This mouthwatering shrimp ceviche tastes like it is freshly made straight from a beachside restaurant and ready in less than 20 minutes! It's a zesty shrimp ceviche recipe simple enough for any cook and is bursting with citrus flavors!
This is a fantastic summer seafood salad that is so refreshing it makes you feel clean and lean from the inside out! Serve it with baked tortilla chips and guacamole.
Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 2 to 3 minutes to boil the shrimp
- ⏳ Total Time: about 17 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 4 servings from 1 pound of shrimp
- ⚡ Calories: 233kcal per serving, per the recipe card
- 🥣 Ingredients: shrimp, Roma tomatoes, cucumber, onion, avocado, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, orange juice, salt and pepper
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Bright, zesty citrus with cool cucumber and creamy avocado
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, mostly chopping
Quick Answer
Lime juice, a splash of orange juice, salt and black pepper, with fresh cilantro, garlic and onion. This shrimp ceviche boils the shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes first, then tosses it with ¼ cup lime juice, 2 tablespoons orange juice, ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper, tomatoes, cucumber and avocado, so it is safe for a crowd and ready in about 17 minutes.
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It's a zesty shrimp ceviche recipe made of gluten-free, keto and paleo-friendly ingredients, and I show you step-by-step instructions how.
Why This Ceviche Starts With Cooked Shrimp
Click to see why we cook the shrimp
- Citrus changes texture, not safety. Traditional ceviche relies on citrus to turn raw seafood opaque, but the lime bath changes the texture, not the safety.
- The shrimp is fully cooked first: boiled for 2 to 3 minutes, just until pink, then pulled out with a slotted spoon.
- The juice is for flavor. The lime and orange juice are doing what they do best, adding bright, zesty flavor, and nobody at your party has to wonder about raw seafood.
- Ideal for gatherings. Mix it and serve right away, or refrigerate for 30 minutes first so the flavors settle in.
- Scales up. One pound of shrimp makes 4 servings as a light dinner, and the recipe card scales to 2x or 3x for a bigger tray.
Why This Recipe Works
- Easy for every home cook. Whether you are a beginner cook or well advanced, anyone can make this easy shrimp ceviche recipe.
- High protein, low fat, and great source of vegetables and healthy fat.
- Great for parties and gatherings. We love to celebrate family get togethers with ceviche as an appetizer, or serve this for dinner anytime we want a healthy quick meal!
- Kid-friendly! This shrimp ceviche is fun for the whole family and you can get the kids involved by chopping up ingredients.
- Ready in under 20 minutes.
What Goes Into This Recipe
- Shrimp - use frozen that is deveined with tails and shells removed for convenience and let it thaw before use. I didn't for this round and it was time consuming to remove the shells and veins.
- Vegetables - cucumber, Roma tomatoes, onion (red or white), avocado, cilantro, garlic.
- Seasoning and zesty citrus flavors - lime juice, orange juice, salt and black pepper.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Cook Shrimp for Ceviche
There are two ways to cook seafood for ceviche. You can either boil the prepared shrimp for 2-3 minutes until it turns pink (do not over boil, remove from the water as soon as it gets pink). Or place the prepared shrimp in a shallow bowl with ½ cup of lime juice and let it set for 20 minutes on the counter. The citrus fruit will naturally "cook" the shrimp pink and opaque in color.
This recipe uses the boiling method, so the shrimp is cooked through before the citrus goes in.
How to Make Shrimp Ceviche
1Prepare the shrimp. If using frozen, let it set in warm water to thaw, or thaw in the refrigerator before use. If the shrimp has the shell and tail on, peel those off first.
2Devein and cook. Once the tails and shells are removed, remove the vein on the bottom. The best way is to use a knife to cut into the meat and pull it out. Rinse the shrimp off then cook it by boiling for 2-3 minutes (as used in this recipe method), or marinate it in lime juice for 20 minutes.
3Prepare the vegetables. Start by chopping the cilantro and onion, removing the avocado seed and dicing it, and grating the garlic with a cheese grater into fine pieces.
4Peel and dice the cucumber. The key is to keep the vegetables diced small.
