Ceviche just reminds me of summer, sunshine, and sandy beaches. It’s one of my favorite things to order whenever I’m on a Mexico vacation (or anywhere warm with ocean views). There’s something about a bowl of bright, citrusy ceviche that instantly makes a meal feel like a vacation.
I’ve never had ceviche that wasn’t delicious and refreshing. It has this amazing way of feeling fancy and elevated, but it’s actually such a simple recipe to make at home.
As a dietitian, I love recipes that are packed with satisfying nutrients while still feeling fun and exciting to eat. This ceviche checks all the boxes with a great source of protein, colorful produce, and plenty of fresh flavors. My husband even calls it “protein salsa,” which honestly just feels very trendy right now. Ha!
Recipe Highlights
Protein rich: The white fish provides lean protein that helps make this a satisfying appetizer, snack, or light meal. It’s a great option when I’m craving something flavorful but not heavy.
Incredibly fresh: The combination of fresh lime, crisp vegetables, herbs, and tender fish makes the whole kitchen smell fresh.
Restaurant worthy: Ceviche looks like a dish that took hours of effort, but the process is surprisingly easy. Most of the magic happens while the ingredients chill together in the refrigerator.
No-cook recipe: This recipe is perfect for warm days when turning on the oven sounds less than appealing. A little chopping and mixing is all that’s needed before the refrigerator takes over. The lime juice “cooks” and denatures the proteins.
Gather The Ingredients
This recipe requires fresh ingredients that I pick up in a quick round through the produce section at my local grocery store. Here’s what to gather:
- Fresh white fish: A mild, thick white fish works best for ceviche, such as pollock, cod, tilapia, snapper, grouper, mahi-mahi, or halibut. I recommend choosing high-quality fish, ideally wild-caught, for the best flavor and texture. The fish provides lean protein and a satisfying base for the recipe.
- Fresh limes: Fresh lime juice is essential for the bright flavor and the ceviche process. The acidity from the lime helps denature the proteins in the fish, creating the firm texture associated with ceviche. While lime juice is most authentic, a mix of lime juice, lemon juice, and/or orange juice also can be used for slightly sweeter flavor.
- Red onion: Thinly sliced red onion adds a crisp bite and beautiful color. Soaking or mixing it with the lime juice helps soften the sharpness while keeping that fresh and crisp onion flavor. I love the color of red onion, but white onion also works.
- Cucumber: A small cucumber or 2 cocktail (Persian) cucumbers add crunch and hydration. I like using Persian cucumbers because they have fewer seeds and a naturally crisp texture.
- Jalapeño: Fresh jalapeño pepper brings a little heat and freshness. Removing the seeds helps keep the spice level mild while still adding that classic ceviche flavor. For more heat, try other chili peppers, such as serrano peppers or fresno chiles.
- Avocado: Adding avocado right before serving gives the ceviche a creamy texture and provides heart-healthy fats that balance the bright citrus flavors. The ceviche is also delicious without it, so feel free to eliminate it if it’s not a favorite.
- Cherry tomatoes: Tomatoes add sweetness, color, and additional freshness. Cherry tomatoes hold up well in the mixture and are easy to chop, and roma tomatoes also work well.
- Cilantro: Fresh cilantro adds the signature herbal flavor that makes ceviche taste extra vibrant.
- Garlic: Minced fresh garlic adds depth and savory flavor. Fresh minced garlic works best here because the flavor stays bright and noticeable.
- Salt: A little salt enhances all the fresh ingredients and brings the whole recipe together. Though I don’t typically add it, feel free to add some fresh cracked black pepper, too.
Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.
Prep, Mix, And Refrigerate
It’s really quite simple to make ceviche at home, and here’s my basic method:
- Juice the limes: I start by squeezing fresh limes to make the lime juice. I typically juice about 6 limes, or until I have ¾ cup citrus juice. Once I have that much fresh lime juice, I add the red onion, garlic, and fish pieces to it. I toss those ingredients together, then let them sit while I prep the rest of the ingredients.
- Chop the veggies: Next, I chop the cucumbers, tomatoes, jalapeño, and fresh cilantro, adding each of those ingredients to the bowl with the fish and onion as it’s ready.
- Refrigerate: One common question I get about ceviche is whether lime juice actually “cooks” the fish. It doesn’t cook fish the same way heat does, but the acidity changes the structure of the fish proteins through a process called denaturation. This gives the fish a firmer texture and the appearance of being cooked. I let the ceviche chill for at least 30 minutes so the flavors have time to blend. I avoid letting it sit longer than about 2 hours because the fish texture can become less ideal. You’ll know the ceviche is ready to eat when the fish changes from translucent (shiny and clear) to opaque (solid white) and feels firm yet tender to the touch.
- Serve chilled with chips: The last step is to add the avocado and serve the cold ceviche. Oftentimes, I’ll place a clean serving bowl in the freezer while the ceviche is chilling so the bowl gets icy cold. Then I transfer the ceviche to the chilled bowl right before serving so it’s as cold as can be. I set out tortilla chips and plantain chips for dipping and Cholula or Tapatio hot sauce for those who like a little of that. It always disappears fast, especially on a hot day.
