This Spicy Shrimp Ceviche is light, fresh, and comes together in about 20 minutes! There’s tender shrimp mixed with tomatoes, onion, cucumber, cilantro, lime juice, avocado, and a little habanero for spice. Best of all, you don’t have to turn on the oven to get dinner on the table. Salud!
“Iโm no wizard in the kitchen but this recipe was not only super easy and freaking delicious but I thought I metaphysically transformed into Gordon Ramsey himself. Ingredients and instructions are true to the point.” – Rob, So Much Food reader
Table of contents
Ceviche Is the Perfect Appetizer on Hot Summer Days
Instead of paying out the nose for ceviche at a fancy restaurant, make it yourself with a handful of basic ingredients in 20 minutes flat!
This spicy ceviche is made by curing shrimp in fresh lime juice, then tossing it with a rainbow of vegetables like avocado, cucumber, red onion, and tomato. When creating this recipe, I drew inspiration from elements of Peruvian and Mexican ceviches to create a dish that โ while not authentic โ is both filling and refreshing.
I love serving this shrimp avocado ceviche at dinner parties and bbqs. It’s one of those dishes that tastes and looks elevated yet is so incredibly simple to prepare! So long as you use the freshest ingredients available to you, your ceviche will be delicious.
Is Ceviche Safe to Eat? Yes, Here’s Why!
There is always a very small assumed risk when eating technically raw seafood like oysters, sashimi, carpaccio, etc. Be sure to purchase your shrimp from a reputable source โ somewhere clean and tidy that stores their fish on ice.
When making shrimp ceviche, make sure your workstation is clean and that your shrimp stays very cold. Ceviche should always be served right away; it’s not a dish to be made ahead!
Ingredients You’ll Need
You can find the full list of ingredients, quantities, and method in the recipe card at the end of the page.
- Shrimp. Using fresh shrimp is of the utmost importance! Make sure your shrimp smells fresh and buy from a reputable source. Raw fish should always be stored on ice at the store.
- Lime juice. Lime juice is key here! Always use fresh lime juice, nothing from a little green bottle sitting on the shelves at the store. Lime juice “cooks” the shrimp and adds flavor.
- Veggies. I’m using tomato, cucumber, red onion, and avocado here, but you can swap in your favorite ingredients. I love ceviche because it’s so easy to customize.
- Cilantro. Cilantro is a must because it adds so much freshness to the ceviche.
- Habanero. Habanero is a small, spicy orange pepper. It has a fruity flavor that I love for ceviche. While it is spicy, the lime juice helps temper the heat of the habaรฑero. If you want to tone the heat down a bit, swap in jalapeรฑo or serrano.
Tools Needed
How to Make Shrimp Ceviche at Home
- Prepare your shrimp. I personally like to halve my shrimp lengthwise to help stretch the shrimp. They also cure faster this way. In any case, you want your shrimp in bite-sized pieces.
- Marinate. The shrimp will marinate solo in a portion of the lime juice for about 15-20 minutes. You’ll know they’re “cooked” when they’re opaque.
- Meanwhile, chop your veggies. While the shrimp marinates, chop up all your veggies and set them aside.
- Combine. Drain the lime juice from your shrimp and then combine it with your chopped veggies, cilantro, and habaรฑero. Add a bit more lime juice, some olive oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
FAQs about Spicy Shrimp Ceviche
Is the shrimp in ceviche raw or cooked?
Technically, it’s both! As the pieces of fish sit in the marinade, the citric acid from the juice slowly causes the flesh’s proteins to denature, in very much the same way that heating will. The result is raw shrimp with an opaque appearance and firmed texture of cooked fish.
Can you freeze shrimp ceviche?
Definitely no. The longer the shrimp sits in the lime juice, the more the proteins in the shrimp break down. Ceviche needs to be served ASAP so that the shrimp doesn’t turn mushy and inedible. I only make enough to accommodate the number of people eating and no more.
Can this ceviche be made ahead of time?
Again, no. You can chop your veggies ahead of time and chop up your shrimp, but keep them separate. 20 minutes before serving, mix your shrimp with the lime juice for 20 minutes, then drain, mix with the veggies, and finish the recipe as written. If the shrimp sits in lime juice for too long, it’ll become mushy and unpleasant to eat.
What to Serve with Ceviche
I love serving this ceviche with tortilla chips for dipping, or I’ll spoon the mixture onto tostadas for a more portable bite. I often eat ceviche as an appetizer, then I’ll follow it up with the following:
If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
More Easy Shrimp Recipes to Make
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Spicy Shrimp Ceviche Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs. raw 21-25ct shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice, divided
- 1 beefsteak tomato, finely diced
- 2 Persian cucumbers, finely diced
- 1/2 red onion, finely diced
- 1 avocado, diced
- 2 habaรฑero peppers, seeds removed and minced
- 1/3 cup minced cilantro leaves
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Tortilla Chips, for serving
Instructions
- "Cook" the shrimp. Combine shrimp in a non-reactive glass bowl with 1/2 cup lime juice. Cover with plastic wrap so that the plastic wrap is touching the surface of the shrimp and keeping it submerged in the lime juice. Transfer the bowl to the fridge for 20-30 minutes, the shrimp should be opaque and no longer raw looking.
- Assemble the ceviche. Drain lime juice from the shrimp and toss it with the remaining ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with tortilla chips.
Rate & Review This Recipe
[…] Spicy Shrimp Ceviche โ SO MUCH FOOD […]
Super fresh and delicious!
Made this for a cookout and it was SO good!!! I doubled the shrimp so next time will add more habanero! I served with plantain chips. Soooo refreshing and yummy!
Love this! Sounds so good with plantain chips!
Iโm no wizard in the kitchen but this recipe was not only super easy and freaking delicious but I thought I metaphysically transformed into Gordon Ramsey himself. Ingredients and instructions are true to the point. Great way to get the party started and get some kudos along the way ๐ Great recipe Jen many thanks!
Yay! So happy you loved the recipe!