An easy, delicious Ceviche Recipe made with fresh fish, chili, lime, cilantro, avocado, tomato and cucumber. A very simple recipe -perfect as a flavorful appetizer or a light, healthy meal.
It’s impossible, said pride. It’s risky, said experience. It’s pointless, said reason.
Give it a try, said the heart. (Unknown)
You’re looking at one of my all time favorite things to eat in the entire world. Ceviche! Fresh fish cured with lime juice, tossed with cilantro, cucumber, tomato, and optional avocado. What could be more healthy or more delicious? Here I’ll show you how to make ceviche and a few different ways to present it for large gatherings, like we do when catering. The easy ceviche recipe is surprisingly very fast and simple to whip up and makes for a tasty, fun appetizer for parties and gatherings. Plus it’s low-carb, gluten-free and low-fat – all great things to consider when serving a crowd. I also love this served over greens or tucked into a tortilla for a light and healthy meal.
Watch the quick video for a simple overview!
How to Make Ceviche!
Ceviche, if unfamiliar, hails from the coastal regions of Central and South America, popular from Mexico down to Peru and beyond. There are many versions, and depending on where you are, it will take on the local flavors. Two ingredients, fresh fish and lime juice, seem to be the common denominator among the different regions. This recipe is basic and simple, and once you master it, play around with adding other ingredients.
How long to Marinate Ceviche?
Marinating the fish in the lime juice is what actually “cooks” the fish. You can marinate for short periods or longer periods, depending on how much you like your fish cooked. This marination time can be any where from 30 minutes to 2 hours. 45 minutes is a good rule of thumb, especially if just starting out.
Remember when using a good quality, fresh, wild fish, it is not imperative that the fish is cooked all the way through, a little rawness is actually really quite good! Think sushi!
I personally like it when the fish looks opaque on the outside ( “cooked” from the lime juice) but has a bit of rawness in the middle. This is usually about 30-45 minutes of marinating. See what you like best. There is no “right way”. If it tastes too raw for your own tastes, just marinate it longer.
Wondering how to serve Ceviche?
There are so many ways to serve ceviche! In our catering business we often made mini ceviche tostadas, ceviche tacos, or ceviche lettuce cups as a delicious healthy appetizer. Or we simple placed some ceviche in a small appetizer cup or shot glass with a mini fork- perfect for passing.
Or, if you are feeling fancy, plate it up as a salad course … with this dreamy creamy Avocado Sauce!
Have fun and let your self be creative and play with this. There are lots of ways to plate ceviche!
And if you are feeling extravagant, perhaps for a special dinner or anniversary, serve it up in a fresh coconut…so beautiful!
You are looking at my dream meal friends. 😉
Or simply serve Ceviche in a shallow serving bowl with good tortilla chips like we do at home when we’re not catering. Simple, easy, refreshing….. and ohhhhhh so delicious!
Ceviche is best made fresh, the day of serving- but I do save the leftovers for the next day. The fish will continue to cook in the lime juice, so the texture will change but the flavors are still great. I’ve been known to eat Ceviche two days after making – if kept in a cold refrigerator.
Give it a whirl and let us know how you like it!
And just a heads up….if you like this, you will love these POKE BOWLS!!!
Sylvia
PrintEasy Ceviche Recipe
Easy Ceviche Recipe …with fresh fish, chili, lime, cilantro, avocado, tomato and cucumber…a simple healthy appetizer, salad or main course.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: appetizer, salad, main, fish
- Method: marinated
- Cuisine: mexican
Scale
Ingredients
- ½ red onion very thinly sliced
- 1 pound fresh fish- sea bass, red snapper, corvina, dorado, mahi-mahi, tilapia, or hamachi – diced into 1/2 inch cubes.
- 2–3 garlic cloves very finely minced ( use a garlic press)
- 1– 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, start with 1, add more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼–½ Cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 fresh serrano or jalapeño chili pepper seeded and very finely chopped.
