Shrimp Ceviche with Avocado

This shrimp ceviche with avocado couldn’t be easier thanks to frozen, fully-cooked shrimp. Everything gets chopped and tossed together in a bowl with fresh citrus and cilantro. Simple ingredients are transformed into a beautiful and flavorful accompaniment for salty tortilla chips.

Coming in hot with a warm weather recipe for you today! Ceviche is one of those dishes that just screams vacation for me and since I don’t anticipate going on one of those any time soon, I’ll settle for bringing the vacation food to me.

In typical fashion, I made an easy variation using frozen, fully-cooked shrimp. And yes, I’m fully aware that it’s usually made with raw shrimp, but 1) frozen cooked shrimp is one of my favorite freezer staples and 2) being pregnant means I don’t take my chances with the raw stuff at the moment. This recipe is so approachable and delicious, I think you’ll like it just as much!

Ingredients

Here’s the line-up featuring a bunch of easy-to-find ingredients, although this is another one of those recipes you can’t really mess up. If you want to omit any of this stuff or add in your own special twist, by all means do so.

• Shrimp: I used frozen, fully-cooked, tail-on
• Grape tomatoes: it’s not tomato season yet so these are still my go-to because they taste great all year around
• English cucumber: peeled, seeded and diced (so refreshing)
• Avocado: while this isn’t necessarily standard in a ceviche, I went ahead and added it to make this hefty enough for a meal, and because I just love them
• Red onion: for color and a bite
• Serrano pepper: bringing the heat! I seeded mine, but you could leave some in if you like things on the hotter side.
• Cilantro: it’s a perfect match for these flavors
• Lime zest & juice: non-negotiable! The lime juice acts as a marinade that really pulls everything together here. Without it, this would likely fall flat and taste like it’s missing something.
• Salt: Again, this is so necessary for bringing out the flavors. Be generous and taste as you go.

The chopping takes a bit of time, so turn on some music and pour yourself a drink for this part! From there everything goes into one bowl and the lime juice almost acts as a marinade. I recommend chilling for at least 20 minutes to let the flavors really come together, but it’s not 100% necessary if you want to dig in right away.

Is Ceviche Healthy?

When I was doing research for this post, interestingly this was a common question that people seem to have. And while I hesitate to use the word “healthy” to describe any one food (I’m all about evaluating eating patterns instead); ceviche sure is a great vehicle for vegetables and lean protein.

I love when meals are equally satisfying and delicious and this definitely fits the bill. Even though tortilla chips might not traditionally be deemed “healthy”, it’s all about how they fit in to the total picture. And they’re the perfect match for this dish!

In general, ceviche is a really balanced appetizer/meal. Shrimp provides protein, heart-healthy fats and is also rich in selenium (which has antioxidant properties). The colorful vegetables and herbs provide carbohydrates and a variety of vitamins and healthful compounds. The avocado adds heart-healthy mono-unsaturated fat. There’s no added oils or sweeteners and all of the ingredients are fresh and satisfying.

Alternatives to Serving with Chips

All that being said, if you would rather skip the tortilla chips, here are some other ways you could serve this:

• Scoop it up with jicama or spoon on top tostada shells
• Use it as a fresh taco filling and top with crema
• Serve it on top cilantro lime rice (or cauliflower rice)

Other ways to use frozen shrimp:

Frozen shrimp is so versatile for quick and easy meals (in case I haven’t already convince you). If you buy pre-cooked, it’s as easy as thawing under cold water for a few minutes and using as is. Note: This method obviously works best for simple dishes (nothing that requires a spice rub or long marinade time).

You might also like:

• Easy Summer Rolls with Spicy Peanut Sauce (my favorite!)
• Cilantro Lime Shrimp Tacos
• Peach, Corn & Hatch Green Chili Salsa

Snacking on this outside while drinking a margarita (mocktail) almost made me feel like I was eating on a patio at a restaurant. I love when something simple feels special and this is definitely one of those meals. I hope you love it as much as I did!

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