Hey there! I’m super excited to share my favorite Mexican-style shrimp ceviche recipe with y’all today. As someone who’s been making ceviche for years I can tell ya this recipe is foolproof and gonna knock your socks off! Let’s dive right in and learn how to make this refreshing seafood dish that’s perfect for hot summer days.
What You’ll Need
Main Ingredients
- 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 8-10 fresh limes (about 1¼ cups of juice)
- 1 lemon
- ½ red onion, finely diced
- 3 medium tomatoes, diced
- 1 cucumber, seeded and diced
- 1-2 jalapeños, finely chopped
- ½ bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 ripe avocado
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional Add-ins
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- Hot sauce (like Valentina or Tapatio)
- Tostadas for serving
- Mayo for spreading on tostadas
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare the Shrimp
First things first let’s talk about the most important part – the shrimp! Here’s what ya need to do
- Clean and devein the shrimp if not already done
- Cut shrimp into ½-inch pieces
- Place in a large glass or non-reactive bowl
- Cover completely with fresh lime juice
- Pop it in the fridge for about 1 hour until the shrimp turns pink
Pro Tip: Don’t leave the shrimp in lime juice for more than 1-2 hours, or it might get too “cooked” and rubbery!
2. Prep Your Veggies
While the shrimp is “cooking” in the lime juice, let’s get our veggies ready:
- Dice the red onion super fine
- Chop tomatoes into small cubes
- Seed and dice the cucumber
- Finely chop the jalapeños (remove seeds if you want less heat)
- Rough chop the cilantro
3. The Assembly
After your shrimp has turned pink (about an hour) here’s what you’ll do
- Drain about half the lime juice from the shrimp
- Add all your chopped veggies to the bowl
- Squeeze in fresh lemon juice
- Add Worcestershire sauce if using
- Season with salt and pepper
- Mix everything gently
- Taste and adjust seasonings
- Add diced avocado right before serving
Serving Suggestions
The traditional way to serve Mexican shrimp ceviche is on tostadas with these optional toppings:
- Spread a thin layer of mayo on the tostada
- Add a generous scoop of ceviche
- Top with sliced avocado
- Drizzle with your favorite hot sauce
- Squeeze extra lime juice if desired
My Personal Touch: I love adding a bit of Tapatio hot sauce and extra cilantro on top – it really kicks things up a notch!
Storage Tips
- Keep refrigerated in an airtight container
- Best eaten within 24 hours
- Don’t freeze ceviche
- If storing, add avocado only when serving
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Don’t overcook the shrimp: An hour in lime juice is usually enough
- Don’t use old limes: Fresh citrus is key for proper “cooking”
- Don’t skip the chilling time: Room temp ceviche is a no-no
- Don’t use metal bowls: Stick to glass or plastic containers
Health Benefits
Mexican shrimp ceviche isn’t just tasty – it’s pretty healthy too! You’re getting:
- Lean protein from shrimp
- Vitamins from fresh veggies
- Healthy fats from avocado
- Low carbs (if you skip the tostadas)
FAQs
Q: Can I use frozen shrimp?
A: Yep! Just make sure to thaw completely first.
Q: Is it safe to eat?
A: The citrus juice “cooks” the shrimp, making it safe to eat. Just make sure to use fresh, quality seafood.
Q: How spicy is it?
A: You control the heat! Adjust jalapeños to your taste.
Final Tips for Success
- Use the freshest ingredients possible
- Don’t rush the lime juice marinating process
- Taste and adjust seasonings before serving
- Keep everything well-chilled
- Serve immediately for best results
Y’all, this Mexican-style shrimp ceviche is seriously one of my favorite things to make when I’m craving something fresh and light. It’s perfect for summer parties, beach days, or just when you want something different for dinner. Trust me, once you make this, your friends and family gonna be begging for the recipe!
Remember, cooking should be fun, so don’t stress too much about getting everything perfect. Play around with the ingredients and make it your own. That’s what cooking is all about!
Using Raw or Cooked Seafood
When making ceviche, it’s common to use raw seafood, which is then “cooked” in a mixture of lemon and lime juice that is highly acidic. The acidity from the citrus cures the fish, transforming its proteins and causing it to become firm and opaque while also absorbing flavor.
For this recipe, raw shrimp is used, but if you prefer, you can use cooked shrimp, you can.
If using cooked shrimp, you only need to marinate everything for 15 minutes.
You can also use other seafood, such as sea bass, snapper, mahi mahi, tuna, cod, scallops, and halibut.
- Raw shrimp: I used medium raw shrimp that already comes peeled and deveined to save some time. You can really use any size shrimp you prefer; just make sure they’re peeled and deveined. See notes if you want to use cooked shrimp.
- Lemon and lime juice: Ceviche needs large amounts of citrus juice to cure the shrimp and fully “cook” it with the acidity. I used fresh lemons and limes for the best flavor.
- Red onion: Has a great flavor when eaten raw and adds color and brightness.
- Jalapeño: I added jalapeño for a touch of spice. You can leave the seeds in if you like it spicy, or you can omit this altogether. Use serrano peppers if you want it extra spicy.
- Garlic: Adds more depth of flavor and helps bring all the flavors of the vegetables together.
- Roma tomatoes: Adds a garden-fresh flavor that isn’t overpowering.
- Cucumber: I love adding cucumbers for their refreshing taste and crunch.
- Cilantro: Adds a fresh herb flavor to the ceviche.
- Salt and black pepper: I use kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Tostadas or tortilla chips: Ceviche is traditionally eaten with tostada shells or tortilla chips since all the ingredients are finely chopped.