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This fresh and easy Peruvian shrimp ceviche recipe is the best version because it can be done with raw and cooked seafood for every palate.
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When it comes to ceviche, one of the best versions to try is the Peruvian shrimp ceviche.
This fresh and easy salad is a tasty appetizer to start any meal, but this recipe is also enjoyable with tortilla chips for a healthy and flavorful snack.
What makes Peruvian shrimp ceviche so good? It’s a top contender in ceviche wars because, compared to other ceviche versions, it’s less soupy, and the chunks of fresh ingredients are sure to please the eyes and tastebuds.
The contrast between the raw and cooked elements also offers mouthwatering textures and flavor combinations.
What Is Shrimp Ceviche?
Ceviche, thought to come from Peru’s pre-Colombian word “siwichi,” is an ancient recipe inspired by eating raw fish cured in acid.
There’s good evidence that people from thousands of years ago have enjoyed seafood straight from the sea and eaten just like that with lots of hot chili peppers.
The lemon juice in ceviches works on raw seafood, similar to cooking, as it becomes opaque and firmer.
And while classic ceviche uses raw fish, the shrimp ceviche is a delicious alternative that can be prepared with fresh raw, or cooked shrimp.
But because fresh raw shrimp is hard to find, it’s best to try this Peruvian shrimp ceviche recipe with frozen shrimp to avoid the risk of food poisoning.
Enjoy the texture and flavor of Peruvian’s flagship dish at home!
What Is The Difference Between Peruvian Shrimp Ceviche and Shrimp Ceviche?
The difference between Peruvian shrimp ceviche and shrimp ceviche is the former is much simpler than other ceviche shrimp varieties.
Peruvian ceviche uses lime juice, peppers, and onion, while the Mexican ceviche shrimp recipe includes tomatoes, Ecuadorian ceviche uses sweet peppers instead of spicy peppers, and Chilean ceviche has grapefruit juice and mint.
At the end of the day, ceviche is a fresh, tasty, and light seafood dish that can be modified according to the preferred taste and available ingredients. So if there’s anything to keep in mind when doing this dish at home is to purchase fresh seafood.
If unsure about the raw shrimp, follow this Peruvian shrimp ceviche recipe that includes tips for cooking the more accessible and readily available frozen shrimp.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
There are many Peruvian shrimp ceviche recipes, but this version is best because the cook can choose between raw and cooked shrimp. It’s hard to find fresh, raw shrimp that can be consumed without cooking because they’re highly perishable.
However, the main reason ceviche is well-loved is that the raw seafood denatured by the citrus juice allows for enjoying the fresh sea flavor with a firm bite.
In this recipe, learn the technique for cooking shrimp without losing the signature taste and texture of the Peruvian cuisine classic!
More reasons to love this recipe:
- Will Work With Cooked Shrimp – Some people are not a fan of raw fish, and raw shrimp itself is more commonly available as frozen for longer shelf life. This ceviche shrimp dish proves that even cooking shrimp still creates a refreshing and delightful ceviche.
- Can Be Served as an Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack, or Main Dish – It’s up to the cook to serve this light and bright Peruvian shrimp ceviche alone as an appetizer, side dish, or as a healthy and satisfying snack or main dish with tortilla chips.
- Quick and Easy – This shrimp ceviche only needs to marinate between 45 minutes to an hour, but it can also be prepared ahead of time. Simply mix and marinate the ingredients, do other tasks, and come back for a fresh and nutritious dish.
What Does Peruvian Shrimp Ceviche Taste Like?
If someone asks what Peruvian shrimp ceviche tastes like, the best two descriptions would be light and refreshing.
The textures and flavors from the diced and sliced vegetables, and tender shrimp, with the right amount of acidity from the citrus juice and kick from peppers, easily make shrimp ceviche a top seafood salad for every palate.
The seafood dish tastes bright and clean, and the textures make shrimp ceviche satisfying to chew. It’s also a bonus that the resulting colors are enough to entice the maker from wanting to immediately take a spoonful before marinating the ceviche in the fridge.
However, resist the temptation as the citrus juices must cure the shrimp. If shrimp ceviche has a tagline, it would be “good things are worth waiting for.”
How Healthy Is Shrimp Ceviche?
Shrimp ceviche is a healthy dish that even the American Heart Association has developed a heart-healthy recipe. It’s also an ideal meal for those looking for something clean and satisfying that’s low-calorie.
