Ceviche Recipe

Ceviche is so fresh and loaded with shrimp, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, cilantro, and avocado, all marinated in fresh lime juice. For this Mexican Shrimp Cocktail, you can use raw shrimp, but I prefer using cooked shrimp to cut the prep time way down. Watch the video, and you’ll see why I love this authentic ceviche so much!

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Ceviche Video

I’ll show you how to make this easy and classic Restaurant-style Ceviche. My husband and I have loved this recipe for years and have been fine-tuning it over time. Also, it’s a true story that my husband and I can polish off the entire batch in one evening in lieu of dinner. I know it’s a bold statement, but ceviche is literally my favorite food.

Ceviche Recipe

Ceviche is a seafood cocktail and traditionally uses fresh fish or shrimp that is marinated or “cooked” in a large amount of citrus juice. My husband and I have probably made this appetizer a hundred times, and it’s among my favorite appetizers, right up there with Cowboy Caviar and the wildly popular Guacamole Recipe.

We got this authentic Mexican ceviche recipe from one of our readers, Blanca Villasenor. The secret ingredient for the best ceviche is Clamato juice, which melds the flavors together and makes it one of the freshest and most satisfying appetizers you will try. Thank you so much, Blanca, for generously sharing your traditional family recipe with us!

Shrimp Ceviche Ingredients

• Shrimp – you can chop up raw shrimp, but my go-to is cooked shrimp meat – more on that below.
• Limes – get the larger limes since they produce more juice. You need about 6 limes or enough lime juice to fully coat the shrimp, especially if you are using raw shrimp.
• Vegetables – We like to bulk up the ceviche with tomatoes, cucumber, and avocado (which adds a light creaminess to the sauce). Red or white onions and fresh cilantro add a crisp freshness.
• To Make it Spicy – Optionally, add a seeded and diced jalapeno pepper. I also serve with hot sauce – stir it into the batch or drizzle over your own portion to taste. My favorite brands are Tapatio, Cholula, and Tabasco. If you’re adding hot sauce, there’s no need for salt.
• Clamato – this tomato cocktail juice is optional, but Blanca recommended it to make the marinade a little richer in texture and flavor. Use regular or spicy.

Which Shrimp Should I use?

• Cooked shrimp (recommended): fastest, easiest, most reliable. You can buy pre-cooked shrimp or cook your own with my Boiled Shrimp Recipe. I find using cooked shrimp is so much easier and it stores longer.
• Raw shrimp: more traditional, but requires very fresh, high-quality shrimp and longer marinating since the shrimp is “cooked” in the acidity of the lime juice, but it’s not the same as cooking with heat so quality matters. If you’re wondering, is ceviche safe to eat? Here’s more info on how ceviche works.

How to Make Ceviche

• Rinse the shrimp under cold running water and thoroughly squeeze or pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture so your cocktail isn’t watered down. Do this with raw or cooked shrimp.
• Marinate Shrimp – Put chopped shrimp in a large non-reactive bowl and stir in 1 cup of fresh lime juice – you need enough to fully coat the shrimp without making it overly soupy (this citrus squeezer is my favorite). Refrigerate and marinate (1 1/2 to 2 hours for raw shrimp and 15 minutes for cooked shrimp). If using raw shrimp, I like to stir a couple of times while marinating to make sure it’s well coated, and it’s ready when it’s opaque and no longer transparent.
• Dice remaining vegetables– cucumber, avocado, tomato, onion, jalapeno, and cilantro. The fastest way to make Ceviche is to dice everything up using a food chopper. My husband uses it to get everything chopped up in less than 5 minutes. After many years of making ceviche, it’s all about efficiency!
• Combine and Serve – Once the shrimp are done marinating, toss in the diced vegetables and Clamato juice and gently stir to combine. Do not drain the juice – it marinates the whole batch of ceviche in vibrant lime flavor.

Tips for the Best Ceviche

• Use fresh lime juice only (not bottled)
• Drain shrimp well – this prevents watery ceviche
• Use a non-reactive bowl – either glass or ceramic
• Keep the ceviche cold at all times – safer and fresher

Ceviche Variations

There are so many versions of ceviche, and it varies by region (i.e., Peru versus Mexico Ceviche). The biggest differences are in the types of seafood used. To make a fish ceviche, you can try fresh white fish diced into small pieces. The best fish is sushi-grade halibut, sea bass, snapper, or mahi mahi. Scallops are also an option. Always use the freshest fish, keep it on ice in the refrigerator, and make ceviche the day you purchase it.

How to Serve Ceviche?

Ceviche is meant to be served as an appetizer with either tortilla chips or over tostadas. You can also serve it in individual cups or over mini lettuce cups for a low-carb version. For a fancier presentation, spoon it over avocado halves.

I am always so excited when my husband surprises me with a fresh batch of shrimp Ceviche – it’s just mouthwatering good. I hope this becomes a new favorite for you! Let me know if you make your salsa differently. It’s so good, we even featured it in my Natasha’s Kitchen Cookbook!

P.S. Do you use cooked or fresh shrimp or another type of seafood in your ceviche? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

More Shrimp Appetizers

Can you tell we love Shrimp Recipes by now? These are some of our top-rated Shrimp Appetizers that we make on repeat:

• Shrimp Cocktail with the Best Sauce
• Shrimp Spring Rolls
• Coconut Shrimp
• Shrimp Cakes with Lemon Aioli
• Avocado Shrimp Cucumber Bites
• Stuffed Shrimp
• Hot Shrimp Dip
• Shrimp Scampi