For serving size and the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition analysis, listing calories (kcals), protein, carbohydrates/carb, fiber, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and more per serving.
Add The Avocado And Enjoy
I always add the avocado right before serving. This keeps the avocado fresh, creamy, and vibrant instead of letting it soften too much while chilling.
My favorite way to enjoy this ceviche is with tortilla chips, plantain chips, broken corn tortillas, or tostadas for dipping. The crunch paired with the fresh ceviche texture is such a perfect combination. It also makes a delicious filling for ceviche fish tacos.
For a more complete meal, I like pairing it with something simple like grilled vegetables, a fresh salad, cilantro rice, refried beans, guacamole, or another summer side dish.
Serve The Ceviche In A Chilled Bowl
Here’s my pro tip for serving ceviche: Place an empty serving bowl in the freezer while the ceviche is chilling in the refrigerator. Then, just before serving, transfer the ceviche to the clean, chilled bowl so it can stay nice and cold while eating.
This small step makes such a difference, especially on warm summer days when keeping everything crisp, cold, and refreshing matters.
Keep Any Leftovers In The Fridge
Store any leftover ceviche in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Because this recipe uses fresh fish and lime juice, I recommend enjoying it sooner rather than later for the best texture and flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fish ceviche is often referred to as a Mexican dish, which is close but not exactly right. It has roots in coastal regions of Latin America, especially Peru, where Peruvian ceviche is a traditional and iconic national heritage dish. Many coastal cultures have their own versions of an authentic ceviche-like dish made from local seafood, citrus, herbs, and fresh veggies.
Ceviche is made with raw fish that marinates and “cooks” using an acidic marinade rather than heat. Food safety is especially important, so I recommend using very fresh, high-quality fish from a trusted source (I get mine from Wild Alaskan company) and keeping the ceviche properly chilled. The lime juice changes the texture of the fish but does not eliminate all food safety risks the way cooking with heat does.
Yes! Shrimp works really well in ceviche. Use peeled, deveined, raw shrimp and roughly chop it before adding it to the lime juice mixture. The lime cooked shrimp ceviche has a slightly different texture but still tastes great with the fresh citrus and vegetables and make a nice addition to any summer dinner. While an easy shrimp ceviche recipe is probably the most popular ceviche variation (often called Mexican shrimp cocktail or ceviche de camaron), chopped scallops also work well as the protein in ceviche.
You can use fish that was previously frozen, but thaw it before using it to make ceviche. Transfer frozen fish to the refrigerator at least 24 hours before making ceviche, then drain it, gently rinse it, and pat it dry before cutting it into ½-inch cubes.
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Ceviche Recipe
This fresh ceviche recipe is a bright, refreshing dish made with citrus-marinated white fish, crunchy vegetables, herbs, and creamy avocado. It’s a simple recipe that feels elevated and is perfect for warm-weather meals, gatherings, or a light protein-packed snack.
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ lbs (6-8 small-medium) fresh limes, juiced (~¾ cup juice)
- ½ medium red onion, very thinly sliced and chopped (~1 cup)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (1 tablespoon)
- 12–16 ounces white fish, cut into ½-inch cubes (2 to 2 ½ cups)*
- 1 small or 2 Persian cucumbers, quartered and sliced (~1 cup)
- 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, quartered (~1 cup)
- 1 jalapeño, seeds removed and very thinly sliced (~¼ cup)
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
- 1 medium avocado, peeled, pitted, and cubed
- For serving: tortilla chips, plantain chips, or tostadas
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, place the fresh lime juice.
- Add the thinly sliced and chopped red onion, garlic, and fish; toss to coat with the lime juice and set aside while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Add the cucumber, tomatoes, jalapeno, cilantro, and salt; toss until well mixed.
- Place the dish in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes or max of 2 hours. The acid from the lime juice will “cook” and denature the proteins in the fish, making more firm fish pieces.
- TIP: Place an empty serving bowl in the freezer while the ceviche is chilling in the refrigerator. Then, just before serving, transfer the ceviche to the clean, chilled bowl so it can be served nice and cold.
- Just before serving, add the avocado to the ceviche and toss to combine all the ingredients. Taste and adjust salt as desired. Serve with tortilla chips, plantain chips, or tostadas for dipping, or use as a filling for ceviche fish tacos.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
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Notes
* Use any mild thick white fish, such as pollock, cod, tilapia, snapper, sea bass, red snapper, grouper, mahi-mahi, or halibut. May also use peeled, deveined, and roughly chopped raw shrimp. Avoid oily fish and use high-quality, wild-caught fish for the best results.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1/10 of the recipe or ~ ½ cup ceviche
- Calories: 65
- Fat: 3 g
- (Sat Fat: 0 g)
- Sodium: 170 mg
- Carbohydrate: 4 g
- (Fiber: 1 g
- Sugar: 1 g)
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 21 mg
Dietary
The photos in this post were taken by Kaitlin of Creating Kaitlin.
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