The primary health consideration with shrimp ceviche is the freshness of the shrimp. If confident and sure about the source of the raw food, it’s possible to use it in the ceviche recipe.
Otherwise, raw shrimp might not be fresh enough and harbor contaminants, so it’s a high risk for food poisoning.
However, if craving shrimp ceviche, it can still be enjoyable with cooked shrimp, as seen in this yummy and easy Peruvian shrimp ceviche.
What Are The Benefits Of Shrimp Ceviche?
Enjoy Peru’s national dish at home by making shrimp ceviche. Because the recipe uses cooked shrimp, foodies can confidently take each bite without worrying about the risk of food poisoning.
Shrimp ceviche is also a healthy dish because it’s primarily fresh vegetables.
It’s the perfect appetizer, side dish, main dish, or snack without high calories, too much sodium, or unhealthy fats.
And best of all, it’s ready in an hour to be a treat after a long day or for surprising family and friends at home.
Ingredients For Peruvian Shrimp Ceviche
- Shrimp – Traditional ceviche uses fish, but shrimp also offers the bite and taste that’s perfect with the vegetables and citrus dressing.
- Cherry tomatoes – The bright and sweet cherry tomatoes offer another layer of flavor to the fresh ceviche.
- Cucumber – Ceviche is not just an experience for the tastebuds but also for every bite, thanks to the crunch of this ingredient.
- Red onions – The deep color of red onions makes the ceviche even more attractive, and their spicy flavor is just perfect with the acidic dressing.
- Avocado – The buttery and nutty taste of avocado makes this Peruvian shrimp ceviche more satisfying than other versions.
- Jalapeno – It’s not a ceviche without the kick from hot peppers.
- Cilantro – The fresh cilantro taste will bring out the flavor of shrimp.
- Lime juice – The base of classic Peruvian ceviche.
- Fresh orange juice – Family and friends will remember this version of Peruvian shrimp ceviche because of the harmony between orange and lime juice.
- Salt – Season with salt according to taste.
- Tortilla chips – Optional accompaniment to Peruvian shrimp ceviche, but their crunch makes them the perfect vehicle for every fresh bite of ceviche.
Tools Needed To Prepare Shrimp Ceviche
- Knife for preparing the ingredients
- Pot for cooking the shrimp
- Bowl for mixing the ceviche
- Plastic wrap for covering the bowl before allowing the ceviche to marinate in the fridge
Ingredient Additions & Substitutions For Shrimp Ceviche
Cherry tomatoes
The sweetness from cherry tomatoes is delightful with the spiciness and acidity of the shrimp ceviche. But another delicious sweet alternative for them would be fruits like mangoes or pineapple.
Bell peppers
Add more color and sweetness to the shrimp ceviche with bell peppers. It’s up to the cook to decide what color and flavor profile to use when choosing the bell pepper.
Green onion
Besides red, green onions would be tasty with the bright and refreshing shrimp ceviche. The color they add makes the ceviche even more tempting to take a picture of and post on social media.
Corn
Add corn to this Peruvian shrimp ceviche for sweetness and texture. Sweet corn will absorb the yummy dressing, with each bite bursting with classic Peruvian flavors.
How to Make Shrimp Ceviche
Ingredients:
- 1 lb shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes cut into halves
- ¾ cup diced cucumber
- ½ cup red onions
- 1 avocado diced
- 1 jalapeno, minced
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Tortilla chips for serving
Tools you need:
Instructions:
STEP 1: Gather all the fresh ingredients for the quick and easy shrimp ceviche.
STEP 2: To cook the shrimp, boil a pot of water with salt to high heat. Turn off the heat and cook the shrimp until they turn pink.
STEP 3: Drain and cool the cooked shrimp. Next, place them in a bowl with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onions, fresh avocado, jalapeno, and cilantro.
STEP 4: Season the ceviche mixture with lime juice and orange juice.
STEP 5: Add a bit of salt to taste and toss the ingredients together. Make sure everything is evenly coated.
STEP 6: Cover the bowl and put the shrimp ceviche in the fridge to marinate for 45 minutes to an hour before serving.
STEP 7: Plate the fresh shrimp ceviche with tortilla chips, and enjoy!
What To Eat With Shrimp Ceviche
Crunchy tortilla chips are not the only yummy additions that can be served with shrimp ceviche.
Another delicious vehicle for this adored seafood salad is the fluffy flatbread, which can soak up the zesty and spicy dressing.
