Learn how to make ceviche, a zesty fresh fish and citrus salad enjoyed throughout Mexico and South America. It’s so light and irresistibly delicious, you’ll be hooked from the very first bite.
I learned how to make ceviche in the town of San José de Gracia in Aguascalientes (home of the famous Cristo Roto). But the biggest lesson was that ceviche is different everywhere you go.
Consider this a starting point for your own ceviche recipe. Make it like mine, or make it your own. There are infinite recipes and also no real recipe, so feel free to get creative!
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe. Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Use frozen fish. It might be tempting to get fresh fish to make your ceviche, but frozen actually comes with less risks. And for ceviche, higher quality is always better. Look for a wild caught and flash frozen white fish, like cod or halibut. You want the texture to be firm and the flavor subtle.
The reason is because ceviche (sev-ee-chay) is still, for the most part, a raw fish dish.
I don’t want to scare you too much. The vast majority of illnesses you might get from eating tainted or parasite-laden raw fish will be moderate to light. It’ll feel like food poisoning, with cramps, nausea and a serious case of the trots. Not fun, but not life-threatening, either. This is because in most cases we are not what’s called a “definitive” host, meaning the parasite hits a dead end with us.
Everyone wants to learn how to make ceviche, and, while ceviche recipes are all over the place, a basic ceviche is, more or less, pico de gallo with fish or seafood in it.
Here in the West, Pacific salmon, rockfish and halibut well known to harbor anasakis larvae, and to be safe you must freeze your fish before eating it raw. And when I mean freezing I mean really freezing. You need the fish to hit -4°F for about a week to do the trick. Note that older home freezers never hit this temperature.
(If you want to learn more on this topic, we did an entire podcast episode on parasites in fish.)
Recipe tips and variations
- Safety: Citrus juice does not kill bacteria or parasites in fish (neither will your home freezer), so choose commercially-frozen or high-quality fresh fish for ceviche. Cod, swordfish, and many freshwater fish are prone to parasites.
- Yield: This recipe will make about 4 cups ceviche.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 1 day. Ceviche is best enjoyed the day you make it.
- Denaturation: The technical term for the reaction between the citrus juice acid and the proteins in the muscle fibers of the fish or seafood.
- Avocado: Mixed in or scattered on top, avocado tempers the heat and a creamy texture to ceviche. Guacamole is a great option, too.
- More mix-ins: Get creative with jicama, cucumber, or even pineapple.
- Nutrition information: This will vary depending on the type of seafood used. The label below is for Tilapia Ceviche (no condiments, chips, or crackers). For comparison, Salmon Ceviche is approximately 200 calories per 1-cup serving and Shrimp Ceviche is approximately 140 calories per 1-cup serving.
Fish and Seafood Recipes
Fish and Seafood Recipes
Fish and Seafood Recipes
What Smart Chefs Know About Frozen Fish
FAQ
Is frozen fish safe for ceviche?
Is supermarket fish OK for ceviche?
What fish is not safe for ceviche?
Can I use previously frozen shrimp for ceviche?
Can you make ceviche with raw fish?
With really good fish, ceviche is one of the most delicious things you can make. All you have to do is cut the raw filleted fish into small, bite-size chunks; refrigerate it for a few minutes to a few hours in an acidic marinade (usually involving lime juice) to “cook” the fish; and then serve.
Is ceviche a bad idea?
A Peruvian invention, the original ceviche recipe is fish or seafood marinated in citrus juices, which then “cook” the fish. I’ve seen all sorts of versions served in restaurants, and if you look on any angler’s forum you’ll see recipes for ceviche of… well anything, really. This can be a very bad idea.
Can you eat ceviche raw?
This can be a very bad idea. The reason is because ceviche (sev-ee-chay) is still, for the most part, a raw fish dish. The citrus bath the fish or seafood sits in does turn the meat opaque, giving it the appearance of being cooked, and it does kill some of the many wee beasties present in raw foods that can make you sick, notably the toxin vibrio.
What makes a good ceviche?
“A good ceviche first starts with picking the right fish,” he told us. “You should look for a fish that is white, lean, and flaky. Fish like salmon or halibut won’t work because of its high fat content.” Typical white, lean, and flaky fish include flounder, red snapper, bass, grouper, rockfish, and sole.