This Zesty Shrimp Ceviche is exactly the kind of dish that belongs in July. It is cool, bright, colorful, and full of fresh flavor. There is no heavy sauce and no complicated prep, just good ingredients steeped in lime juice until everything tastes crisp and refreshing.
This recipe is my son Joel’s specialty! We got the original recipe from a friend in Baja while on vacation, but Joel has added his own touches including diced tomatillos and our own Taco Temptation seasoning blend. You can certainly use your favorite taco seasoning … but we hope that it’s ours! It can be made with shrimp, red snapper, yellowfin tuna, mahi mahi, or any combination of those sea critters. You could even use lobster, if you are so inclined!
This version gets its sweetness from fresh cherry tomatoes and its tangy bite from diced tomatillos. The tomatillos are a great addition because they add a clean, citrusy flavor that works naturally with the lime. Jalapeños bring just enough heat, while the tops of green onions add a mild sharpness without overpowering the shrimp.
We cover the onions in lime juice and taco seasoning and then chill them in the freezer for about 10 minutes to soften the raw onion taste. This works really well if you don’t love raw onion, but if you do, you can certainly eliminate this step!
Fresh cilantro ties everything together. It gives the ceviche that unmistakable fresh, green flavor that makes each bite taste lively. The lime juice does more than dress the dish; it pulls all the ingredients together and gives the shrimp, tomatoes, tomatillos, onions, and peppers time to mingle.
I like using frozen raw shrimp that has been peeled and deveined. This keeps the dish easy and reliable while still giving you that classic chilled ceviche flavor. Once the shrimp is combined with the lime juice and vegetables, it just needs a little time in the refrigerator before serving. Or course, if you are in a part of the world where you can get fresh shrimp right out of the ocean, that can’t be beat and it’s worth the effort to peel and devein the shrimp yourself!
We like to make this dish a hour or two before serving, so it has plenty of time to chill. Serve it with a lime wedge, tortilla chips, tostadas, avocado slices, and a sprig of cilantro as garnish. You can serve a bigger bowl as a first course, or spoon it into small glasses for an appetizer. It is light enough for a hot afternoon but flavorful enough to feel special.
The best part is how fresh it tastes. Sweet tomatoes, tart tomatillos, spicy jalapeños, bright lime, and tender shrimp make this ceviche a perfect summer dish: simple, colorful, and full of flavor.
Shrimp Ceviche
Ingredients
- 8 large raw shrimp, tails removed, shelled and deveined and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tbsp. the white tops of green onions, finely minced (use the top 2 inches of the green onions- just the white part)
- 1 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice
- 1 tsp. Taco Temptation (or your favorite taco seasoning)
- 2 tbsp. jalapeno, finely diced
- 3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, cut into eights, or small pieces
- 1 tomatillo, outside husk removed, and cut into small dice
- 2 tbsp. minced cilantro leaves (Plus 4 sprigs for garnish)
- 1 avocado, cut into wedges for garnishes
- 1 lime, quartered for garnish
- 1 package tortilla chips
Instructions
- Place minced onion, 1/2 tsp. Taco Temptation and 1/2 cup of lime juice in a bowl. Mix with a fork or spoon. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Remove onion mixture from freezer and add shrimp, jalapeño, tomatillo, tomatoes, and remaining 1/2 tsp. of Taco Temptation to the bowl. Add remaining lime juice and place in the freezer for another 10 minutes.
- Remove from freezer and add cilantro. Stir and serve chilled. Garnish with a fresh cilantro sprig, a lime wedge and a wedge or couple of chunks of avocado. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.