Why You’ll Love this Best Ever Ceviche
I’m practically obsessed with this ceviche recipe, and honestly, once you try it, you’ll understand why it’s earned the “best ever” title in my kitchen.
It’s ridiculously fresh, bursting with lime and cilantro flavors that make your taste buds dance. Plus, it’s foolproof – literally just chop, mix, and chill. Perfect for impressing guests.
What Ingredients are in Best Ever Ceviche?
This ceviche recipe is honestly a flavor powerhouse that brings together the perfect balance of fresh seafood, zesty citrus, and just the right amount of heat. What I love most about these ingredients is how they work together to create something that tastes way more complicated than it actually is – like, you’re basically just chopping and mixing, but the end result tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen being all fancy and chef-like.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb shrimp, cooked, peeled, and chopped to bite-size pieces
- 1/2 lb imitation crabmeat, chopped
- 1 cup squeezed fresh lime juice
- 3 cups finely diced fresh tomatoes
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 chopped green onion
- 1 diced green sweet pepper
- 4 diced jalapeño peppers (seeds removed for mild, kept in for hot)
- 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Now, here’s where I get a little picky about ingredients – and trust me, it makes a difference. The lime juice absolutely has to be fresh squeezed; that bottled stuff just doesn’t have the same bright, punchy flavor that makes ceviche sing. When it comes to those jalapeños, I usually do a mix – remove seeds from half of them and leave seeds in the other half, because I’m indecisive like that and want just the right amount of heat. Also, don’t skimp on the cilantro; I know some people think it tastes like soap, but if you’re one of those people, maybe ceviche isn’t your destiny. The tomatoes should be really fresh and firm – nobody wants mushy, watery tomatoes making everything soggy.
How to Make this Best Ever Ceviche
Making this ceviche is honestly so straightforward that I sometimes wonder if I’m missing something – like, shouldn’t good food be harder than this? But nope, it really is just about getting your knife skills going and letting time do most of the work.
Start by grabbing a large bowl and tossing in your 1 lb of cooked, peeled, and chopped shrimp along with the 1/2 lb of chopped imitation crabmeat. Then comes the fun part where you basically turn into a chopping machine: add those 3 cups of finely diced fresh tomatoes, 1 large finely chopped onion, 1 chopped green onion, 1 diced green sweet pepper, and those 4 diced jalapeño peppers (remember, seeds out for mild, seeds in if you’re feeling brave).
Next, pour in that pivotal 1 cup of fresh squeezed lime juice – this is where the magic happens, people – followed by 1 1/2 cups of chopped fresh cilantro, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
Now here’s where patience becomes your friend, even though I know you probably want to dive right in. Mix everything together really well – I’m talking about getting in there with a big spoon and making sure every single piece gets acquainted with that lime juice and all those flavors. You can absolutely serve it right away if you’re starving or have guests waiting, but honestly, the best thing you can do is stick it in the fridge for a few hours. This waiting period lets all those flavors get cozy together, and the lime juice works its citrusy magic on everything.
When you’re ready to serve, you can go fancy with tostada shells, keep it casual with tortilla chips for dipping, or just eat it straight from the bowl like the seafood-loving person you are. Pro tip: if you want to get a little extra with it, throw on some lettuce, avocado, and black olives as garnish, because why not make it look as good as it tastes? If you prefer to have this ready for busy weeknights, a premium slow cooker can help you prepare the shrimp component ahead of time for effortless meal prep.
Best Ever Ceviche Substitutions and Variations
While this recipe is pretty darn perfect as written, I totally get that sometimes you need to work with what you’ve got in your kitchen, or maybe you’re dealing with picky eaters who think cilantro tastes like soap.
You can swap parsley for cilantro, use all shrimp instead of crab, or add diced mango for sweetness.
What to Serve with Best Ever Ceviche
Ceviche practically begs for the right companions, and honestly, choosing what to serve alongside this zesty seafood masterpiece can make or break your meal. I love pairing it with crispy tortilla chips for scooping, warm corn tortillas, or crunchy tostada shells.
Fresh avocado slices, plantain chips, and cold beer complete the perfect spread.
Final Thoughts
This recipe has honestly become my go-to whenever I want to impress someone without breaking a sweat in the kitchen.
The fresh lime juice does all the heavy lifting, literally cooking the seafood while I just chop and mix. It’s foolproof, invigorating, and makes me look like I actually know what I’m doing.
