Mexican prawn ceviche
Bright, citrus-marinated prawns with tomato, cucumber, jalapeño and creamy avocado — ready in 35 minutes.
This is a bright, sunlit Mexican prawn ceviche that tastes like a seaside shack in five ingredients and half an hour. It’s crisp, citrusy and the avocado adds that luxurious finish.
Make this for lunch, a light supper or as an impressive starter. Read the safety notes — ceviche uses acid to 'cook' seafood, so follow the timings and buy the freshest prawns you can (or use pre-cooked prawns if you prefer).
Ingredients
- 400 g raw shelled and deveined prawns — sashimi-grade or very fresh; see food-safety note in steps
- 200 ml fresh lime juice — about 6 limes, freshly squeezed
- 5 g caster sugar — about 1 tsp
- 5 g sea salt — about 1 tsp, adjust to taste
- 0 ml freshly ground black pepper
- 1 red onion — thinly sliced
- 250 g ripe tomatoes — seeds removed and diced
- 150 g English cucumber — seeds removed and diced
- 1 jalapeño chilli — deseeded and finely chopped (keep seeds for more heat)
- 30 g fresh coriander — roughly chopped
- 1 ripe avocado — peeled and cubed, add at the end
- 30 ml extra-virgin olive oil — about 2 tbsp
Equipment
- citrus juicer
- microplane or zester
- fine-mesh sieve
- non-reactive glass or ceramic bowl
Instructions
Pat the prawns dry with kitchen paper and cut larger ones into bite-sized pieces. Use a sharp knife so you get neat, even pieces.
Place the prawns in a non-reactive glass or ceramic bowl. Pour over the fresh lime juice, add the caster sugar, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir so every piece is covered by the juice.
While prawns marinate, thinly slice the red onion and place in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes to take the sharp edge, then drain well.
Dice the ripe tomatoes, peel and dice the English cucumber (remove seeds if watery), deseed and finely chop the jalapeño, roughly chop the fresh coriander, and cube the ripe avocado — keep the avocado separate until the final mix to avoid browning.
After 30 minutes the prawns should be opaque and firm. Drain off about half the lime juice (leave some for flavour). Add the drained red onion, diced tomatoes, cucumber, jalapeño and chopped coriander to the prawns. Drizzle over the extra-virgin olive oil and gently fold everything together. Taste and adjust seasoning — add a pinch more sea salt if needed.
Gently fold the avocado cubes into the ceviche and serve immediately in chilled bowls with lime wedges if you like. Ceviche is best eaten on the day it’s made.
Tips
- Buy sashimi-grade or very fresh raw prawns from a trusted fishmonger; if in doubt use pre-cooked prawns and reduce the lime time to 5–10 minutes for flavour only.
- Do not over-marinate — 30 minutes makes prawns firm and opaque; longer will turn them rubbery.
- Keep avocado addition to the last minute to avoid browning; if you must make ahead, add avocado just before serving.
- Use a non-reactive bowl (glass or ceramic). Metal reacts with citrus and can give an off taste.
- Drain excess lime juice before adding vegetables to avoid a soggy mix; reserve a little for brightness when tasting.
Substitutions
raw shelled and deveined prawns → pre-cooked prawns (400 g), chopped; add to the lime juice for 5–10 minutes only to pick up flavour
Stays closefresh lime juice → fresh lemon juice, same quantity
Stays closefresh coriander → flat-leaf parsley, same quantity; flavour will be different but still fresh
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 250
- Calories
- 23 g
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 500 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Is raw prawn ceviche safe to eat?
Citrus denatures proteins and changes the texture, but it doesn't reliably kill all bacteria. Use sashimi-grade or very fresh prawns and follow the 30-minute marinating time. If unsure, use pre-cooked prawns — flavour will still be excellent.
Can I make ceviche ahead?
Make the prawns and vegetables up to the point before adding avocado and serve within a few hours. Add avocado just before serving. Best eaten the day it’s made.
How long will leftovers keep?
Store in a sealed container in the fridge and eat within 24 hours. Texture and colour will decline after that; avocado may brown and prawns will firm further.
Can I make this spicier or milder?
Yes — keep or add jalapeño seeds for heat, or replace with a milder green chilli. Always taste and adjust seasoning after adding chilli.
Community Photos
No photos yet
Be the first to share your creation!