Shrimp Ceviche – A Light and Refreshing Appetizer Recipe

On New Year’s Eve, we always have one shrimp appetizer, and this year we will be serving my favorite Shrimp Ceviche recipe.

As much as I love shrimp cocktail, Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp, and Bacon Wrapped Shrimp, there is just something refreshing about taking a bite into what the kids like to call ‘shrimp salsa’.

And I would have to agree with them, that it is like a fresh salsa recipe. If you have never heard of this dish, let me explain. Shrimp is marinated in lime juice and tossed with diced vegetables and served with tortilla chips or baguettes.

Sounds pretty easy, right? There is no cooking or steaming of the shrimp. Just dice everything together and you have a delicious, and addicting appetizer to share with family and friends.

How to Make Shrimp Ceviche

Ingredients

• Shrimp
• Lime Juice
• Roma Tomatoes
• Avocado
• Jalapeno Pepper
• Cucumber
• Red Onion
• Cilantro
• Salt and Pepper

The first question that I always get asked when I share this recipe is about the shrimp. This recipe ‘requires’ you to use a pound of raw shrimp. That is because the shrimp gets cooked when it soaks in the acidic lime juice.

This method will make for the best, most tender Shrimp Ceviche. However, with that being said, if you prefer to use pre-cooked shrimp, by all means, do so!

I have used leftover shrimp from a shrimp cocktail tray to make this recipe the next day. And although the pieces of shrimp weren’t as tender, it was still absolutely delicious.

And the next question that comes is about the jalapeno pepper. If you don’t like a little spice in your recipes, be sure to remove the ribs and seeds before dicing the pepper. On the contrary, if you enjoy a little heat, keep them in or use Serrano peppers instead.

Instructions

If you are going to use raw shrimp, make sure to peel and devein them. You can purchase fresh shrimp at the Seafood counter and sometimes they will already be peeled and deveined.

However, I typically buy a bag of frozen, wild caught shrimp in the Seafood freezer section at the grocery store. They are raw, peeled and deveined. They only thing that I have to do is thaw and cut into bite size pieces.

Speaking of cutting the shrimp, some people to prefer to leave them whole in a Shrimp Ceviche recipe. Although the presentation looks stunning, I find it more practical to cut them into pieces so that I can scoop them up with a tortilla chip.

Now that your shrimp is ready, it is time to soak them in lime juice. As mentioned above, the acid from the citrus juice will ‘cook’ the shrimp while it marinades. You will notice that the shrimp will turn opaque and slightly pink in color after soaking for 30 minutes to an hour.

While you wait, chop the vegetables into finely diced pieces and add them to a large serving bowl.

How to Dice An Avocado

Remember that it is easiest to dice an avocado while still in the skin. Cut the avocado in half and cut each half in a criss-cross pattern. Then use a large spoon to remove the diced pieces into the bowl.

Once all your vegetables are in the bowl, salt and pepper to taste and gently toss the mixture. Then add the shrimp and lime juice and toss again.

Now you are ready to serve the Shrimp Ceviche with tortilla chips or baguette slices.

Can You Make This Ahead Of Time?

Although this is best to serve fresh, you can make this recipe a few hours before you are ready to serve. However, don’t cut and add the avocados until serving time to prevent them from browning.

This recipe does not store well, so it is best eaten the day that you make it.

Enjoy!

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