Shrimp Ceviche Verde (Mexican Green Ceviche Recipe)

If you love ceviche, wait until you try it verde! Tangy tomatillos, fresh lime, cilantro, and jalapeño make this shrimp ceviche incredibly bright and refreshing. A fresh, vibrant no-cook Mexican appetizer perfect for summer!

This Shrimp Ceviche Verde is one of the simplest and most refreshing appetizers you can make - bright, zesty, and bursting with fresh summer flavor. Tender raw shrimp are marinated in lime juice and red onion while tomatillos, jalapeño, and cilantro are blended into a vibrant green sauce. Tossed together with crisp cucumber and juicy summer tomatoes, it’s a cool, colorful ceviche that tastes like summer in a bowl.

This is actually an old favorite from my catering days, and I was reminded just how much I love it when I served it to friends this past weekend. It’s one of those appetizers that looks impressive on the table but is surprisingly easy to make. Most of it can be prepped ahead and simply tossed together before serving, perfect for summer entertaining when you’d rather be with your guests than in the kitchen.

At the heart of this recipe are fresh tomatillos, one of my favorite ingredients. Wrapped in delicate papery husks, these bright green fruits are sometimes called “Mexican green tomatoes,” though they’re actually relatives of cape gooseberries. Their naturally tangy, citrusy flavor gives the verde sauce its beautiful brightness and makes this ceviche especially refreshing.

How to Make Shrimp Ceviche Verde

1. Prep, clean, and chop the shrimp. Remove the “veins” and clean the shrimp well (a paring knife works well to clean the “veins,” which are literally the digestive tracts of the shrimp). One common mistake is not cleaning this area (aka the “poop shoot”) out.

Chop the shrimp into 1/2-inch pieces and add to a wide, shallow bowl (so they can be arranged in a single layer to soak better in the lime juice)

2. “Cook” the shrimp. Sprinkle salt over the shrimp and squeeze lime juice over it and mix well. The lime juice will cure the shrimp (not actually cook it), changing the protein to a firm texture and making it opaque in color. This is a traditional way to prepare ceviche. Add the red onions and toss again.

Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes, or until the shrimp turns opaque. Shrimp generally takes 20 minutes to soak in lime juice to fully cure. You can do this part up to 8 hours ahead- it is pretty hard to overcook the shrimp.

3. Blend the green sauce. Add the quartered tomatillos, jalapeño slices, cilantro, garlic, salt, and olive oil to a blender or food processor, along with 1/4 cup of strained citrus juice from the curing shrimp. If your kitchen is hot, add an ice cube. Blend until smooth.

4. Assemble. Add the cucumbers, tomatoes, and green sauce to the bowl of shrimp and combine.

5. Taste and adjust. Taste for salt and heat, adjusting to taste. Add chili flakes or finely chopped jalapeño for more heat if desired. The secret to the best ceviche is truly finding the balance between salt, acid, and heat. The most common reason for bland ceviche is not enough salt.

6. Chill. Refrigerate for up to 2 hours (for the best texture). Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and serve with tortilla chips.

Variations

Feel free to leave out the verde sauce; simply cure with lime juice and salt to taste. Chunks of Pineapple can add nice sweetness, and chipotle can add smoky heat. Other chili peppers work- serrano pepper, poblano peppers, and sometimes I’ll add avocado slices right before serving.

Hope you enjoy! If you like this Mexican Shrimp Ceviche, you might also like our Easy Ceviche Recipe. Or, make our Hearts of Palm Ceviche for vegan and vegetarian guests!

More Shrimp Recipes You Might Like

Greek Shrimp Saganaki

Chimichurri Shrimp

Easy Shrimp Scampi

Spicy Mexican Shrimp

Grilled Lemongrass Shrimp

Best Shrimp Taco Recipe

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