Mexican · Free
Shrimp Ceviche
Plump shrimp cured in fresh lime juice with crisp cucumber, tomato, and avocado for a bright, refreshing no-cook dish. Cool, tangy, and perfect scooped up with tostadas on a hot day.
****+
Prep 25 min · Cook 0 min
Method
Chop the raw shrimp into small bite-size pieces, about half an inch each, so the lime juice can cure them quickly and evenly.
Place the shrimp in a glass or ceramic bowl and pour the lime juice over them until they are fully submerged.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring once halfway; the shrimp are ready when they turn opaque pink all the way through, as if cooked.
While the shrimp cure, dice the tomato, cucumber, red onion, jalapeno, and cilantro and place them in a separate large bowl.
Once the shrimp are opaque, drain off and discard about half of the lime juice so the ceviche is not too watery.
Add the cured shrimp and the remaining lime juice to the bowl of chopped vegetables and toss gently to combine.
Season with the salt and stir in the clam juice or ketchup if you like a slightly sweet, saucy ceviche.
Gently fold in the diced avocado last so it stays in neat pieces rather than turning to mush.
Taste and adjust with more salt or lime until it is bright and balanced, then chill for 10 more minutes before serving.
Spoon the ceviche onto crisp tostada shells and eat right away while everything is cold and fresh.
Chef's tips
- Use the freshest shrimp you can find, since the lime juice cures rather than heat-cooks them.
- Always cure ceviche in a non-reactive glass or ceramic bowl, as metal can give the citrus a tinny taste.
- Ceviche is best eaten the day it is made; the texture softens if it sits overnight.
Cooking times vary by equipment -- cook to temperature and to taste.
