The Best Ceviche Recipe - Downshiftology (2024)

This classic ceviche recipe is a light and fresh appetizer (or main meal) that’s vibrant, tangy, and perfectly scoopable with tortilla chips. It’s a simple blend of lime-marinated white fish (though you could also use shrimp) along with tomatoes, cucumber, onion, avocado, and cilantro. It’s the ultimate ceviche!

Ceviche is my love language. Especially this ceviche de pescado (fish ceviche), which is my go-to ceviche recipe for summertime parties and fiestas. It also highlights what I love about Mexican coastal food, where a handful of fresh, healthy ingredients turn into one amazingly flavorful meal.

I’ve eaten endless amounts of ceviche across Mexico (you can catch a snippet in the video below), so I’m excited to share my take on this classic ceviche. It’s naturally simple yet touches on all the fresh flavors of Mexico.

Peruvian vs Mexican Ceviche

Before we dive into the recipe, I’d like to give a warm shout-out to my Peruvian followers and their national dish — ceviche! Their version is often a simpler preparation with citrus-marinated raw fish, sliced onions, and a sprinkle of cilantro. It really lets the fish shine! And for the full plated experience, you’ll typically find Peruvian ceviche served with sweet potatoes, toasted corn, or plantain chips.

On the other hand, the ceviche I’ve made today is influenced by all my travels to Mexico. Mexican ceviche also uses citrus-marinated, but it’s tossed with other ingredients like tomatoes, cucumber, onion, jalapeño, avocado, and more. And with everything diced up in uniform pieces, it’s the perfect appetizer to serve with tortilla chips!

Ceviche Ingredients

A bite of this ceviche will make you feel like you’re on the coast of Mexico! Here’s what’s in it.

• White Fish: I’m using fresh halibut for this recipe, but you can reference the section above for other firm white fish options. You can also use shrimp in this recipe, but take note of the shrimp tips in my citrus shrimp ceviche recipe.
• Marinade: A lime and lemon juice mixture will “cook” and tenderize the fish.
• Vegetables: You’ll need tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, avocados, and jalapeño or serrano pepper. It’s all my favorite Mexican toppings in one bowl!
• Herbs: You can’t do ceviche without cilantro in my opinion (but I’m also a cilantro lover).

Find the complete recipe with measurements below

How To Make Ceviche

Marinate the fish. In a glass (non-reactive) bowl, stir together the fish, lime juice, and lemon juice. Cover the bowl and marinate in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes (and up until 2 hours or so). You’ll notice the fish go opaque as the lime juice “cooks” the fish. The longer you marinate the fish, the more it will cook. See below for more information.

Stir everything together. Remove the fish from the fridge (no need to drain it) and add the tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, red onion, jalapeno pepper, cilantro, and salt. Gently stir to combine.

Serve it up! Serve the ceviche in individual glasses, on a plate, or with tortilla chips.

Storage Tips

Anything fresh, like ceviche, is always best eaten right away. But any leftovers will keep for up to 2 days in the fridge stored in an airtight container.

Keep in mind though that the acidic mixture will continue to “cook” and break down the fish’s protein structure. It can make the fish more tough, though I find this applies to shrimp more so than white fish. I’ve certainly enjoyed leftovers of this recipe the next day!

More Easy Mexican Appetizers

These appetizers are essential for your next Mexican-inspired dinner! And if you need a few more delicious ideas to round out the table, I’ve got an exciting list of my best Mexican recipes.

• Best Ever Guacamole
• Pico De Gallo
• Best Salsa
• Mango Salsa (or this Mandarin Orange Salsa!)

I hope you and your guests enjoy this delicious ceviche recipe! I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment box below.