Central and South America. It’s made of citrus infused bites of seafood (shrimp, fish, octopus, etc. or a combination) marinated/ “cooked” with lime juice then tossed with a fresh, zesty variety of ingredients depending on the coastal region, such as avocado, onions, tomatoes, cilantro, jalapeño, and more.
Ceviche is most commonly served as an appetizer dip with crackers, tortilla chips or tostadas, but can also be enjoyed as a main dish with sweet potatoes, corn on the cob, rice and/or plantain chips.
Where is Ceviche From?
The exact origins of ceviche are unclear, but records suggest the Incan Empire used a similar curing method to preserve fish with fruit juices. Although ceviche is considered a Peruvian dish, you can find variations of this popular food across South and Central America. For example, Ecuadorian ceviche adds tomato sauce to the marinade, similar to the clamato I’m using in this recipe and serves the shrimp ceviche with toasted corn kernels. Caribbean style ceviche infuses the marinade with coconut milk, while a Japanese-Peruvian version, called Nikkei, adds soy sauce, togarashi, and sesame oil.
Is Shrimp Ceviche Raw or cooked?
Classic authentic ceviche is made by marinating raw seafood in lime juice which “cooks” the seafood in a curing process called denaturing. Although the seafood isn’t exposed to heat, the denaturing alters the protein structure, turning the seafood from raw and translucent to firm and opaque while absorbing all of the delicious flavors. You can read more about the process in this article “Cooking Without Heat,” from Sun-Sentinel where they explain the denaturing process.
Food Safety Tips for Ceviche
- Purchase the freshest shrimp possible.
- Always purchase shrimp from a trusted source (preferably shrimp labeled “wild caught” and American).
- Make the ceviche and consume the ceviche the same day you purchase the shrimp – 24 hours max. If using frozen shrimp, thaw and use immediately.
- Chop the shrimp no larger than ½-inch to create more surface area for denaturing.
- If using fish, ALWAYS purchase sushi-grade fish that is suitable for raw consumption.
- The safest option for pregnant women, children, elderly and anyone with a compromised immune system is to start with pre-cooked shrimp or blanch the shrimp in boiling water until opaque, about 1 minute, drain, then transfer to an ice bath before chopping.
What is in Shrimp Ceviche?
This shrimp ceviche recipe is deceptively simple to prepare — but don’t think that means it’s short on flavor! Here’s what you’ll need to make ceviche de camarón:
HOW TO MAKE SHRIMP Ceviche
Making homemade ceviche is surprisingly very simple and speedy, aside from the hand’s-off marinating. The fresh ingredients really shine in a dish like this, which makes people think you spent more time making the ceviche de camarón than you actually did!
Step 1: Cure the shrimp
- Add the lime juice and seasonings to a non-reactive bowl (i.e., not aluminum!) and stir to combine.
- Add the raw shrimp and stir to combine. The shrimp should be fully covered in lime juice; if not, add more.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for an hour. Don’t be tempted to let the shrimp sit in the lime juice for longer; over time the lime juice will actually break down the shrimp and give it a rubbery texture.
Step 2: Prep the veggies
- I like to do this while the shrimp is marinating. Chop the cucumber, dice the red onion and jalapeños, and chop the cilantro. Be sure to de-seed the Roma tomatoes before chopping.
Step 3: Assemble and chill the ceviche
- After the shrimp has been marinating for an hour, add the diced cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, cilantro and jalapeños to the bowl and stir to combine.
- Cover and return to the fridge for another 30 minutes to an hour.
- Stir every 20 minutes until the shrimp are opaque, with a white and pink exterior.
Step 4: Serve the shrimp ceviche
- Add the avocados, clamato juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir just to combine, then dig in!
Tips for making ceviche de camarón
Ceviche de camaron is pretty straightforward to make, but there are a few details to pay attention to make it the best ceviche for YOU!
Use quality fresh shrimp: As discussed earlier in detail, use the freshest shrimp possible from a trusted source or blanch the shrimp for one minute then transfer to an ice bath before chopping.
Use a non-reactive bowl: Certain metals can chemically react with the lime juice and make the shrimp taste bitter and metallic. Stainless steel or glass is ideal (much stronger metal than aluminum), because it never reacts with food.
