Shrimp Ceviche

5 from 2 votes

This fresh and zippy shrimp ceviche is the no-cook appetizer of the summer. It’s bright, citrusy, just the right amount of spicy, and ridiculously easy to pull together. Perfect for a party, a light lunch, or a low-stress dinner when it’s too hot to turn on the stove.

Prep Time15

Cook Time0

Marinating Time4

Total Time4 15

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Mexican, South American

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: People

Author: Katie Workman

Ingredients

1 pound very fresh peeled and deveined medium to large shrimp
⅓ cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
⅓ cup minced bell pepper (any color)
½ cup minced red onion
1 avocado (diced)
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
dash hot sauce (or to taste)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

To Serve:

Tortilla or plantain chips or scoop sized pieces of lettuce such as bibb or butter

Instructions

Cut the shrimp into 1/4-inch dice. Place in a medium bowl.
Add the lime juice, honey, bell pepper, and red onion and toss to combine well. Marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours and up to 24, tossing when you have a chance.
Just before serving, gently stir in the avocado, cilantro or parsley, and hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve chilled in small bowls, or with chips, or on lettuce.

Notes

When fish or seafood gets marinated in something acidic, the acid in the marinade “cooks” the fish. The acid in the lime juice denatures the proteins in the shrimp in the same way that they break down when they are heated. So, in essence, the lime juice is in fact “cooking” the fish, only without heat.
Ceviche is best eaten between 4 and 24 hours after making. Keep ceviche in the fridge when marinating. Also, keep leftover ceviche refrigerated. Ceviche is best eaten within 48 hours of making.
However, the texture of ceviche will change as it sits in the acidic marinade, first with the seafood becoming firmer. Then, after about 24 hours, the acid in the lime juice will start to break down the shrimp, and it will begin to become mealy after a couple of days.

Nutrition