We See You Summer Heatwave, and We Raise You This Refreshing, Cold Shrimp Ceviche Recipe!
When the heat is on outside, we like to keep dinner simple as can be and ice-cold, too. This easy avocado and shrimp ceviche recipe fits the bill and then some! With juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers and plenty of lime juice and zest, shrimp ceviche is as perfect a summer dinner as we can possibly imagine. Even on a 100-degree day, we can bring ourselves to grab a plantain chip or tortilla chip and scoop up this zingy, zippy, burst of refreshment. With shrimp, vegetables and those lovely good fats from the avocado, shrimp ceviche fully counts as a complete healthy dinner (tortilla chips notwithstanding). Or at least, we think so! Pair it with an equally ice-cold beer and you’re golden. Plus, it’s meant to be made ahead! So toss it together before the heat peaks, and by 5pm, your shrimp ceviche snacky dinner will be ready to be gobbled up.
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All Of Your Shrimp Ceviche Questions, Answered!
So you may know that traditional ceviche is made from raw fish that’s “cooked” by marinating in a citrusy dressing. Ceviche is heavily associated with Peruvian cuisine, but its true origins are murky, as people have been enjoying ceviche-like dishes all over the world for hundreds and hundreds of years. Its origins may even be traced back to “pre-contact” Polynesian peoples. It’s hard to say! So we’re not going to claim to have all of the answers. But what we know for sure is that this shrimp ceviche recipe is absolutely delicious, and we can at least answer a few of your most pressing ceviche questions:
Is shrimp ceviche raw or cooked? So, usually if you see the word “ceviche” you might assume that the fish or seafood is served raw and “cooked” by the lime or lemon juice in the marinade. However, shrimp ceviche recipes (like ours) often call for cooking the shrimp quickly before making the salad. Which brings us to...
Is shrimp ceviche safe to eat? Yes! In terms of our shrimp ceviche recipe, we can say with confidence that shrimp ceviche is safe to eat here because we are cooking the shrimp before making the ceviche. Or at least, it’s as safe as any shellfish recipe gets. As always, the most important thing about ensuring that your shrimp is safe to eat is to buy good shrimp! It’s safer for you, healthier for the planet and just the right thing to do. In fact....
Here’s how to buy the best shrimp so you can be sure you’re making the BEST shrimp ceviche ever: buying wild, American shrimp is a good way to cut concerns about slavery in the global shrimp industry and / or shady labor practices out of the equation. Look for wild Gulf shrimp and consider sustainability. There are a couple of awesome organizations that are working to help care for our oceans and part of their work includes certifying certain seafood as sustainable, like the Marine Stewardship Council and the Aquaculture Stewardship Council. Look for labels that carry a seal from either of these organizations and if you see one, you can feel good about your purchase! When in doubt, you can always cross-reference your shrimp buying options with the Monterey Bay Aquarium's excellent “Seafood Watch” site or app.
How Long Should Shrimp Sit in Lime Juice?
And does shrimp really cook in lime juice? In traditional raw ceviche, the shrimp (or fish) does indeed sort of “cook” in the citrus juice, at least in terms of texture. The texture of the fish or shellfish changes as it marinates in the lemon or lime juice, although you cannot count on the citrus juice to kill any parasites in the fish. Therefore, the freshness and quality of your seafood are especially key with any ceviche recipe! Even with a quick cook, the best way to ensure the safety of your shrimp ceviche is to trust your fishmonger and buy great, super-fresh shrimp. We’re repeating ourselves, but there’s a lot of confusion and nerves about ceviche and we just want to clear them up! Buy good shrimp, give it a quick blanch in boiling water, and then relax and most of all enjoy! Shrimp avocado ceviche is delicious.
A Super Easy Shrimp Avocado Ceviche Ingredients List For Your Grocery Shopping Pleasure.
Short and sweet, here’s everything you’ll need to make our easy shrimp ceviche recipe:
Medium shrimp. If you ask the fishmonger to peel and devein the shrimp for you, ask them to reserve the shells for you. It’s not the end of the world if you forget, but boiling the shrimp with their shells just adds a nice little extra dose of flavor to the shrimp.
Limes
Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Red onion
Herbs and spices: cilantro, salt, sugar, cayenne, garlic powder, cumin.
Avocado
How to Make Shrimp Ceviche
So yes, you’ll have to turn on the stove for about 10 minutes. But then you’re done! Yay for almost-no-cook dinners. Here’s how to make the very best shrimp ceviche:
Blanche the shrimp. Drop them carefully into boiling water. Cook until they are opaque and pink, about 2-3 minutes.
Ice bath! When they’re done, drain them and drop them into an ice bath to stop the cooking.
Cut everything! Chop the shrimp and all of the other goodies—cukes, red onions, tomatoes, and avocado—and toss it together.
Ceviche marinade time! Stir in the lime zest, juice, cilantro, salt, sugar, cayenne, garlic powder, and cumin.
Chill! Let the shrimp marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours max. If you leave it longer, the shrimp will get tough.
Tools You’ll Need
More Delicious Cold Recipes For When It’s Too Hot to Cook
The Best, Easy Shrimp Ceviche We’ve Ever Made
When it’s truly too hot to even move, invite a few neighbors over (hopefully they’ll bring the beer and rosé) and put out a big, chilled bowl of this avocado shrimp ceviche. With plenty of chips, of course! As far as we’re concerned, that is the best kind of low-key, impromptu dinner party. Everyone will be raving, and will head home happy and full, and relieved that they made it through another heatwave day without turning on the oven. When you make this recipe, let us know how you like it! Share a photo and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper so that we can see your stuff! Happy eating!
