This shrimp ceviche recipe is fresh shrimp marinated with cucumber, red onions, cilantro, avocado and diced jalapenos. It takes just minutes to make and is full of bold and zesty flavors.
Serve this shrimp ceviche as an appetizer or a light meal, it’s perfect for any occasion! I’m constantly looking for more ways to incorporate seafood into my family’s diet, I often make garlic butter shrimp, honey garlic salmon or ceviche for a quick and healthful dinner.
I am a huge seafood fan, and am always looking for new quick and easy seafood recipes. I keep a bag of cooked shrimp in the freezer. It’s so convenient to have on hand to thaw and use in salads, stir fries and appetizer recipes. This shrimp ceviche is super flavorful and can be made in just minutes. It’s a great dish for days when you want a light and fresh meal or appetizer without a lot of fuss.
Make a seafood appetizer platter with some of my favorite snacks like bang bang shrimp, Maryland crab cakes and bacon wrapped shrimp.
Table of Contents
Shrimp Ceviche Ingredients?
When you make shrimp ceviche you need shrimp, red onion, jalapeno, cucumber, Roma tomatoes, cilantro, avocado, lime juice, lemon juice, orange juice, salt and tortilla chips.
How Do You Make Shrimp Ceviche?
To make this shrimp ceviche recipe with cooked shrimp start by placing shrimp in a medium bowl with sliced red onion, minced jalapeno, diced cucumber, diced tomatoes, chopped cilantro and chopped avocado. Next, pour lime juice, lemon juice and orange juice over the mixture. Add salt. Gently toss the shrimp mixture to coat it in the juices. Finally, cover the bowl and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes. Serve the ceviche with chips and enjoy.
If you make shrimp ceviche with raw shrimp you need to place the raw shrimp in a bowl. Pour lime juice and lemon juice over the shrimp. Cover the bowl and place it in a refrigerator until the shrimp turns pink and has a firm texture. This process could take between 20 minutes to 2 hours depending on the size of the shrimp. Next place the shrimp and the acidic marinade in a large bowl and add red onion, jalapeno, cucumber, tomatoes, cilantro, avocado, orange juice and salt. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Then serve and enjoy.
Tips For The Perfect Shrimp Ceviche
- I use a mandoline to thinly slice the red onion in this recipe.
- Your ceviche will need to marinate for at least 30 minutes, so plan accordingly!
- You can make shrimp ceviche up to 8 hours before you plan to serve it. If you’re preparing your ceviche in advance, omit the avocado and stir it in at the last minute.
- If you use raw shrimp, make sure to devein them. Simply cut out the the vein in the with a paring knife and rinse the shrimp.
- Make sure your shrimp are peeled before placing them in the citrus juices.
- Removing the ribs and seeds from your jalapeno will significantly reduce the heat of the pepper. If you prefer spicy food, keep some of the seeds and ribs in the pepper when you dice it up.
Quick Tip
I like to use small, bite sized shrimp to make the ceviche easier to eat. You can also use larger shrimp that have been cut into pieces.
Recipe FAQs
You can make ceviche with raw or cooked shrimp. When you coat raw shrimp in citrus juice, the juice will “cook” the shrimp because the acid in the juice will turn the shrimp firm and pink just as if it you had heated it. However, I find it just as easy and flavorful to use pre-cooked shrimp. If you prefer, you can use raw shrimp.
Shrimp ceviche is best eaten within 1-2 days of preparation. I really recommend enjoying your ceviche leftovers on the day you make it, as the avocado may start to break down and turn brown with extended storage.
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Shrimp Ceviche Variations
The beauty of shrimp ceviche is that it’s so easy to customize the flavors to your tastes. Sometimes I mix up this recipe by adding different types of seafood, vegetables, or even fruit!
- Seafood: You can substitute part of the shrimp with pieces of firm white fish, halibut, sea bass, snapper, bay scallops or even sliced cooked octopus.
- Vegetables: I often add other vegetables such as red bell pepper or green onions.
- Fruit: Ceviche pairs really well with fruit for a tropical flavor. Omit the tomato, and instead try some diced mango or pineapple.
- Spicier: For a spicier ceviche you can substitute the jalapeno peppers for serrano peppers.
- Sides: You can serve this ceviche with tortilla chips, as the recipe calls for, or you can enjoy your ceviche with plantain chips, yucca chips, potato chips or saltine crackers. You can also pile the ceviche on tostada shells and make delicious seafood tostadas with Chipotle guacamole.
Shrimp ceviche can be on the pricey side when you order it in a restaurant. This homemade version has all the same great flavors at a fraction of the price, and you won’t believe how easy it is to make!