Start conservatively, more to taste. - ¾ Cup fresh lime juice ( 4–6 limes) freshly squeezed ( try to use ripe limes)
- 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half ( or 1 cup diced tomatoes)
- 1 cup diced cucumber
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
- 1 semi-firm Avocado, diced, as garnish, optional
Optional Avocado sauce:
- ⅔ C Avocado
- ⅓ C cilantro
- 2/3 C water- plus more as needed
- 1 T olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tsp coriander
- ⅛ C lime juice
- 2 garlic cloves
- cracked pepper
Instructions
- Slice the red onion and salt generously and let stand 15 minutes until it begins to release its liquid. (this will removed some of the bitterness). Rinse well.
- Place fish, garlic, onion, salt, pepper, fresh chilies, and lime juice in a shallow serving bowl, gently mix, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. The longer you marinate the firmer the fish will become.
- Before serving, add the fresh cilantro, cucumber and tomato and a drizzle of olive oil, gently mix. Taste for salt and add more if necessary. If adding avocado, gently fold it in at the end, after everything is mixed, making sure to use one that is not too soft.
- To make Avocado Sauce, blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth, adding a bit more water if needed to get the blades going.
Notes
Serve ceviche with chips, on mini tostadas or make ceviche tacos or ceviche lettuce cups.
Serve in small appetizer cups or shot glasses with a mini fork.
Or plate it up with a little Avocado Sauce as a salad course.
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I am an avid fan of ceviche but have never made it at home before. This looks beautiful and delicious! I also love how you shared so many brilliant ways to serve it. Pinned and saved!
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Thanks so much!
So fun, and couldn’t be cuter!
I can not tell you how much I adore ceviche. I can also eat it every single day. These pictures are stunning Sylvia.
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Yes, Ceviche is the best. Thanks so much Kathy!
OMG, wait until I show my Mom. She’s a really fan of ceviche. If she see this, she’ll talk about it all day long. Until she could able to make it. I love her. My lovely Mommy. And I really love your recipe, by the way. Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe lovely.
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This ceviche is beautiful and I bet tastes so light, zesty and delicious too. I’ve only ever made scallop ceviche before and definitely need to try out your fish version. I love how beautifully you have presented it in each shot too!
YUM! Could I use shrimp instead of fish? Would it “cook” in the lime juice? Can’t wait to try this!
Absolutely!
So beautiful! I love it. I will try this dish in tomorrow.
Incredibly delicious! I can also eat it every single day. These pictures are stunning. This is totally my kind of breakfast!
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Hey I think this is very creative to make it. It doesn’t take much time but it makes everyone want to try it at the first sight 😀
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Nice photos! WOULD I BE ABLE TO USE LUMP CRABMEAT IN THIS RECIPE (pre-cooked)
You could try it?
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Ceviche tostados! , butter lettuce wraps!
wow thats really cool. I am thinking about eating more and more vegan stuff. Further i am thinking about opening a salad only restaurant and I am looking for some easy to make delicious food. I like this and I will be returning for more cool recipes
Regards
@Veganlovingdude you DO know this isn’t vegan right? It isn’t even vegetarian! Fish = meat.
I think you have vegan confused with healthy.
This IS very healthy, and delicious. I tried the recipe, but made the 2nd batch with a little cumin, even better, to me. Thanks Sylvia!
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Hi Shawn, yes, I understand fish is not vegan. 😉 Can you tell me where it says it is vegan so I can fix this?
Yes
This is an AMAZING dish! Super easy to make and oh so delicious…thank you for posting! Looking forward to my next fresh food adventure!
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Brandy! Thanks so much for the comment and rating, Im so glad you liked it! What kind of fish did you use?
the results are very tart. Is there anything I can do about that?
It should mellow a bit…and sometimes it’s the limes. I have really good luck with key lime or limes that really ripe.
Thank you, very clearly explained
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Thank You So Much….
Easy to make and a highlight at my dinner party last night.
While searching for a ceviche recipe, I came across your website. I tried your ceviche recipe last night with red snapper and found it delicious and refreshing after a hot day here in Sydney. I have now subscribed to your website, and I am looking forward to trying some of your other recipes.
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Thanks Betty! I’m glad you like the Ceviche and welcome to the blog- super happy you are here!
This ceviche is delicious and very easy to make.
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Being from the Florida Keys I’m using Conch, w as s curious how others make theres
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It was easy to make and delicious! All my guests had second servings, this recipe is definitely a keeper.
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