Ceviche

This Ceviche recipe is vibrant, easy to make, and bursting with incredible flavors. Made with wholesome ingredients like fresh fish, lime juice, avocado, and cilantro, this mouthwatering dish makes the perfect healthy appetizer or entree for any occasion.

As summer quickly approaches, I absolutely have to share with you all one of my go-to summertime recipes. This recipe for Ceviche is insanely delicious, refreshing, and beyond easy to make. Believe me when I tell you that it’s a recipe you need to try out this season.

I love serving this dish as an appetizer or snack when I have friends or family over, especially in the summertime. Between the vibrant colors and incredible flavors, it’s safe to say that it doesn’t typically last long when I have company. But that’s okay! Ceviche is meant to be enjoyed, no matter how quickly my friends may devour it… Ha!

Whether you’re throwing a summer barbecue, hosting this month’s book club meeting, cooking for a dinner party, or simply looking for a delicious afternoon snack for the family, this delicious Ceviche recipe is guaranteed to be a show stopper. Serve it as a dip alongside your favorite tortilla chips, as the main course with rice on the side, or even on its own as a healthy and refreshing snack. You’re going to love it!

Key Ingredients and Easy Swaps

This simple and delicious recipe comes together with under 10 ingredients. The key ingredients you will need to make this Ceviche recipe include:

• White fish: You can use any white fish you like for this recipe. Some of my favorite options include cod, halibut, red snapper, sea bass, and kingfish. Shrimp can be swapped in for fish as well. For a vegetarian option, you could swap in hearts of palm, just don't marinate them for too long in the long juice.
• Lime juice: The high levels of acidity in lime juice alter the structure of the proteins in the fish, essentially cooking the fish without the need to actually cook it. Not to mention, it adds a ton of bright citrus flavors and freshness to the dish. Lemon juice also works but gives the dish a less traditional flavor.
• Avocado: The healthy fats and rich, creamy texture of the avocado perfectly balance out the light and bright flavors in this recipe. Yum!
• Jalapeno: I love adding just a tablespoon or two of fresh diced jalapeno to this dish to round out the acidity and freshness with a little heat. This is optional, so feel free to leave it out if you don’t like heat.
• Cilantro: Adding in a fresh and fragrant herb like cilantro brightens up the whole dish and adds a ton of delicious flavor. If you don't like cilantro, you could leave this out or swap in a different herb.

What is Ceviche?

Ceviche is a classic Peruvian dish made with cubes of raw fish that marinate in lemon or lime juice until the acidity has broken down the proteins in the fish. This process is called denaturing and essentially cooks the fish without using heat so that it’s safe to consume. Ceviche also is popular in Mexico and typically found in coastal areas.

The marinated fish is traditionally mixed together with zesty ingredients like onions, peppers, and fresh cilantro. Ceviche is the national dish of Peru, but regional variations of the dish exist all across Central and South America.

How to Serve Fish Ceviche

This tasty dish can be served in a variety of ways! Here are some of my favorite serving styles and substitutions:

• This dish can be served as the main course for lunch or dinner alongside rice, cauliflower rice, or quinoa. My personal favorite side dish to pair with this dish is my Cilantro Lime Rice, because it perfectly complements the bright flavors of this recipe.
• For a healthier twist on nachos, serve this dish on top of baked tortilla chips.
• Try serving this dish as a dip for tortilla chips or plantain chips.
• If you’re feeling extra fancy or planning an island-inspired event, try serving this dish inside of a coconut for an eye-catching twist.
• For a Mexican-inspired dinner party, serve this dish on top of baked tostadas. Alternatively, try scooping them into Bibb lettuce leaves for lettuce wraps if you’re looking for a lighter meal.
• For a more traditional Peruvian take on serving this dish, serve it alongside cooked sweet potato, corn or choclo (Peruvian corn), and thin slices of red onion. Some times crispy corn nuts are served on top for crunch. 

How to Store This Dish

While this dish can be stored in the fridge in an airtight bag or container for up to 24 hours, I would not recommend trying to freeze it. If you have whole fish filets that were not used in the marinade, feel free to freeze them, but I wouldn’t freeze the marinated fish. The acid in the lime juice breaks down the proteins in the fish, which is fantastic when eaten in the first few days, but it will continue to do so for as long as it’s in the fridge or freezer. This means that rather than the delicious ceviche you originally made, you are likely to wind up with mush if you try to freeze the dish and then thaw it out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below you will find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about this vibrant and tasty dish:

How long should ceviche be marinated?

If you’re using a non sushi-grade fish, you will need to marinate it in the lime juice for one hour in the fridge. If you’re using sushi-grade fish, you will only need to marinate it for 5-10 minutes. However, feel free to let it marinate for longer if you want to let the flavors soak in more.

What do you need to make ceviche?

Traditionally, the most important components of this dish are fresh white fish, lime juice, cilantro, and onions. We add other tasty ingredients like cherry tomatoes, jalapenos, and avocado for added flavor, but you can add anything you like that you think would work well.

Is ceviche good for you?

Absolutely! Fish is known to be low in calories and high in protein, and the rest of the ingredients used in the dish are packed with beneficial vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.

Can you freeze ceviche?

Due to the way the acid breaks down the fish, I would not recommend freezing ceviche.

More Healthy Fish Recipes

• Pan Seared Salmon
• Easy Baked Cod
• Parmesan Crusted Tilapia
• Grilled Salmon
• Five Ingredient Tuna Patties