Easy Shrimp Ceviche with Avocado

This delicious Mexican Shrimp Ceviche recipe is incredibly quick and easy to make at home! Cooked shrimp, avocado, tomatoes, cucumber, cilantro, and fresh citrus juices marinate together to create a vibrant medley of flavors. Served for a Cinco de Mayo celebration, acting as a low-carb topping, or eaten straight by the spoonful, it’ll bring a bright pop of color and flavor to any meal!

Every time we go out to eat at a fancier Mexican restaurant, a freshly made ceviche is ALWAYS a must-order off the menu!

Whether it’s fish or shrimp ceviche doesn’t matter. Made right, they all serve as a perfectly refreshing, low-carb dish to accompany any meal.

Nothing could ever beat the incredibly fresh, authentic ceviche that we had while visiting Costa Rica this past summer. But this homemade version, carefully crafted, has come to be a very close second!

Fresh shrimp are the key to making the most of this vibrant diced vegetable medley, all soaked in the bright acidity of citrus juice. 

It’s perfect to serve as a dip or light appetizer for a Cinco de Mayo celebration, or even as a healthy meal prep to eat throughout the week! I can personally confirm, it’s also delicious served on top of grilled chicken breast, or as a surf and turf alongside a Filet Mignon or Steak Fajitas.

Ingredients

The simple ingredients you need to make this Shrimp Ceviche recipe include:

• Shrimp. Either white or pink shrimp can be used for this recipe. However, fresh shrimp that haven’t been frozen will taste the best, and wild shrimp will be the healthiest while in season. If they can’t be found, frozen or farm-raised will do.
• Citrus. A blend of fresh lemon, lime, and orange juice is used as the base for the marinade. The acidity is what would typically “cook” the shrimp, but it also adds brightness and flavor to the ceviche. Freshly juiced citrus is the best option for this recipe, for its clean, vibrant flavor compared to bottled juices. 
• Onion. A red onion is used here for color, but a sweet or white onion will also do.
• Tomatoes. Any type of fresh tomato will work for this recipe, whether of the vine-ripened, de-seeded, cherry, or grape variety.
• Cucumber. An English seedless cucumber is the best kind to use when making ceviche. Their uniform shape makes them easy to dice, and you can choose to leave the skin on or peel it before chopping.
• Avocado. Mixed in at the very end, this creamy addition helps to balance out the crunch of the cucumbers and onions. Don’t leave this out!
• Cilantro. Fresh cilantro is finely chopped, to add a wonderfully fresh herbal flavor. Cilantro is typically used in many authentic Mexican ceviche recipes.
• Chiles. Jalapeño peppers were used for this recipe, but are completely optional if you don’t like your ceviche spicy. It can also be substituted with serrano pepper, multiple jalapeños, or whatever variety is preferred to bump up the spice level. 

Note: The recipe below is based on medium-sized, 20/24-count shrimp. If using larger or smaller shrimp, the cooking time will need to be adjusted accordingly.

How to Make Mexican Shrimp Ceviche

These are the steps to follow to make this Shrimp Ceviche recipe. Please see the recipe card below for more detailed ingredient amounts.

Boil Shrimp

Most ceviche recipes start with raw seafood which is “cooked” by the acidic marinade through a process called denaturation.

This recipe, however, will ask you to boil the shrimp ahead for 1-2 minutes before allowing the marinade to finish the job. This ensures they are cooked all the way through, and that any potential bad bacteria has been killed. 

This also speeds up the preparation time for the ceviche overall, by shortening the amount of time the shrimp must marinate.

To boil the shrimp, make sure that they have been peeled, deveined, and had their tails removed.

Bring a medium to large pot of water to a boil on the stovetop. Add the shrimp carefully, and let them boil for 1-2 minutes.

Once they turn pink and begin to curl, drain them immediately into a strainer, and set them aside to cool. Be sure not to over-cook them, or they can turn rubbery instead of soft. 

Make Marinade

Cut the citrus fruits into halves or quarters, depending on size, and juice them all into individual containers for more accurate measurement. Combine the citrus juices, olive oil, and salt in a very large bowl.

Before adding the shrimp, taste-test the marinade by using a small piece of cucumber or lettuce. Adjust to taste, if needed.

When the shrimp are cooled completely to room temperature, chop them into small, bite-sized pieces and toss them in the marinade. Allow the shrimp to marinate in the bowl for 10 minutes in the refrigerator.

Chop and Mix

While the shrimp are marinating, dice the tomatoes, cucumber, and onion into bite-sized pieces. Carefully seed and mince the chiles, if using them.

Mix the vegetables in with the shrimp and marinade, tossing well to ensure even coverage. Allow the ceviche to marinate in the fridge for another 10 minutes.

While waiting, dice the avocado and mince the cilantro. Stir them in with the rest of the ceviche just before serving.

Enjoy!

Meal Prep and Storage

• To Prep-Ahead: Shrimp ceviche ingredients can be prepared up to a day or two in advance if stored in the fridge, but wait to mix in the marinade, cilantro, and avocado until ready to serve.
• To Store: Place leftovers in an airtight container with the surface covered by plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. The plastic keeps the avocado from being exposed to air and turning brown.
• To Freeze: Given the delicate nature of so many of the ingredients, it is not recommended to freeze shrimp ceviche.

FAQs

Expert Tips and Tricks

• Chop it evenly. It’s important to dice all of the ingredients to roughly the same size, so they can marinate evenly and be distributed through each bite.
• Use multiple acids. Using both lemon, lime, and orange juice gives ceviche a well-rounded, refreshing flavor that lime juice alone can’t create.
• Boil the shrimp. While unconventional, pre-boiling the shrimp shortens the marinating time and kills any lingering bacteria clinging to them.
• Add creamy avocado. Many ceviche ingredients are crisp and crunchy, so tossing in some avocado adds a nice soft, creamy texture to the dip.
• Make homemade chips. Baked tortilla chips are perfect for scooping up ceviche, but are also extremely easy and healthy to make yourself!

Make it a Meal

Shrimp ceviche is traditionally served as a dish with Baked Tortilla Chips, but there are many other ways to enjoy this low-carb recipe:

• It can be paired alongside a grilled chicken breast, Filet Mignon, or Steak Fajitas for an amazing surf and turf.
• Serve it as a light and refreshing protein to accompany Cilantro Lime Rice. 
• The bright, delicate flavors of the ceviche can also be left to shine on their own, made into lettuce-wrap tacos. It can also be enjoyed directly, by the spoonful!

More Mexican Dip Recipes

Shrimp ceviche is just one of many bright and flavorful dip or salsa recipes that can be enjoyed, whether for Cinco de Mayo or a weekday treat:

• Avocado Corn Salad
• Black Bean and Corn Salsa Dip
• Easy Homemade Guacamole
• Easy Mexican Street Corn Salad
• Fresh Tomato Salsa
• Roasted Tomato Salsa
• Tomatillo Salsa Verde
• Pineapple Pico de Gallo
• Fresh Mango Avocado Salsa