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This is my twist on a Latin favorite, an easy and simple recipe for the most refreshing shrimp ceviche that’s packed with flavor and is the perfect summer meal. You’ll find I do take some liberty with the preparation, but the end result is absolutely delicious!
During the summer months, I’m often overwhelmed by the thought of preparing a substantial dinner. To counter this, I put together a tasty and refreshing ceviche recipe I can prepare in advance. And it’s so good!
I infuse the ceviche with a blend of sweetness and spiciness, which I have found really flavors the shrimp and scallops. I stick with familiar summer ingredients like citrus juice, tomatoes, and cilantro, which really add to the final dish.
I’m well aware that the classic approach to making ceviche relies on citrus acids to ‘cook’ the raw seafood. However, I feel more confident in the gentle simmering method I’ve devised. In my rendition, I delicately poach the shrimp and scallops in citrus juice. I prefer the assurance that the seafood is cooked thoroughly. Additionally, I’ve discovered that this method really enhances the overall flavor of the final dish.
Why I Love This Recipe
- The flavors are really off the charts, I can never get enough!
- I’m able to prepare the ceviche a couple hours ahead of serving time, which makes it great for entertaining.
- The visual appeal, with all the colors has my eyes eating first.
If you love using shrimp in creative ways, give my air fryer bang bang shrimp a try or my shrimp taco salad. They are both delicious creations and very popular recipes!
Ingredients
These are all the ingredients I use for this easy shrimp ceviche recipe. The full, printable recipe can be found at the end of this post.
- Fresh Orange Juice: I use fresh orange juice to add a tangy and slightly sweet citrus note. It’s just not the same with store-bought juice.
- Fresh Lime Juice: The fresh lime juice adds a zesty acidity and a nice kick.
- Fresh Lemon Juice: This adds another layer of citrus brightness, contributing to the ceviche’s zingy taste. I love how this trifecta of citrus juice really makes this recipe amazing.
- Ketchup: I add ketchup for a touch of sweetness and as a rich tomato base. It really balances the flavors.
- Garlic: I can’t imagine making ceviche without garlic. It imparts depth and a mild pungency.
- Shrimp: The star ingredient, delivering a delicate and briny seafood flavor. I use extra large shrimp because I love how they look (curled up) after they’ve been poached.
- Bay Scallops: Complements the shrimp with their tender texture and subtle, sweet taste. I use baby scallops, if you can’t find them, buy the large ones and chop them into bite-sized pieces.
- Tomato: Adds juiciness, color, and a mild acidity.
- Red Onion: Adds a crisp texture and sharp, slightly spicy flavor. All the citrus juice in this recipe reallytones down any sharpness of the raw onion.
- White Onion: Has a milder onion flavor and a contrasting texture to the dish.
- Green Onion: I love the fresh, oniony aroma of green onion and the additional touch of a mild onion flavor.
- Cilantro: Introduces a burst of herbal freshness and a distinctive, aromatic element. If you don’t like cilantro, use parsley.
- Jalapeño: I like the controlled heat a jalapeño adds to the depth and overall taste.
- Olive Oil: Olive oil contributes the mouthfeel and subtle richness, marrying the ingredients together.
- Kosher Salt: Balances flavors and enhances the natural taste of the ingredients.
- Avocado: I think the avocado makes this recipe! It provides a creamy, buttery texture and a cooling contrast to the ceviche’s acidity.
- Hot Sauce: Brings the fiery kick and amplifies the heat level, intensifying the flavor experience. Be as liberal as you want with it.
Recipe Tips
- After peeling and deveining the shrimp, I cut the shrimp in half lengthwise. This is how they cook into twists, which I think is perfect for capturing all the juices.
- I drain the poached shrimp and chill it in the refrigerator. I also reserve and chill the liquid, chilling it over ice water in the freezer for a quick cool down.
- I dip the rim of each serving glass into lime juice and salt for a “co*cktail” look.
- By spooning the diced avocado into the bottom of the prepared glass and topping it with ceviche, I’m able to use the citrus juices to keep the avocado from turning brown.
- I serve this ceviche with crusty bread, like baguette, that has been brushed with olive oil and toasted. It’s the best contrast.
Serving Suggestions
I love how ceviche pairs well with a variety of complementary dishes and accompaniments. I have served it in individual cups, as you see here, and in a bowl with a serving spoon, for everyone to serve themselves.
Here is my list of mix-and-match serving suggestions. I typically base my additions on the preferences of those I’m serving and the overall theme of the meal.
- Tortilla Chips: I love using tortilla chips to scoop up the shrimp ceviche and enjoy its flavors.
- Extra Avocado Slices: I can never get enough creamy avocado. Extra slices add a rich texture that contrasts well with the tangy ceviche.
- Plantain Chips: Crispy plantain chips add a slightly sweet and crunchy element to balance the dish. It’s different, but it’s good.
- Crisp Lettuce Leaves: I have used large lettuce leaves as “wraps” to create ceviche lettuce wraps.
- Rice or Quinoa: Serving the ceviche over a bed of cooked rice or quinoa, creates a more substantial meal.
