How to Make Ceviche at Home

Ceviche is a delicious dish made with raw fish, citrus, and fresh veggies. It's often served with tortilla or plantain chips. We'll walk you through how to make ceviche at home, including our Test Kitchen's tips for selecting the freshest fish at the market.

What Is Ceviche?

With fresh fish so easy to come by along the coastal regions of Mexico and Latin America, the delicacy that is ceviche—small cuts of fish marinated in bright and acidic citrus juices and requiring no cooking—holds a special place on the menu. Try authentic ceviche with fresh fish or mimic the flavors with a mock ceviche using quick-cooked shrimp.

Ceviche Ingredients

Here's a quick look at what you'll need to make homemade ceviche.

• Fish: Choose a firm white fish for this ceviche recipe. Our Test Kitchen recommends using sea bass, tilapia, or red snapper. It's incredibly important to use the freshest fish possible to make ceviche. The staff at the fish counter can help you choose the best option at your local grocery store.
• Citrus: We used fresh lemon, lime, and orange juice in this recipe. Make sure it's freshly squeezed for the best flavor.
• Vegetables: To allow the fish to shine, we chose just a few other ingredients for flavor including red onion, avocado, and shallot.
• Herbs: Add torn cilantro leaves to the mix and save a few for garnishing on top.
• Seasonings: Spice up the white fish ceviche with chili powder and salt.

Tips for Using Citrus in Ceviche Recipes

Fresh tropical lemons and limes are the most commonly used citrus fruits in ceviche, but oranges, grapefruits, and other citrus are bright and delicious options. Because the fruit juice contributes so much to the flavor of the marinade sauce, use a citrus juicer to squeeze juice from fresh citrus instead of using purchased bottled.

Ceviche Food Safety

The acidity in the citrus does alter the proteins in the fish in traditional ceviche, making it appear cooked, but the fish is in fact raw. For this reason and your own safety, use only the freshest fish possible (get to know your fishmonger well—the more questions you ask about the fish they sell, the better). People who are pregnant, immunocompromised, or elderly should avoid ceviche recipes using raw fish.

How to Serve Ceviche

Sprinkle the fish ceviche with sea salt flakes and fresh cilantro. Serve with lime wedges. Scoop up the ceviche with tortilla chips or plantain chips.