Customize the heat: If your shrimp ceviche recipe tastes like it is missing something – it is probably heat! I suggest adding two minced jalapeños then adding more to taste. You can also reserve the jalapeño seeds and add them to the ceviche to make it even spicier, or even add cayenne pepper or hot sauce to taste.
Adjust to taste: As with all recipes, you’ll want to taste the ceviche de camarón and adjust the seasoning to suit your personal tastes. With this recipe, make sure to season AFTER the ceviche has marinated and you’ve added the finishing Worcestershire, clamato and chopped avocados. You can add additional salt, pepper, jalapeño or lime juice.
Customize ingredients: You can use more or less of any of the ingredients (or add other ingredients) depending on your likes/dislikes or what you have on hand. See the recipe variations below.
Fully cook the ceviche de camaron before consuming: The shrimp should be completely opaque with some pink tones without any gray. The shrimp should have a light sheen instead of a matte white appearance, which means it is overcooked. You can read more tips from Reader’s Digest to help you know when your shrimp are fully cooked.
Consume immediately: Ceviche should be enjoyed immediately for the best texture. It doesn’t keep well for more than a few hours because the shrimp continues “cook” in the lime juice and becomes tough and rubbery over time. You can prep all of the ingredients early in the day, then combine the shrimp with the lime juice an hour or so before ready to serve.
- With crackers: authentic ceviche de camaron is traditionally served with crackers (like Saltines), hot sauce, and lime wedges – tortilla chips are more traditional in the states!
- Mini ceviche tostadas: serve over tostadas for a crunchy, creamy, handheld appetizer.
- Ceviche dip: serve in a large bowl or in a hollowed-out coconut or pineapple surrounded with corn chips, tortilla chips or tostadas for dipping.
- Mini ceviche cups: serve the ceviche in mini appetizer cups, shot glasses or dishes cocktail style with corn chips or crispy tostadas for scooping.
- Ceviche toast: serve over crostini or on a plate with crostini on the side.
- Ceviche lettuce wraps: serve the ceviche in bib lettuce for an elegant low carb appetizer or snack.
- As a main dish: when enjoyed as a meal, traditional ceviche is served with a side of sliced cooked sweet potatoes, corn on the cob, and sometimes with rice or plantain chips.
- Pre-cook the shrimp: The safest option for pregnant women, children, elderly and anyone with a compromised immune system is to start with pre-cooked shrimp or to blanch the shrimp in boiling water until opaque, about 1 minute, drain, then transfer to an ice bath before chopping. Marinate just for 15 minutes before tossing with the vegetables, then marinate an additional 15 minutes before tossing with the avocados.
- Swap the shrimp for another type of seafood or use a combination: Ceviche can be made with a variety of sashimi grade mild, firm fish, so feel free to experiment! The best fish for ceviche includes kingfish, sea bass, halibut, mahi-mahi, fluke, mackerel, red snapper, and tuna. You can also add squid or octopus to the mix. Note: The ONLY fish you should use for ceviche is sashimi-grade/sushi grade meaning it is suitable for raw consumption. It cannot just be labeled “fresh”/meaning never been frozen. If the labeling is unclear, ask!
- Add other citrus: Lime juice should always be the primary citrus in ceviche, but you can add splashes of lemon juice, orange juice, grapefruit juice and even pineapple juice.
- Mix and match veggies: You may omit or add any vegetables you’d like to this shrimp ceviche recipe such as corn, bell peppers, poblano peppers, chayote, radishes, jicama, etc.
- Add tropical fruit: Chopped mangos, papayas, and/or pineapples are added to ceviche in some countries. Strawberries are also fabulous! Add them to the recipe with the avocados.
- Make it spicier: Add up to four jalapeños to really amp up the heat. If you’re feeling brave, add some of the seeds back in too! You can also swap in habaneros if you really crave the heat or add some Mexican hot sauce (Tapatio, Cholula, Valentina).
Can Shrimp Ceviche Be Made in Advance?
Yes, shrimp ceviche has to be prepared in advance so the shrimp has time to cure in the lime juice. That being said, the shrimp ceviche is best up to 4 hours after it has been made. This isn’t a dish that keeps well for long periods of time because the shrimp will continue to cook in the lime juice and change texture.
