Name: Easy Avocado & Shrimp Ceviche
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 270 min
Ingredients: 24 ounces jumbo shrimp (thawed, peeled, deveined ); 2 medium Hass avocados (peeled, diced (1/2 inch pieces)); 1 tablespoon lime zest (fresh, 2-3 limes); ¼ cup fresh lime juice (2-3 limes); ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (2 lemons); ¼ cup fresh orange juice; 4 medium Roma tomatoes (seeded, diced); 1 small red onion (diced); ½ medium cucumber (seeded, diced); 1-2 medium fresh jalapeños (finely diced); 1-2 teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon black pepper; ¼ cup fresh cilantro (finely chopped); 3-4 dashes hot sauce

^{Whether you’re making this as a summer snack or a Christmas Eve (Feast of the Seven Fishes) dish, Avocado Shrimp Ceviche is an easy, elegant and nutritious recipe to always have on hand. Serve with some plantain chips and you have yourself a fresh treat!}

This would probably be one of those recipes that I could make all summer long and never get tired of it. Shrimp ceviche is very little work, and super versatile. The reason I am sharing this mid December is because it’s also perfect for Christmas Eve while serving up a table of seafood and fish.

This year (2021) I am excited to pick back up a tradition that my family always shared, and that was gathering with some appetizers and cocktails on Christmas Eve. This year we are going all out with the Italian-American tradition of The Feast of the Seven Fishes serving whole salmon, scallops, crab stuffed mushrooms, mussels, lobster ravioli, stuffed clams and THIS shrimp ceviche!

Here’s the best part! Each serving of this recipe gives you a ton of protein, healthy fats and about half of your necessary daily vitamin C. Not only is this nutritious, it will have you feeling great on so many levels during the holiday season. In fact, it’s gluten free if serving it with plantain chips so it won’t even cause much bloat!

Shrimp is by far one of our must haves when it comes to appetizer dinners. It’s always an easy, satisfying treat and even more appealing in this Florida style ceviche with all the fresh citrus and avocado chunks. And it’s so easy to throw together hours before dinner is served! Just a few simple ingredients and you are good to go.

What is shrimp ceviche? I don’t have the exact definition of ceviche, but to explain it simply, it’s raw fish (shrimp) that is cooked by marinating in citrus juice. It is safe to eat after sitting for some time, however, in this recipe, for those who may be iffy about the process, we are using cooked shrimp and all the same ceviche flavors of citrus, vegetables and cilantro!

For the record – I am not claiming this to be authentic. I also know the method I am using may not be considered “the right way” but I can say it’s the easy way. It’s also the way that will assure your guests that they’re not eating raw meats if their bodies cannot handle that. So, no, this isn’t the normal way, but it’s a good way to get the same idea out there.

You can serve this as a dip or a salad, it works as both. My favorite way to eat it is with a side of lightly salted plantain chips…and store bought is the way to go. You can also serve leftovers over salad or in a lettuce cup for a low carb treat. The avocado is not always added to this recipe, but because I love the creaminess of avocado with light seafood, it adds another layer of depth to this salad.

Here are some other ways to mix up this dish:

Add another seafood to the dish such as bay scallops or crab. If these two additions are slightly cooked, they will add more body to the recipe.
Clamato juice is also really refreshing in this as well. It makes it a little more comparable to shrimp cocktail!
Kick up the heat to whatever level you’re comfortable with. Jalapeño is the safest pepper for this, however, get crazy and add habenaros if you want it more spicy! Hot sauce is another great addition for spiciness.
Lots of different cultures have unique ways of making shrimp ceviche. Some add potatoes, some add more spice, some leave out the avocado…it’s completely up to you.

I can’t get over how easy this is to make, but also how impressive it is on the table! Serve in a large bowl surrounded by chips, or get even fancier and separate into individual cups! Add more lime to the rim and treat your guests!

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Easy Avocado & Shrimp Ceviche

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Whether you’re making this as a summer snack or a Christmas Eve (Feast of the Seven Fishes) dish, Avocado Shrimp Ceviche is an easy, elegant and nutritious recipe to always have on hand. Serve with some plantain chips and you have yourself a fresh treat!

Prep Time:30 mins

Marinating time:4 hrs

Total Time:4 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients

24 ounces jumbo shrimp thawed, peeled, deveined
2 medium Hass avocados peeled, diced (1/2 inch pieces)
1 tablespoon lime zest fresh, 2-3 limes
¼ cup fresh lime juice 2-3 limes
¼ cup fresh lemon juice 2 lemons
¼ cup fresh orange juice
4 medium Roma tomatoes seeded, diced
1 small red onion diced
½ medium cucumber seeded, diced
1-2 medium fresh jalapeños finely diced
1-2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup fresh cilantro finely chopped
3-4 dashes hot sauce

Instructions

If using raw shrimp…

Bring 2-3 quarts of water to a boil with 1 tablespoon of salt. Add defrosted, raw shrimp to the boiling water and cook until no longer translucent for about 2-3 minutes. Remove and let cool by rinsing with ice cold water.
Cut shrimp into 2-3 pieces per shrimp.
In a large mixing bowl, add cut shrimp, avocado, lime zest, lime juice, lemon juice, orange juice, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, jalapeños, salt, pepper, cilantro and hot sauce. Gently stir everything together.
Cover and set in the fridge. Allow to set in the fridge for about 4 hours, stirring every 30-60 minutes.
Remove and serve with tortilla chips, plantain chips or on a tostada.

Notes

How long does it last and where?

I ate this for up to 2-3 days in the fridge. The longer the shrimp stays in the citrus, the more the texture changes. If you’re starting with raw shrimp, it may last for about one day more but it is not necessary to keep for too long.

Keep in mind, there are avocados in this. Although they do last for about one or two days in the citrus marinade, they too break down with time and become mushy and flavorless. I suggest making this a few hours before serving and only making enough for those eating it.

Can you freeze it?

Nope! I do, however, use frozen shrimp. You can use uncooked or cooked but I would suggest cooking it slightly if its raw. I do that because not everyone is comfortable with eating raw seafood.

Substitutions?

There are a ton of ways you can mix this up! If you want to add two or more seafood variations to this, (which would actually just make it seafood salad), crab, scallops, squid are all easy options!

You can always nix the avocado if you choose. Add or omit cucumber too. These just add more bulk to the recipe.

For the citrus, feel free to use only two types of juice such as lemon and lime or lime and orange. I always would at least keep the lime for the strong tartness. You definitely don’t have to add the tomato juice (Clamato) if you don’t have it on hand or simply just don’t like it.

Tips and Tricks

Make this recipe 1-4 hours before serving if using the precooked shrimp. You want to marinate it long enough for the flavors to really soak into the mixture. If using raw shrimp, I would suggest about 6 hours before serving to assure that it has had time to cook the shrimp enough.

Do NOT use bottled lemon or lime juice. Fresh is the best and it gives the most acidity to the seafood. The orange juice is also better fresh because it won’t run the risk of adding sugars to the salad that are not needed.

Always use fresh vegetables and cilantro. Avoid canned tomatoes and dried cilantro as it will not add a great flavor to the mild shrimp. Shrimp absorb whatever it’s marinating in so the freshest ingredients will always be preferred.

What to serve with it?

Top on a tostada or with a side of tortilla chips or plantain chips! If cutting carbs, scoop into lettuce cups for a fresh spin on this recipe.

If serving on Christmas Eve, pair with my Everything (Bagel-less) Salmon and Grandma Joy’s Crab Cakes!