Ceviche is one of my favorite quick dishes to make. It consists of pieces of fish or shrimp marinated and "cooked" in citrus. I make this easy shrimp ceviche at least once a week. I add a few ingredients from our cuisine to make it Puerto Rican Ceviche.
This Easy Shrimp Ceviche pairs well with this Blood Orange Margarita!
What is Ceviche?
Ceviche, Sebiche, Cebiche or Seviche is a seafood dish that is cured in citrus juices that originated in Peru.
The traditional Peruvian ceviche is made of chunks of raw fish, marinated in freshly squeezed key lime, with sliced onions, chili peppers, salt and pepper.
Corvina or cebo (sea bass) was the fish commonly used. Then it marinated for about 3 hours.
In the Caribbean, ceviche is often made using mahi-mahi cured with lime juice, salt, onion, green pepper, habanero, and a touch of allspice. Squid and tuna are also popular.
In Puerto Rico and other places in the Caribbean, the dish is prepared with coconut milk. (source: Wiki). For this Easy Shrimp Ceviche I won't be using coconut milk.
Ingredients to Make Ceviche
**See the Recipe Card below for detailed measurements and directions**
- Argentinian Shrimp - These are the star of your dish so you want to get quality shrimp. I like to use Argentinian Shrimp because they are plumply and slightly sweet. I usually buy them at Sam's or Trader Joe's.
- Lemons and Limes - These will "cook" the shrimp or fish. The skin of both lemon and limes should be bright not wrinkling and have a pleasant fragrance.
- Red Peppers - I like to use red peppers because they are mild and slightly sweet. This adds flavor without overshadowing the shrimp.
- Red Onions - Even though they are called Red Onions they are are actually purple-ish. They add a peppery - spicy flavor when you first bite into them.
- Green Onions - Also known as scallions. You can find these in your local grocery store and in Asian markets. I recommend the use both -the white and green part. I feel these add a mild onion flavor to the ceviche.
- Cucumber - These add crunch and slightly sweet flavor. Cucumber should not be bitter.
- Sofrito - I always add sofrito to almost everything. Sofrito is a fragrant veggie base condiment in our Puerto Rican cuisine. It adds a criollo flavor to the ceviche. Want to know how to make it at home? Here is my Sofrito Recipe.
- Puerto Rican Sazón - Sazón is another staple in our Puerto Rican cuisine. It's a mix of onion powder, garlic powder, salt, annatto powder, and coriander. You can make this at home and use it in your regular cooking. Here is my Sazón Recipe.
- Adobo - This is a staple as well in our Puerto Rican cooking. I put Adobo on everyhting, from eggs, to stews, rice! Here is my recipe for Puerto Rican Adobo.
- Cilantro - If you are one of the unlucky folks that Cilantro tastes like soap, just leave it out. Cilantro add an earthiness flavor to the ceviche. While Parsley won't have the same flavor that Cilantro has, it is an alternative.
- Avocado - self explanatory, it adds creaminess to the ceviche.
- Tostadas - any tostadas work for this recipe but I *prefer* Mission Tajin Tostadas.
- Sriracha - This gives the ceviche a kick. There is a shortage of the Huy Fong brand, so you can always use hot sauce or add jalapeños.
IMPORTANT TIP: Shrimp is found usually in the freezer section of the supermarket. Therefore, it will need to be thaw out. Make sure to get deveined and shelled shrimp. Place the bag in a shallow bowl or baking sheet and refrigerate overnight. For Quicker Thawing: Place bag in a bowl and fill with lukewarm water for 30 mins.
How to Make Ceviche
Here are the steps to make this Easy Shrimp Ceviche. This recipe comes together quickly. However since the shrimp needs to be "cooked" in the lime/lemon juice that is the step that will take the longest.
- Start by patting the shrimp dry. Cut into small cubes. Add to a large bowl
2. Add the lemon juice.
3. Add the lemon juice.
4. Lemon and lime juice should cover the shrimp this will "cook" it. Refrigerate for 30-45 mins. Shrimp color should be opaque and firm.
5. Add the red peppers, red and green onions, and cucumber. Mix throughly.
6. This is where you will add the seasonings: Sofrito, Sazón y Adobo. Mix throughly.
7. Add more seasoning if needed.
8. Add Cilantro, Avocado and Sriracha. Serve with the Tajín Tostadas.
Substitutions and Alternatives
You can make anything into ceviche. While my favorite is Shrimp here are other alternatives:
- Fish - Traditional Ceviche is made with raw white fish. If you use fish make sure that it is fresh or as fresh as you can find. Fish will be "cooked" with lemon/lime not with heat. It is still safe to eat.
- King or Oyster Mushrooms - This is a great alternative if you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet. These mushrooms can be found in the Asian Market.
- Langostino - Langostinos are neither a prawn or a lobster. They are closer to crabs. It tastes slightly sweet. It is also less expensive than lobster making a great substitution. Here is one of my most popular recipes using langostinos: Warm Langostino Rolls with Brown Truffle Butter!
Storage
Ceviche is not intended for leftovers. I usually don't recommend refrigerating ceviche because the overnight refrigeration will change the texture. BUT if you must, it can be refrigerated up to two days. Discard after that.
FAQ
The best fish to use are: Snapper, Sea Bass, Rockfish, Sole and Mahi Mahi. Langostinos, Lobster, Crawfish, King and Oyster mushrooms can be used as well.
Tostadas, Tostones, Plantain Chips, Soda Crackers, Pita Chips, White Rice, and Lettuce Leaves.
Ideally It should sit for at least 30 to 45 minutes. Shrimp/Fish is ready when it's no longer translucent and has turn into a pink and white color. With ceviche you don't have to worry about "overcooking".
Ceviche is best when it is cold or at room temperature.
Chenin Blanc, Riesling, Sparkling Wine, and Sauvignon Blanc. It also pairs well with a lager like Corona, Dos XX, and Modelo. A good crafted margarita is an excellent accompaniment.
Other Popular Puerto Rican Recipes
If you make this recipe I'd love to hear from you! Leave me a comment below.
📖 Recipe
Easy Shrimp Ceviche
Equipment
- Glass Bowl
- Citrus Juicer
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
- 16 oz Argentinian Raw + Deveined Shrimp Diced in ½ inch cubes
- 3 Large Lemons
- 3 Limes
- ⅓ cup Red Onions
- ⅓ cup Red Peppers
- ⅓ cup Scallions or Green Onions
- 1 tbsp Sofrito
- ⅓ cup Cucumber
- 1 tbsp Adobo Seasoning
- 1 tbsp Sazón
- Avocado + Cilantro
- Tajin Tostadas + Sriracha
Instructions
- IMPORTANT: Shrimp is found usually in the freezer section of the supermarket. Therefore, it will need to be thaw out. Make sure to get deveined and shelled shrimp. Place the shrimp bag in a shallow bowl or baking sheet and refrigerate overnight. For Quicker Thawing: Place bag in a bowl and fill with lukewarm water for 30 mins.
- Start by patting dry the Shrimp. Cut into small chunks. Add to a bowl.
- Add lime + lemon juice. Make sure that the shrimp is covered with the juice.
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap and Refrigerate for about 30-45 mins.
- Remove from the refrigerator.
- Add red pepper, red and green onions, cucumber. Mix well.
- Add seasonings: Adobo, Sazón and Sofrito. Mixx throughly. Add more seasoning if needed.
- Serve with Avocado and cilantro, in a tostada and top with Sriracha.
- Enjoy!