Looking for something more filling? Shrimp ceviche will also taste terrific served with thick potato fries!
Here are some other fresh and delightful healthy dishes from the blog:
The vibrant flavors of our Peruvian Shrimp Ceviche are undeniably mouthwatering. Avocado Crema is another recipe that complements this ceviche beautifully.
Tips About Making Shrimp Ceviche
Feel confident in doing Peruvian shrimp ceviche at home with these tips:
- Use small or medium shrimp to save on preparation time since they don’t need to be cut into bite-size pieces.
- Be sure to complete the one-hour marinating period for the ceviche or prepare it 8 hours in advance.
- Experiment with different ingredient combinations to achieve the taste, color, and texture preferred.
How To Store Shrimp Ceviche
Freezing leftovers is not recommended for shrimp ceviche’s best taste and safety.
On the bright side, shrimp ceviche should still be safe and delicious when stored in an airtight container in the fridge, but there’s a catch:
Fridge: If there is some ceviche left, it can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for one day only. Eating the ceviche beyond that recommended period is not advisable.
Freezer: It’s not recommended to freeze shrimp ceviche because the textures will turn mushy or, worse, the ceviche itself will spoil when it finishes thawing.
Does shrimp ceviche go bad? It’s easy to know if it’s no longer a good idea to eat the citrusy seafood dish because it will smell bad and might even form molds.
Freshly made ceviche is the best not just because of the flavors, colors, and textures but also because of food safety.
Is Shrimp Ceviche Keto Friendly?
Shrimp ceviche is a great dish for those on a keto diet because it’s naturally low-carb.
This Peruvian shrimp ceviche recipe also has high-fat avocado, a favorite fruit among keto enthusiasts.
Still, different people have their own version of shrimp ceviche, so it’s best to be mindful of the ingredients that may raise the carb content of the seemingly light dish.
FAQ About Shrimp Ceviche
How long to marinate shrimp for ceviche?
Shrimp ceviche will taste best after marinating for 45 minutes to an hour so that the citrus juices can penetrate the ingredients.
Is shrimp ceviche gluten-free?
Shrimp ceviche is gluten-free because the dish uses simple ingredients like tomatoes, cucumber, onions, avocado, jalapeno, cilantro, lime, orange, and shrimp. It can also be served with gluten-free tortilla chips made from corn and not wheat.
Peruvian Shrimp Ceviche
This fresh and easy Peruvian shrimp ceviche recipe is the best version because it can be done with raw and cooked seafood for every palate.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Gather all the fresh ingredients for the quick and easy shrimp ceviche.
- To cook the shrimp, boil a pot of water with salt to high heat. Turn off the heat and cook the shrimp until they turn pink.
- Drain and cool the cooked shrimp. Next, place them in a bowl with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onions, avocado, jalapeno, and cilantro.
- Season the ceviche mixture with lime juice and orange juice.
- Add salt to taste and toss the ingredients together. Make sure everything is evenly coated.
- Cover the bowl and put the shrimp ceviche in the fridge to marinate for 45 minutes to an hour before serving.
- Plate the shrimp ceviche with tortilla chips, and enjoy.
Notes
- Classic ceviche uses raw shrimp, but it’s crucial to use the freshest shrimp if raw to ensure they’re entirely safe from contamination.
- If only large or jumbo shrimp is available, cut them into smaller pieces to make them easier to eat in the ceviche.
- If using frozen shrimp, defrost and cook them accordingly.
- Be patient and let the shrimp ceviche marinate for 45 minutes to an hour before eating.
- Ceviche can be done 8 hours in advance, but only add the avocado before serving as they turn brown quickly.
- Shrimp ceviche is best eaten fresh, and freezing is not recommended.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 255Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 239mgSodium: 1349mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 5gSugar: 5gProtein: 28g
* Please note that all nutrition information are just estimates. Values will vary among brands, so we encourage you to calculate these on your own for the most accurate results.
Conclusion
It’s fantastic if fresh, raw shrimp is available. But if not, this Peruvian shrimp ceviche proves that even cooked shrimp can be used as the protein for the fresh, zesty, and spicy dish.
Peruvian shrimp ceviche is very easy to make, and the self-control for an hour of waiting to let it marinate is greatly rewarded once the first bite is taken.
Serve this with gluten-free tortilla chips, and it’s a guaranteed gluten-free keto-friendly crowd-pleaser!
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