- Cucumber Slices: I like adding fresh cucumber slices for a cool and crisp contrast to the ceviche’s flavors.
- Mango Salsa: Adds a tropical twist by serving mango salsa alongside the shrimp ceviche.
- Corn on the Cob: Grilled or boiled corn on the cob is a great side dish with ceviche.
- Pickled Red Onions: These add a tangy and slightly sweet element that complements the ceviche’s flavors, it’s one of my favorite add-ons.
- Coconut Rice: Coconut-infused rice will enhance the dish’s tropical notes.
- Extra Sliced Jalapeños: For those who enjoy more heat.
- More Fresh Herbs: Sprinkle extra chopped cilantro or parsley over the ceviche. It adds more bursts of fresh herb flavor.
- Citrus Segments: Serve citrus segments (like orange or grapefruit) alongside the ceviche for an extra kick of citrusy goodness.
- Sliced Radishes: Adds a mild crunch and a touch of peppery flavor.
- Crackers: I will use these as an alternative to tortilla chips.
More Shrimp Creations
I believe shrimp recipes stand as a testament to the art of transformation. From simple starters to intricate main courses, I have never found the bounds of shrimp’s versatility. Shrimp is a great blank canvas for so many flavors.
- This light and delicious blackened shrimp pasta tastes way more decadent than it actually is!
- Coconut milk shrimp that’s a little bit creamy, a little bit spicy and is loaded with flavor.
- Easy and delicious fiery shrimp quesadillas.
- Sheet pan garlic shrimp can be on the dinner table in ten minutes.
- This low country boil with shrimp is a great way to feed a crowd in a casual way.
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Print Recipe
5 from 23 votes
Easy Shrimp Ceviche
My twist on a Latin favorite, an easy recipe for the most refreshing shrimp ceviche that's packed with flavor and is the perfect summer meal.
Prep Time40 minutes mins
Cook Time2 minutes mins
Chilling15 minutes mins
Total Time57 minutes mins
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Latin American
Keyword: Ceviche
Servings: 4 cups
Calories: 423kcal
Author: Cathy Pollak
Ingredients
Ceviche:
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsps. fresh lime juice, divided
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-1/2 lbs. extra-large shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut in half lengthwise
- 1/4 lbs. bay scallops
- 1 cup diced tomato, seeded
- 1/2 cup diced white onion
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced, white and green parts
- 1 tbsp. jalapeno, seeded, minced
- 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
- 2 tbsps. olive oil
- 1 tsp. plus 1/4 cup kosher salt, divided
- 1 tbsp. hot sauce
- 1 cup avocado, diced
- 4 slices of lime
Instructions
Ceviche:
Bring orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, ketchup and garlic to a boil in a medium saucepan.Add shrimp and scallops; reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes.Using a sieve, drain shrimp and scallops, reserving citrus juice mixture.
1/2 cup fresh orange juice, 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsps. fresh lime juice, divided, 1/4 cup ketchup, 3 cloves garlic, minced, 1-1/2 lbs. extra-large shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut in half lengthwise, 1/4 lbs. bay scallops
Place shrimp and scallops on a plate to chill in the refrigerator.Cool down citrus mixture by placing it in the freezer for 30 minutes or nested in a bowl of ice water on the counter, whisking until cooled.
Stir in tomato, white onion, red onion, green onion, jalapeno, cilantro, olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and hot sauce to the cooled citrus mixture.Add chilled shrimp and scallops stirring well to coat.Chill at least 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
1 cup diced tomato, seeded, 1/2 cup diced white onion, 1/2 cup diced red onion, 1 green onion, thinly sliced, white and green parts, 1 tbsp. jalapeno, seeded, minced, 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro, 2 tbsps. olive oil, 1 tsp. plus 1/4 cup kosher salt, divided, 1 tbsp. hot sauce
When ready to serve, dip serving glasses into 2 tablespoons lime juice and then into remaining kosher salt.Spoon 1/4 cup avocado into the bottom of each glass and spoon 1 cup of shrimp-scallop mixture with juices on top.Serve immediately or chill up to two hours.Garnish with lime slices.
1 cup avocado, diced, 4 slices of lime
Notes
Foroptimal outcomes when making this shrimp ceviche, I recommended referring to the recipe details within the post. The recipe post commonly includes valuable notes, experttipsand frequently askedquestions, that are not presented in the recipe card, often including how to make this recipe dairy-free, gluten free or vegan and ideas for healthy ingredient substitutions or variations.
The provided nutrition information is merely anapproximation, as variations can arise depending on thespecificingredients/brands you select.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Easy Shrimp Ceviche
Amount Per Serving (430 g)
Calories 423Calories from Fat 135
% Daily Value*
Fat 15g23%
Saturated Fat 2.6g16%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2.5g
Monounsaturated Fat 8.2g
Cholesterol 370mg123%
Sodium 752mg33%
Potassium 1030mg29%
Carbohydrates 26g9%
Fiber 6.1g25%
Sugar 9.6g11%
Protein 47g94%
Vitamin A 192IU4%
Vitamin C 42mg51%
Calcium 196mg20%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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