Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Combine shrimp and lime juice in a large bowl.
- Let sit 30 minutes to 2 hours until shrimp is no longer grey and is firm to the touch.
- Drain shrimp and discard lime juice.
- Combine shrimp, cucumber, onion, jalapeño, tomatoes, cilantro, salt and pepper in the same bowl.
- Stir to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
- Fresh lime juice only — Bottled lime juice is oxidized and flat. The acid cure depends entirely on fresh citrus. Squeeze it yourself.
- Dice the shrimp uniform — Aim for 1/2-inch dice across the board. Thick pieces won't cure evenly; pieces cut too small get rubbery fast.
- Don't rush the cure — Thirty minutes is the floor, not the target. The shrimp should be fully opaque with no grey in the center and hold firm under pressure. If it doesn't, give it more time.
- Chill your serving bowl — Put it in the freezer for 10 minutes before you build the ceviche. A cold bowl keeps everything sharper and more refreshing at the table.
- Add the avocado last — Fold it in right before serving. Avocado breaks down quickly once it contacts acid — you want distinct cubes, not green smear.
- Use blanco tequila — Blanco is clean and citrus-forward. Reposado and añejo bring oak and sweetness that clash with the lime. Silver is the move.
- Serve in chilled bowls with a stack of thin tortilla chips alongside — the contrast between the cold ceviche and the chip crunch is the point. Ice-cold presentation matters; the dish loses its edge fast at room temperature.
- For a starter spread, portion into small glasses or shooter cups for a passed appetizer that eats clean and moves fast. For a full meal, build larger bowls with an extra avocado diced in and double the chips.
- Drinks: a crisp Sauvignon Blanc mirrors the herbaceous citrus notes in the bowl. A light Mexican lager — Modelo Especial or Pacifico — works just as well with a salt rim. If you're already drinking tequila, a paloma (tequila, grapefruit, lime, salt) ties the whole table together.
- Finish with fresh lime wedges and a light scatter of flaky salt just before serving.
- Ceviche doesn't hold. The avocado oxidizes, the cucumber releases water, and the shrimp keeps curing in the residual lime acid even after you've drained it. Best case: serve within an hour of assembling.
- If you need to prep ahead, cure the shrimp and prep the vegetables separately. Store the drained shrimp in the refrigerator and keep the cut vegetables in a separate sealed container. Combine them no more than 20 minutes before serving, and don't add the avocado until you're ready to plate.
- Don't store assembled ceviche overnight. It will be safe, but the texture will be off — waterlogged cucumber, oxidized avocado, and shrimp that's overcured and chewy.