Shrimp Ceviche is a delicious Peruvian-inspired no-cook shrimp salad recipe served cold, perfect for a hot day as a light meal or appetizer. Ceviche is traditionally made with raw seafood, but this version cheats just a bit. Using cooked shrimp, which is readily available at any grocery store, means you don’t have to worry about letting it marinate for a long time or using expensive sushi-grade fish.
Ceviche is so refreshing, healthy, and takes mere minutes to make. It’s packed with lean protein from the shrimp, healthy veggies, and marinates in a simple citrus-based dressing.
This version has mango in it for a slightly sweet addition that’s absolutely delicious. It also uses both the juice and zest of limes, lemons, and an orange, which amps up the citrus flavor without adding more acidity. It’s the perfect easy summer recipe, especially since NO COOKING is needed!
You’ll love this version of ceviche that’s made with cooked shrimp, so you don’t have to worry about dealing with raw fish or raw shellfish. As a bonus, this also makes it faster, easier, and cheaper to whip up at a moment’s notice!
What is Ceviche?
Ceviche is a Peruvian dish traditionally made with raw fish or shellfish. The fish is cut up, then marinated in a lime or citrus juice mixture for at least thirty minutes, then mixed with veggies/fruit. The citrus juice “cooks” the fish in a way – its acidity changes structures in the protein of the fish, just like heat would, but without using any heat. So you’ll end up with a texture that resembles a cold, cooked seafood!
Why use Cooked Shrimp for Ceviche?
It’s a common misconception that the acidity in the lime juice kills any bacteria or parasites that may be present in the fish. It’s important to note: lime juice does not kill parasites in the fish, even though it changes the texture to be “cooked.” Killing parasites requires heat or a deep freeze. And it only kills some of the bacteria.
So, to make ceviche traditionally but safely, you should use a sushi-grade fish, which is fish that has been frozen at a very low temperature to kill parasites, which can lessen the risk. There are also different types of fish that are unlikely to have parasites, such as tuna (which is why it’s served often seared and rare!) and farm-raised salmon.
The simple solution to this problem? Use already cooked shrimp! It’s easy to find already cooked at any grocery store and you won’t have to worry or spend a bunch of money. Plus, you won’t need to let it marinate for a longer time to “cook” it in the lime juice – just mix everything up, let it sit for about 10 minutes while you prep the other ingredients, and you’re good to go! (Though it can marinate longer, if you’re making it in advance.)
Ingredients in Shrimp Ceviche
- Cooked Shrimp Meat – peeled and tail off. I used tiny cooked shrimp, since they are cheaper! Cut large shrimp up into pieces. See FAQs below for raw.
- Lime juice and zest
- Lemon juice and zest
- Orange juice and zest
- Jalapeño pepper – With ribs and seeds removed, it shouldn’t be very spicy. Leave seeds in for a spicy version, or use another hot pepper like a Serrano.
- Red Onion – or sweet onion
- Cucumber
- Mango – I prefer a ripe, but not too ripe mango here. I like it on the firmer side and not too sweet in this savory recipe. Here’s how to cut up a mango!
- Avocado
- Tomatoes
- Cilantro – this is optional; omit if you don’t like cilantro.
There are so many different ingredient combinations for ceviche, so you can take this list with a grain of salt. Feel free to play around with the ingredients – omit any of the fruits or veggies you aren’t a fan of, or add some more that you have in your fridge!
How to make Shrimp Ceviche
- First, zest the citrus into a large bowl. Then, juice them and add the juice to the bowl, along with some salt, and whisk together.
- Add the shrimp, onions, and jalapeño and mix together well. Let that sit for at least 10 minutes (or up to two hours in the fridge).
- While the shrimp is marinating, prep the other ingredients.
- Add the cucumber, mango, avocado, tomatoes, and cilantro just before serving.
- Mix together and serve!
FAQs
I love serving ceviche with some simple tortilla chips. It’s extra delicious if you make homemade tortilla chips (which is actually really easy!). You can also serve it on a tostada, with plantain chips, or on lettuce wraps or crackers. Or, just dive in there with a spoon!
