Flavorful ceviche is one of our favorite vacation-time meals, particularly during annual trips to Mexico. It’s so light and healthy (149 calories, 15 grams of protein/serving) yet packed with flavor! With the screaming hot temperatures we had last week, I decided to try my hand at making it at home.
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To be honest, I was a little nervous about attempting this! Ceviche involves “cooking” the fish, not with heat but with acid. Typically citrus juices of some sort. I was concerned about knowing when it was done but it turns out there was nothing to fear!
Fresh & Flavorful Ceviche at Home
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh fish, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
- ½ a red onion, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves finely minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper seeded and finely chopped
- ¾ cup fresh lime juice
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup diced cucumber
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ripe avocado, diced
NOTE: I used a mixture of small shrimp cut into halves, small scallops, and halibut. Other fish that work well include: sea bass, red snapper, tilapia, mahi-mahi or dorado. Do NOT use a fattier/oilier fish like tuna or salmon. Shrimp will take slightly longer to cook than the other fish so you may wish to let them marinate 15-30 minutes on their own first.
Instructions
Slice the red onion thinly, salt it generously and let stand 15 minutes until it begins to release its liquid. Rinse well and shake dry.
Place fish, red onion, garlic, salt, pepper, jalapeno, and lime juice in a shallow dish. Combine gently, and marinate in the refrigerator for 45-75 minutes, checking occasionally to see if all the fish is turning opaque (your indication that the ceviche is done).
Once the fish has fully marinated, add the fresh cilantro, cucumber, tomato, avocado, and olive oil and mix gently. Season to taste, if necessary. Yields 4-6 meal-sized portions.
Ceviche is best eaten the day of preparation. You technically can hold it over one day but the fish will continue to cook in the lime juices, possibly making it tougher and a bit over-cooked.
For entertaining, I suggest prepping all the ingredients early in the day, holding them in the fridge, and then combining the fish with juice right before your party. Always nice to get the “work” out of the way earlier on!
Serving Suggestions
We like to keep this meal fairly simple and healthy so for this preparation, I served it with just a few chips on the side and a wedge of lime. The coconut shell was all for the ‘gram but I thought it made for a nice and fancy presentation!
Serving taco-style in small tortillas is another popular option. As an appetizer, it’s perfectly suited to small shot glasses and mini-forks. And of course, you can always just eat it plain in a bowl!
Hope you enjoy this fresh & flavorful ceviche! Once you start making it, it can be fun to experiment with flavors. Some recipes call for a mixture of several citrus juices or for adding some coconut milk. Peruvian variations often add a bit of cooked diced sweet potato. Have fun with it! And if fish isn’t your thing, you can check out other favorite recipes HERE.
Thanks so much for your likes, shares, and follows! Until next time,