How to Store Ceviche
I don’t recommend preparing leftover ceviche on purpose, but if you wind up with some, you’ll need to store the ceviche in the fridge in an airtight container. I suggest draining the ceviche of the excess lime juice so it doesn’t continue to “cure” and toughen up. Enjoy the shrimp within 24 hours.
what to serve with ceviche
Shrimp ceviche can be treated as an appetizer, side or as a main dish. For an epic feast, serve your homemade ceviche with one or more of the following:
Mexican dishes: spoon it up with tortilla chips or pile it on (or in!) your favorite enchiladas, tacos, burritos, fajitas, quesadillas, nachos, Southwest Salads, or burrito bowls.
Proteins: serve it as a side to carne asada steak, carnitas, Mexican shredded beef and beef barbacoa, or to chicken mains such as Mexican chicken, chipotle chicken, chili lime chicken, cilantro lime chicken or salsa verde chicken.
Side dishes: serve it alongside other favorite Mexican sides such as Mexican salad, Mexican sopes, Mexican street corn salad, elote corn, Mexican rice, and pina colada fruit salad.
CEVICHE FAQS
The seafood should smell clean and fresh with a subtly sweet flavor and never smelly. If using fish, it MUST be labeled “sashimi-grade” / “sushi grade” and not simply “fresh”. “Fresh” simply means the fish was not frozen
Shrimp ceviche marinating time can range from 90 minutes to 2 hours for raw ½-inch chopped shrimp. Fish ceviche marinating time can range anywhere from 20 minutes to 1 hour for ½-inch cubed raw fish. 20 to 25 minutes will be medium and 25-35 minutes will be medium-well. Anything longer will be fully cooked and bordering on tough. When using raw sashimi-grade fish, it is better to error on the side of undercooking the fish so it stays more tender – just like sushi!
Cooked shrimp or fish will look opaque on the outside, instead of translucent. As far as if fish ceviche is cooked long enough, that is personal preference. Some prefer the seafood on the softer, less cooked side, while others prefer it thoroughly cooked. Keep in mind, if you taste the ceviche and it is too “raw” for your liking – then continue to marinate. Ceviche de camaron should always be cooked completely through.
Authentic ceviche is made with raw seafood that “cooks” by marinating in lime juice. In other words, the lime juice changes the protein structure of the seafood, turning it from raw and translucent to firm and opaque while absorbing all of the delicious flavors. Still, because heat is not used, the curing process does not kill all food borne illnesses, so always use the freshest seafood possible from a reliable source. If using fish, it MUST be labeled “sashimi-grade”/ “sushi grade.”
Ceviche is a seafood dish usually made with small diced cubes of shrimp or fish marinated in lime juice. Diced tomatoes, red onions, cucumbers, avocados and corn are popular additions depending on the coastal region it is made in.
The fresh lime juice, red onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, avocados and jalapenos are a good source of vitamin C, folate, B vitamins, potassium, manganese, biotin, and Vitamin A, K, and E. Ceviche is also high in protein and low in calories and fat.
Ceviche is bright, fresh, tangy, zippy, cooling and refreshing with a strong lime flavor.
Ceviche is best served chilled or at very least, room temperature.
Ceviche is safe to eat for up to two days if it has been stored covered tightly in the refrigerator. However, because the seafood has been marinated in the highly acidic lime juice, the texture will become increasingly tough and unappealing so it is best enjoyed within the first few hours of preparation.
Absolutely not, the seafood would become grainy and the vegetables would also change texture.
No, shrimp ceviche and shrimp cocktail are not the same thing. Ceviche is shrimp that has cured in lime juice. The rest of the ingredients can vary by region or taste. Shrimp Cocktail, on the other hand, is made with boiled shrimp and always served with a side of cocktail sauce made of ketchup, chili sauce, prepared horseradish, fresh lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce.
Looking for more shrimp recipes?
Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
Caribbean Shrimp Avocado Salad
Spicy Shrimp Tacos
Shrimp Fajitas
Sheet Pan Shrimp Boil
Shrimp Pasta in Garlic Tomato Cream Sauce
Roasted Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp and Asparagus
Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Shrimp Pasta
Cajun Shrimp Pasta
Lemon Garlic Shrimp Fettuccine
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Ingredients
SHRIMP
- 1 pound medium, high-quality shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
- 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice, plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 tsp EACH pepper, garlic powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika
VEGGIES
- 1 cup chopped English cucumber
- 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 1 cup packed cilantro, minced
- 2-4 jalapenos, seeded and minced
ADD LATER
- 1 large avocado, chopped (or 2 small avocados)
- 1/3 cup picante clamato juice or V8 (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
For serving (pick your favs):
- saltine crackers
- tostadas
- tortilla chips
- hot sauce
Instructions
- Add the lime juice and all shrimp seasonings to a non-reactive bowl and stir to combine. Add shrimp and stir to combine. Make sure the shrimp is covered, adding additional juice if necessary. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 60 minutes, stirring halfway through. Meanwhile, chop the vegetables.
- After the shrimp has been marinating for 60 minutes, add the diced cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, cilantro and jalapenos to the bowl with the shrimp and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for an additional 30-60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, or until shrimp are cooked through – opaque, with a white and pink exterior.
- When ready to serve, stir in the avocados, clamato juice and Worcestershire sauce; season to taste with salt, pepper or cayenne pepper. You may drain off a little excess juice if you like. Serve with crackers, tostadas or tortilla chips as an appetize or as a main dish with rice, sweet potatoes, corn on the cob, etc. Shrimp ceviche is best consumed within four hours of being made.
Video
Notes
Tips and Tricks
- Shrimp: Use the freshest raw shrimp you can find or quality frozen raw shrimp from a trusted source to avoid food borne illness. Look for wild caught shrimp vs farm-raised for the best flavor and texture. Use the shrimp the same day it is purchased.
- Pre-cook the shrimp if needed: The safest option for pregnant women, children, elderly and anyone with a compromised immune system is to blanch the shrimp in boiling water until opaque, about 1 minute, drain, then transfer to an ice bath before chopping. Marinate just for 15 minutes before tossing with the vegetables, then marinate an additional 15 minutes before tossing with the avocados.
- Clamato: This is just what it sounds like – a briny blend of tomato juice and clam broth, with some spices blended in. It an optional ingredient most popular in Ecuadorian ceviche. It comes in both regular and “picante” which I suggest for this recipe. You may substitute V8 juice, if desired. Your ceviche will still be delicious if you choose to omit it.
- Customize the heat: If your shrimp ceviche recipe tastes like it is missing something – it is probably heat! I suggest adding two minced jalapeños then adding more to taste. You can also reserve the jalapeño seeds and add them to the ceviche to make it even spicier, or even add cayenne pepper or hot sauce to taste.
- Consume immediately: Ceviche should be enjoyed immediately for the best texture. It doesn’t keep well for more than a few hours because the shrimp continues “cook” in the lime juice and becomes tough and rubbery over time. You can prep all of the ingredients early in the day, then combine the shrimp with the lime juice an hour or so before ready to serve.
- Storage: I don’t recommend preparing leftover ceviche on purpose, but if you wind up with some, you’ll need to store the ceviche in the fridge in an airtight container. I suggest draining the ceviche of the excess lime juice so it doesn’t continue to “cure” and toughen up. Enjoy the shrimp within 24 hours.
Variations
- Swap the shrimp for another type of seafood or use a combination: Ceviche can be made with a variety of sashimi grade mild, firm fish, so feel free to experiment! The best fish for ceviche includes kingfish, sea bass, halibut, mahi-mahi, fluke, mackerel, red snapper, and tuna. You can also add squid or octopus to the mix. Note: The ONLY fish you should use for ceviche is sashimi-grade/sushi grade meaning it is suitable for raw consumption. It cannot just be labeled “fresh”/meaning never been frozen. If the labeling is unclear, ask!
- Add other citrus: Lime juice should always be the primary citrus in ceviche, but you can add splashes of lemon juice, orange juice, grapefruit juice and even pineapple juice.
- Mix and match veggies: You may omit or add any vegetables you’d like to this shrimp ceviche recipe such as corn, bell peppers, poblano peppers, chayote, radishes, jicama, etc.
- Add tropical fruit: Chopped mangos, papayas, and/or pineapples are added to ceviche in some countries. Strawberries are also fabulous! Add them to the recipe with the avocados.
- Make it spicier: Add up to four jalapeños to really amp up the heat. If you’re feeling brave, add some of the seeds back in too! You can also swap in habaneros if you really crave the heat or add some Mexican hot sauce (Tapatio, Cholula, Valentina).
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