Shrimp Ceviche is a refreshing salad made with raw shrimp "cooked" in citrus juice and tossed with fresh herbs and vegetables. It's delicious on tostadas, crackers, or tortilla chips with plenty of hot sauce!
To peel and clean shrimp, start by pinching off the tail, then the rest of the shell should peel off fairly easily. Use a knife to make a shallow slice on the shrimp’s back, from its head to its tail.
Carefully pick out the black or green vein that runs along the back and discard it, then rinse out the vein with water. Chop the shrimp into 1/2-inch pieces.
In a medium glass or stainless-steel bowl, add shrimp and citrus juice and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until the shrimp is opaque and “cooked” through, about 2 to 4 hours depending on the size of the shrimp (see note 1).
Drain off and discard excess citrus juice. Add onion, carrots, tomatoes, jalapeños, and cilantro and toss until evenly coated. Season to taste with salt and more fresh citrus juice if desired.
Serve with tostadas, tortilla chips, or saltine crackers, passing hot sauce and mayonnaise separately.
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Notes
Shrimp: Thaw frozen shrimp in a bowl or on a tray overnight in the refrigerator. For quicker thawing, thaw in a bowl of cold (not warm) water. Turn the faucet on and let a thin trickle of cold water run into the bowl, letting the excess water overflow out of the bowl and down the drain. The "cook times" for shrimp ceviche vary depending on the size of the shrimp you use:
60-80 shrimp per pound: 2 hours and 30 minutes
41-60 shrimp per pound: 2 hours and 50 minutes
31-40 shrimp per pound: 3 hours and 30 minutes
21-25 shrimp per pound: 4 hours
Citrus juice: Lime juice or a combination of lemon and lime juice is a great choice. You can also use grapefruit juice or even orange juice (orange juice will add a sweetness you may or may not enjoy).
Carrots: A common ingredient in Mexican ceviche, and they also add great color and crunch.
Jalapeños: Remove the seeds for less heat. At family gatherings in Mexico, they prepare a separate bowl of spicy chiles (like serrano and habañero chiles) so the adults can add them to taste and the kids can easily avoid them.
Cilantro: Cut off the main batch of stems at the bottom of the bunch, then cut up the remaining stems along with the leaves. Please omit if you hate cilantro (parsley or chives are good substitutes).
Yield: This recipe will make about 4 cups ceviche.
Storage: Ceviche is best consumed the same day you make it. Leftovers will most likely still taste good the next day, but they don't last too long beyond that.