The Best Ceviche Recipe – Downshiftology

Ceviche is the best seafood appetizer for summer entertaining! It’s light and fresh, vibrant and tangy, and perfectly scoopable with tortilla chips.

A bowl of ceviche — *Photo: Gayle McLeod*

Why You’ll Love This Ceviche Recipe

Whenever I see ceviche on a menu, it’s a guarantee that I’ll order it. My friends jokingly say that ceviche is my love language—and they’re not wrong. I’ve enjoyed plenty of ceviche on trips to Mexico (you can catch a snippet in the video below). And while there are countless ways to make ceviche, I have a soft spot for this classic ceviche de pescado (fish ceviche). It’s the one appetizer that always gets me excited for summer entertaining, especially for 4th of July parties! Here’s why you’ll love my recipe too:

It’s light, fresh, and healthy. This dish highlights everything I love about Mexican coastal food: lime-marinated white fish, juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumber, red onion, creamy avocado, and plenty of cilantro.
It’s easy yet impressive. Seafood on the table always makes a good impression, but this recipe couldn’t be simpler. Just marinate the fish, chop the veggies, and toss them together. That’s it!

Ingredients for Mexican ceviche on a table

Ceviche Ingredients

White Fish: I’m using fresh halibut for this recipe, but you can reference the section below 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.
Ceviche 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!
Fresh Cilantro: 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 to 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 it together and serve. 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 the ceviche on a plate, with tortilla chips, or in individual glasses (this is perfect for a party!).

How Long to Marinate Fish for Ceviche?

The “cook time” for ceviche depends on how tender you want the fish to be and how big the pieces are. But the general rule is to marinate for at least 20 to 30 minutes and no more than 4 hours. If you marinate for…

30 Minutes: The fish will be mostly opaque and a bit more “cooked” yet still tender.
1 Hour: The fish will be opaque, like “medium-cooked” meat.
2+ Hours: The fish will be completely opaque, like “well-done” meat. After 4 hours, the fish will toughen up and won’t be as tasty.

Peruvian vs Mexican Ceviche

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

Common Questions

What is the best fish for ceviche?

The options are numerous—you can use shellfish like shrimp, crab, scallops, or squid. And then there’s white fish (my favorite) like sea bass, snapper, halibut, cod, mahi mahi, and more. In Mexico, sea bass is often used, though I’m using halibut today as it’s easy for me to find in Southern California (it’s also what I used in my mango halibut ceviche).

Whichever you decide, I can’t emphasize enough that the quality of your fish matters. If you have access to a local fish market with freshly caught fish of the day, I’d consider that your first option. If not, you can grab frozen fish or let the fishmonger know you’re using raw fish for ceviche. This will give them a better idea of which pieces are best suited for you.

Is it safe to eat raw fish in ceviche?

Yes, ceviche is safe, as long as it’s made properly. And it’s important to use very fresh, high-quality fish. Ideally, you want to go for sushi-grade or previously frozen fish (which helps kill harmful bacteria).

How long can you store ceviche in the fridge?

Anything fresh, like ceviche, is always best enjoyed right away. However, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Just keep in mind that the acidic marinade will continue to “cook” the fish and break down its protein structure over time. This can make the texture a bit tougher, especially with shrimp (in my experience, it affects shrimp more than white fish). But I’ve certainly enjoyed the leftovers of this recipe the next day!

More Mexican Appetizers

If you make this ceviche recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more healthy food inspiration (and exclusive content), join my free newsletter.