Easy Shrimp Ceviche is the perfect no-cook summer dish…
It’s delicious and simple to make, plus it’s paleo, gluten-free, and whole30 friendly.
With warmer weather coming up soon, this cool seafood-based dish is a nice no-cook, protein-packed meal that’ll satisfy.
Is Ceviche Cooked?
Ceviche uses citrus juices to “cook” the seafood. It’s tender and incredibly yummy. The flavors will stomp up and down on your tongue, demanding your attention.
See what I did there…just hit ya with some good ol’ chemistry. The seafood isn’t being cooked using heat. Instead the proteins are denatured – unraveled – by the acids, making them opaque. It’s science!
Ingredients in This Easy Shrimp Ceviche
I’ve really tried for a balance of tangy, sweet, salty, and spicy.
To do that, I’m using a blend of citrus juices: grapefruit, lemon, and lime. The grapefruit adds sweetness and mellows out the other two so it’s not overly acidic. And my secret touch is to add some zest from the citrus for an extra punch of flavor. Give it a shot!
I’ve included mango for an extra sweet note, though it’s optional in this Easy Shrimp Ceviche recipe.
For bite, there’s red onion, ground chipotle pepper, and ground ancho chili pepper. If you can’t find these dried ground peppers, feel free to substitute with a diced and seeded jalapeño pepper.
And of course, I tossed some cool avocado in there for good measure.
How Long Does Ceviche Take to Make?
To be quite honest, this is a dish probably best saved until the weekend. There’s a bit of chopping and prep time, plus the “cooking” time. You will have to let the seafood sit in the citrus juices for at least 4 hours, so plan accordingly.
I Like to Serve This Shrimp Ceviche With…
In some places, ceviche is traditionally served with crunchy tortilla chips for scooping up every last delicious bite.
If you’re avoiding corn – it’s a grain, not a veggie – there are some great substitutes you can try:
- Jicama slices
- Plantain chips
- Scoop it up in lettuce leaves
- My Simple Paleo Tortillas, cut into wedges and baked until crisp
This makes a larger batch, so if you’re cooking for fewer people, feel free to halve the recipe. To do that easily, go to the recipe card below. Click on “Adjust Servings” and modify away!
Update: In July 2017, I spruced up this recipe a bit, added new photos, and modified the original ingredients slightly. But like I always do, I try to leave some trace of the original.
With that in mind, here’s the video I filmed for Easy Ceviche way back in 2012. Try not to laugh too hard!
Easy Shrimp Ceviche (Paleo, Whole30)
Easy Shrimp Ceviche is the perfect protein-packed, fresh meal. It's great when the weather gets hot. I load mine with mango, jalapeño, shrimp, and fresh citrus juices. It's paleo, gluten-free, and whole30 friendly. Learn how to make it now!
Ingredients
- 3 limes juice, and zest from 1
- 3 lemons juice, and zest from 1
- 2 red grapefruit juice, and zest from 1
- 2 lb shrimp scallops, or white fish, cleaned and chopped into small pieces
- 2 avocado pitted and diced
- 2 mangos small, pitted and diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes diced
- 1/2 red onion small, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp ground ancho chili or chili powder
- 1-2 tsp ground chipotle
- 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
- Sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Combine the citrus zest and juice with the seafood in a very large glass bowl.
- Cover and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours...6 hours is best. Stir a few times to ensure even "cooking."
- After 4-6 hours when the seafood is no longer transparent, add the avocado, mango, tomatoes, onion, chili powder, ground chipotle, and cilantro. Stir until well combined, then add salt to taste.
- For best results, refrigerate another 30 to 60 minutes to allow all the flavors to meld.
Recipe Notes
*If you can't find ground ancho chili and chipotle peppers, substitute with 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped.
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15 Responses
This sounds awesome! I can’t wait to try this out, thanks! I had ceviche in a cuban place once and they served it with chips (which I did not eat) and plantain chips. They were awesome, TJ’s has some good ones.
Jessica, the plantain chips sound like a perfect crunchy accompaniment to the ceviche! I love the idea and will definitely check out the TJ’s options!! I think that’s the part about tortilla chips that I miss so much…it’s not the taste but rather the crunch! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing this recipe! I’m making it tomorrow! Question – when zesting the citrus fruit – should we count the grapefruit as a citrus as well. I’ve heard many opinions on whether grapefruit is a citrus fruit… Curious as to whether or not you used the zest of the grapefruit as well??? Thanks again!
Hi Karen! I did use the zest of the grapefruit 🙂
If you double the amount of everything do you need to double the time you let it sit in the lime/grapefruit juice?
I usually don’t double the amount of time but just keep an eye on it. If it looks like it’s not getting opaque, keep it in a bit longer. Cheers!
Looks awesome. While I am Kosher and cannot use shrimp and the like, I think this would be great with halibut or even sea bass. And I would eat it with these wraps. Thanks!
http://www.iherb.com/Sunfood-Superfoods-Raw-Vegan-Coconut-Wraps-7-ct-14-g-Each/57322#p=1&oos=1&disc=0&lc=en-US&w=coconut%20wraps&rc=20&sr=null&ic=1
Hi Sarena,
Have you seen the recipe for my Simple Paleo Tortillas? They’re much more affordable than the store-bought wraps 🙂
I really want to make this over the weekend but couldn’t find grapefruit in the store. Can I sub oranges?
Hi Sara,
Sure thing! I would just make sure to add something like lemon or lime so it’s a bit more acidic and will balance the sweetness. 🙂
Yes! I’m planning on keeping the rest of the recipe the same. Thanks for your help.
You’re welcome!