Mexican Ceviche with Avocado (Cheviche de Pescado)

This Mexican ceviche offers is a delicious twist to the classical fish ceviche (cheviche de pescado) and includes delicious flavors from fresh avocados, tomatoes and cilantro.

Now that winter is practically over and the weather is warming up, we are enjoying our backyard and soaking up some warm sunshine. We are grilling more and enjoying some cold beverages and waiting for summer vacation.

Until then, we are going to bring some vacation vibes home. This delicious Mexican ceviche will take you to the beach with every bite. And it is super easy to whip together.

Why you have to try this recipe

Japanese sushi is made with raw fish. You can have it sashimi style, in rolls or even in delicious poke bowls. Some people think that ceviche is raw fish, but it is not.

Ceviche is chemically cooked fish using fresh lemon and/or lime juice. The citric acid causes the proteins in the seafood to become denatured, or “cooked.”

It is not cooked with heat, so if there is any bacteria in the fish it will not be removed. This is why it is not recommended for women who are pregnant or nursing to eat ceviche.

You can find variations of ceviche all of South and Central America, and even Europe. My husband and I, living in Southern California, enjoy all the flavors in this Mexican ceviche. It makes a light meal, snack or serve as an appetizer with tortilla chips.

See my Mexican Ceviche Web Story for a quick visual guide to making this recipe.

Ingredients you need

• Firm white fish: Any mild flavored commercially-frozen or high-quality fresh fish for ceviche white fish is perfect for ceviche like sea bass, tilapia, mahi mahi, snapper or grouper. You can also use shrimp, squid, scallops and other seafood, too.
• Garlic
• Jalapeño pepper: It’s not Mexican food without a little heat. You can use any pepper with the amount of heat you like or you can omit it altogether.
• Lime juice: If you do not have lime juice you can use lemon juice.
• Extra virgin olive oil: As I have repeatedly explained on my blog, always choose a high quality olive oil. If you do not like how the oil tastes plain and straight up, then don’t cook with it.
• Cilantro: For ceviche, it is best to use fresh cilantro and not dried.
• Red onion: I love using red onions if I’m eating onions raw, but you can use brown or sweet Vidalia onions.
• Tomato: Most store bought tomatoes are bland, so try to choose tomatoes that are ripe and full of flavor.
• Avocado: You can use any variety of avocado, but I’m partial to Haas and Fuerte.
• Salt and pepper

Step-by-step directions

1. Chop and combine white fish, garlic, jalapeño, lime juice, extra virgin olive oil, cilantro, red onion, salt and pepper in a large bowl. I usually chop the fish into small chunks since I serve it with tortilla chips. Think pico de gallo for the texture.

2. Press fish into the lime juice mixture so it is submerged. Cover bowl and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to overnight, or until fish has turned completely white.

3. When ready to serve, mix in diced tomato, avocado and remaining cilantro. Serve alone or with tortilla chips.

Recipe tips and FAQs

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Yield: 6 servings

Mexican Ceviche with Avocado (Cheviche de Pescado)

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This Mexican ceviche offers is a delicious twist to the classical fish ceviche (cheviche de pescado) and includes delicious flavors from fresh avocados, tomatoes and cilantro.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 4 hours

Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 lb firm white fish, chopped into bite-size pieces
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 jalapeño pepper, minced
• ¾ cup lime juice (about 8-10 limes)
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¾ cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
• ½ cup chopped red onion
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 1 avocado, chopped

Instructions

1. Chop and combine white fish, garlic, jalapeño, lime juice, extra virgin olive oil, ½ cup cilantro, red onion, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
2. Press fish into the lime juice mixture so it is submerged.
3. Cover bowl and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to overnight, or until fish has turned completely white.
4. When ready to serve, mix in diced tomato, avocado and remaining cilantro.
5. Serve with tortilla chips.

Notes

Serving Suggestions: Great as an appetizer or a meal. Serve alone, with tortilla chips or fresh bread. Use just fish or mix in fresh shrimp, squid and scallops, too.

Cooking Tips: To prevent illness or food poisoning, it is important to use only fresh fish, as it is chemically cooked and not cooked with high heat. A firm white fish is needed, or else the fish will crumble. Try using halibut, tuna, sea bass (pictured above), shark or marlin. Depending on the size of your fish portions, the ceviche can be ready in as little as 10 minutes. But this is highly dependent on the freshness of your fish, or seafood, you are using.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

½ cup
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 286Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 58mgSodium: 152mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 20g

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