5Seed the tomatoes. Use Roma tomatoes and slice them in half and remove the seeds. The center can make shrimp ceviche watery, so removing it keeps this dish light and chunky.
6Dice. After the center is removed dice them into small pieces.
7Combine. Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl.
8Mix and serve. Mix well to coat with citrus juices and serve right away or chill first.
As always, be sure to check out the full recipe details in the recipe card below.
Expert Tips
- How do you know when shrimp ceviche is done? Make sure it is pink or opaque in color, which is a sign it is cooked through.
- Add-ins. You can add 1 red bell pepper, or 1 jalapeno pepper for a little sweetness or heat. Remove seeds first and dice them into fine bits.
- Don't over boil. Pull the shrimp as soon as it turns pink.
- Seed the tomatoes so the ceviche stays light and chunky, not watery.
- Eat it within 2 days so the seafood stays fresh and the ceviche doesn't get soggy.
Related Recipes
More seafood favorites: BEST Fish Ceviche Recipe, Healthy Jambalaya with Shrimp and Sausage, Coconut Milk Shrimp Skewers, Shrimp and Scallop Pasta in Cajun Cream Sauce and Grilled Shrimp Fajitas.
On the side: Stir Fry Vegetables, Cucumber Salad, Homemade Salsa Recipe, Tomatillo Salsa, Guacamole Recipe and Broccoli Tots.
Shrimp Ceviche FAQs
Shrimp can be cooked through stir-fry, boiling, grilling, or a lime juice marinade method. Yes, always make sure the shrimp is cooked through.
As with any meat, it is best cooked to avoid foodborne illness. Shrimp ceviche should also be consumed within 2 days to avoid the seafood from spoiling or the ceviche from getting soggy.
Favorite ways to serve shrimp ceviche are with chips, guacamole, and salsa, or turn it into tacos, taquitos or serve it over salad greens.
In this recipe, only as long as you like for flavor, because the shrimp is already boiled for 2 to 3 minutes before the citrus goes in. Serve right away or refrigerate for 30 minutes first. The lime juice is seasoning here, not the cooking method.
Yes. Mix everything and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving so the flavors blend, and keep it chilled until it hits the table.
This recipe makes 4 servings from 1 pound of shrimp as a dinner or light meal. For a party appetizer spread, use the 2x or 3x button on the recipe card to scale it up.
If pregnant, shrimp ceviche is safe to eat in moderation (shrimp 8-12 ounces 2-3 servings per week).
More Party Appetizers
Build a whole spread with Fish Ceviche, Guacamole, Tomatillo Salsa and Baked Tortilla Chips. If you make this shrimp ceviche recipe from Delightful Mom Food I would love to see your creations! Follow along with me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter for a feature and more recipe inspiration! And don't forget to leave a comment below!
Shrimp Ceviche Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 lb shrimp tails removed and de-veined (use frozen for convenience)
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 4 Roma tomatoes diced
- 2 cups cucumbers ends sliced off, peeled and diced
- ⅔ cup sweet white onion diced (or red onion)
- ⅓ cup cilantro fresh, chopped
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- ¼ cup lime juice
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt (preferable pink Himalayan salt)
- 1 avocado seed removed and diced
Instructions
Start by preparing and cooking the shrimp.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. If using frozen, let it set in warm water to thaw, or thaw in the refrigerator before use. If the shrimp has the shell and tail on, peel those off first. Once the tails and shells are removed, remove the vein on the bottom. The best way is to use a knife to cut into the meat and pull it out. Rinse the shrimp off then cook it by boiling for 2-3 minutes. Remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon and set in a large mixing bowl.
Prepare and chop the vegetables
- Chop the cilantro and onion. Remove the avocado seed and dice the avocado. Grate the garlic with a cheese grater into fine pieces. Peel and dice the cucumber. For the tomato, remove the seeds first and the juices then dice. The key is to keep the vegetables diced small. Transfer the prepared vegetables into the mixing bowl with the cooked shrimp.
Assemble the ceviche
- In the bowl, add the lime juice, orange juice, salt and pepper and mix well until everything is blended evenly and fully coated. Serve right away or refrigerate for 30 minutes first. Serve with fresh tortilla chips, over salads or tostadas.
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