The ingredients in ceviche can be prepped in advance, but it’s best served within two hours of making. This is because the lime juice may overcook the seafood if it sits for longer. Leftovers that marinate longer are still delicious, but for best results, serve within 2 hours (this applies to both raw and cooked seafood ingredients). Be sure to eat leftovers within 24 hours after defrosting the shrimp. Previously frozen seafood should always be consumed within 24 hours.
Definitely! If using raw shrimp, make sure you use sushi grade shrimp and proceed with the directions as written (it will need about 30 minutes – 1 hour to marinate with the citrus juice, onions, and jalapeño to fully cook). You will know it’s “cooked” when it’s opaque and pink.
If you want to use cooked shrimp for this recipe but only have raw, just boil it for 1-2 minutes in salted water. Then, remove it with a slotted spoon and place in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain, pat dry, and proceed with the recipe as written.
Other fast summer seafood recipes
- Shrimp and Orzo Salad
- Seared Tuna Steaks
- Blackened Tilapia with Avocado Cucumber Salad
- Sea Bass with Lemon Garlic Herb Sauce
- Blackened Shrimp Tacos
Other savory recipes with mango
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Easy Shrimp Ceviche
Equipment
- Citrus Juicer
Ingredients
- 1 orange (zest and juice)
- 2 limes (zest and juice) (about 1/4 cup juice)
- 2 lemons (zest and juice) (about 1/4 cup juice)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more if needed
- 1 lb. cooked shrimp meat (see notes)
- ½ cup finely diced red onion
- 1 jalapeño pepper seeds and ribs removed and diced finely
- 1 cup diced cucumber (about 1 cucumber, peeled and seeded)
- 1 cup diced mango (from about 1 mango)
- 1 cup diced fresh tomatoes (from about 2 medium tomatoes)
- 1 avocado peeled, pitted, and diced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the zest and juice of the orange, limes, and lemons, with the salt (½ teaspoon). Pat the shrimp dry, if it's wet from defrosting or cooking (see notes). Mix in the shrimp, the diced red onion (1/2 cup), and the diced jalapeño. Allow to sit for at least 10 minutes (this is a good time to prep the remaining ingredients!).
- Just before serving, add the remaining ingredients (1 diced cucumber, 1 diced mango, 1 cup diced tomatoes, 1 diced avocado, and 1/4 cup cilantro, if using).
- Stir together and serve on its own or with tortilla chips, lettuce wraps, crackers, or on a tostada.
Notes
- This recipe serves 8-10 as a starter and 4-6 as a light main. Nutrition information is calculated for 8 servings.
- A note on the shrimp: This is a good opportunity to buy pre-cooked shrimp to save time, readily available at most grocery stores in the frozen seafood section. Use any size you want, but I think smaller pieces are better here, and they’re usually cheaper, too! Cut larger shrimp down into smaller pieces if using. Try to find cooked shrimp that already is peeled with the tail off to save time. Defrost fully before using; leave frozen shrimp overnight in the fridge or run them under cold water in a colander for a few minutes until thawed. Try to shake off and pat dry as much of the water as you can from them before using for this recipe.
- To cook raw shrimp for this recipe, boil for 1-2 minutes, depending on size, in salted water, and remove with a slotted spoon to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain, pat dry, and use.
- Make ahead instructions: You don’t want to let the shrimp sit in the citrus juice for more than a couple hours, since it may cook it too much and affect the texture. To make ahead, just prep all of your ingredients, mix together the shrimp, onion, jalapeño, and citrus juice and salt up to 2 hours before you plan on serving, and mix in the remaining prepped ingredients just before serving. Be sure to use defrosted shrimp within 24 hours of defrosting.
- Be sure to consume leftovers within 24 hours. Previously frozen shrimp (and other seafood) should not be eaten after 24 hours post defrosting.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and reflects one serving of the recipe (total servings indicated at top of recipe card). It does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
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