Cucumber Shrimp Ceviche
In the summer, I want anything with fresh veggies, herbs, and citrus juices like 24/7. Give me all the cold salads, dips, and sides baby! This Cucumber Shrimp Ceviche was bright and tangy, packed with veggies, and full of protein. This was so simple to make too. Like no cooking required! All you have to do is add the raw shrimp to the lemon and lime juice and it’ll cook it, in a flash. Pretty cool stuff! It’s low carb, low cal, low fat! This screams summer potluck! It would be great for a party, picnic, snacking – whatever vibe you’re going for.
This post may contain affiliate links
Where did ceviche come from? And how is the seafood not…raw?
Ceviche is an OLD idea. Like, so old. We’re talking between 200-700 AD, the very first recipe resembling a ceviche was dropped in Peru. They used “tumbo,” which is a native Andean passionfruit, to cure the fish. Nowadays, citrus is used instead, where back then citrus had not yet been introduced. There were other workarounds too. Some cultures used seaweed + salt + ají peppers, some used fermented corn as a curing liquid. One thing’s for sure, I think the innovation and resourcefulness is SO cool!
How ceviche works is, it’s basically raw but cooked via chemical all at the same time. The citrus acid causes the proteins to firm up and unravel, then when the fish turns opaque – you know it’s “cooked.” So science-y! It almost sits in this in-between realm of being raw, not actually being raw, and being cooked with heat. The only difference is that cooking with heat is what kills pathogens. The scientific term is called “acid denaturation.”
Did you know?
Shrimp is the most popular seafood in America, with salmon and tuna coming in a close second and third place! There are many varieties of shrimp out there and overall – it’s extremely versatile.
What ingredients do I need to make this?
For the cucumber shrimp ceviche:
Shrimp
Cucumbers
Grape Tomatoes
Red Onion
Garlic
Cilantro
Lemons
Limes
Agave Syrup
Olive Oil
Salt
Cumin
Red Pepper Flakes
Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
For serving:
Cilantro
What equipment do I need?
How do I make it?
To prep and “cook” the shrimp:
To get started on this recipe, first peel the shrimp, carefully pinch the tails off, then cut into bite sized pieces. Next, wash the lemons and the limes, then zest one lime and set the zest to the side.
Juice the lemons and limes into a large mixing bowl, then add the shrimp to the bowl.
Using your hands, toss the shrimp in the citrus juice to coat.
Cover and refrigerate for a while, until the shrimp appears pink and opaque in color. While that sits, let’s prep the rest of the ingredients!
To prep the rest of the ingredients:
Wash the veggies and herbs, then peel the cucumber and dice it. Thinly slice the red onion, mince the garlic, chop the cilantro, then quarter the grape tomatoes.
To make the cucumber shrimp ceviche:
Once the shrimp is done “cooking” in the acid, stir in the remaining ingredients, reserving a bit of cilantro for serving.
Set the bowl aside for a few minutes to let those flavors marry. You may drain some of the extra liquid, if desired.
Pro Tip: Ceviche is served in a variety of ways. Some people like it with more liquid, some prefer a dryer ceviche. It’s up to you! Once we’ve “cooked” the shrimp in the citrus juice, we don’t need the extra anymore – though it adds tons of flavor. Either way, just follow your heart and your gut – no pun intended!
To serve:
Top cucumber shrimp ceviche with remaining cilantro and serve immediately. Have it with tortilla chips, have it on its own – whatever you’re feeling. Enjoy!
Tips:
- This ceviche will keep for about a day in the refrigerator. It’ll be the best quality within 4-6 hours of preparation, so this isn’t one you’d want to make too far ahead of time.
- If making this for a big party, consider doubling the recipe! Keep this out in a small dish, sitting over an ice bath if you’re outside in the heat. Then replenish from a cold fridge or cooler as needed. Since there’s shrimp, we want to be a little extra careful, but don’t worry too much. It’s no different than a fruit or potato salad. Just make sure it stays cold!
- Add whatever spin you want to this! Make it spicier with some fresh jalapeños or add some corn for a unique twist.
Did you love this recipe? Check out some more of my chilled summery sides!
Have lots of cucumber to use up from the garden? Try these!
Cucumber Shrimp Ceviche
Ingredients
For the cucumber shrimp ceviche:
- 1 lb. Raw Shrimp peeled, deveined, tails removed, chopped into bite sized pieces
- 1 tsp Lime Zest zest from one lime
- ¾ cup Lime Juice freshly squeezed, juice from about 6 limes
- ¼ cup Lemon Juice freshly squeezed, juice from about 2 lemons
- 2 Mini Cucumbers or 1 Large peeled and diced
- 2 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 cup Grape Tomatoes quartered
- ¼ cup Red Onion thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp Cilantro chopped, divided
- 1 ½ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- ½ tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- ½ tsp Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
- ¼ tsp Agave Syrup
For serving:
- Cilantro chopped
Instructions
To prep and “cook” the shrimp:
- Peel the shrimp, carefully pinch the tails off, then chop them up in to bite sized pieces.
- Next, wash the lemons and the limes, then zest one lime and set the zest to the side.
- Juice the lemons and limes into a large mixing bowl, then add the shrimp to the bowl.
- Using your hands, toss the shrimp in the citrus juice to coat.
- Cover and refrigerate for 25-30 minutes until the shrimp appears pink and opaque in color. While that sits, let's prep the rest of the ingredients!
To prep the rest of the ingredients:
- Wash the veggies and herbs, then peel the cucumber and dice it.
- Thinly slice the red onion, mince the garlic, chop the cilantro, then quarter the grape tomatoes.
To make the cucumber shrimp ceviche:
- Once the shrimp is done "cooking" in the acid, stir in the remaining ingredients, reserving a bit of cilantro for serving.
- Set the bowl aside for a few minutes to let those flavors marry. You may drain some of the extra liquid, if desired.
To serve:
- Top cucumber shrimp ceviche with remaining cilantro and serve immediately. Have it with tortilla chips, have it on its own – whatever you're feeling. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Please be aware that nutritional values are approximate and intended as a helpful guide
Discover more from The Wholesome Spoon
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