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Shrimp Ceviche Video
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Shrimp Ceviche
Ingredients
- 2 pounds shrimp cooked or raw (I use cooked)
- 1/2 cup red onion thinly sliced
- 1 jalapeno ribs and seeds removed, then minced
- 3/4 cup cucumber diced
- 1 cup Roma tomatoes seeded and diced
- 3/4 cup cilantro leaves chopped
- 1 avocado peeled, seeded and chopped
- 1/2 cup lime juice use 3/4 cup of lime juice if you’re using raw shrimp, use 1/2 cup if you’re using cooked shrimp
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/3 cup orange juice
- salt to taste
- tortilla chips for serving
Instructions
For cooked shrimp
- Place the shrimp, red onion, jalapeno, cucumber, tomatoes, cilantro and avocado in a bowl.
- Pour the lime, lemon and orange juice over the shrimp mixture. Add salt to taste. Gently toss to coat.
- Cover your ceviche and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours. If you plan to refrigerate your ceviche for longer than 30 minutes, omit the avocado and add it right before serving. Serve chilled with tortilla chips if desired.
For raw shrimp
- Place the shrimp, 3/4 cup lime juice and lemon juice in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, or until shrimp turn pink and opaque. This process can take up to 2 hours depending on the size of your shrimp, so plan accordingly.
- Add the red onion, jalapeno, cucumber, tomatoes, cilantro, avocado, orange juice and salt to the shrimp mixture. Stir to combine.
- Cover your ceviche and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours. If you plan to refrigerate your ceviche for longer than 30 minutes, omit the avocado and add it right before serving.
- Serve chilled with tortilla chips if desired.
Notes
- I like to use small, bite sized shrimp to make the ceviche easier to eat. You can also use larger shrimp that have been cut into pieces.
- I use a mandoline to thinly slice the red onion in this recipe.
- Your ceviche will need to marinate for at least 30 minutes, so plan accordingly!
Aweeeeemaaaaaaaziiiing!!!! I will serve at all my party events in Fresno,Cali at Kealoha Events!!!!!
Do I use the juice the shrimp is marinating in?
You can serve the shrimp in the liquid!
I have made this several times now and think it’s great. It’s the perfect dish to make ahead for a gathering, especially since it is served cold. I used cherry tomatoes, and if you think you have a crowd that doesn’t like cilantro, I have also use parsley. Definitely best to make ahead of time and let the flavors marinate. Thanks for the great recipe.
Your recipes are always so beautiful! Thanks for sharing this!
When using precooked shrimp, does the texture of the shrimp change after marinating for hours?
I have gone so far as to use premade Whole Foods or grocery store Ceviche – either mango or spicy. Then I freshen it up with lime, lemon and o.j. plus whatever I have around that works. Its always wonderful. Your recipe was my inspiration and I have of course made it just the way you say and love it. But there are times I am just too rushed. Whatever works is good.
Amazing recipe! Seemed like 2 lbs of the baby shrimp was a lot so I didn’t use all of the shrimp. We’ll see!
I’ve made variations of this recipe a few times now, always a winner! I pre-make pico de gallo and use 1 part orange juice to the lemon and lime juice. If you’re using mango/pineapple/other fruit and omitting the tomatoes, definitely add the orange juice. I prefer raw shrimp as it seems to last longer, but quite honestly, this never lasts more than a full day!
I used 2 lbs raw shrimp. Didn’t have cilantro. Instead I put in curly cress, arugula and young radish greens. It was amazing, oh and I sliced off very thin slices of lemon peel from the lemons I’d squeezed for color and surprise taste. That was really good in this recipe.
Can this be made a day ahead using the raw shrimp? Trying to avoid tough shrimp.
Yes that should be fine!
OMG I have made this 3 times and will be making it again for the Super bowl! This recipe is amazing and delicious!
I was craving ceviche, so I made your recipe. OMG, it was AMAZING. My husband couldn’t get over how good it was and was so impressed that I made it. I served it with wonton crackers I made in my air fryer.
Very tasty recipe! I served it as an appetizer in a stemmed wine glass. It looked very fancy!
I love this recipe 😋. Super simple to make and juts delicious. I have made this ceviche many times and always use this recipe. My family and friends love it
Best ceviche recipe! I substitute the cucumber for mango. So refreshing and easy.
Great recipe, but I suggest cutting the shrimp into thirds, if you want to eat it with chips.
I recommend using raw shrimp, I like the small ones about the size of a peanut shell. Ceviche is traditionally a way of cooking using acid so the precooking is semi unnecessary, and in my opinion I think the non cooked shrimp come out a bit more tender.
Pre cooked shrimp are definitely more accessible though, and I think frozen shimp are great. I sometimes buy a 1lb bag at big lots for a few dollars just as a snack 😉
I used baby shrimp 1 pound, BOILED for 4 minutes then mixed everything together 30 mins before a get together on cinco de mayo, DELICIOUS.