This shrimp ceviche combines raw shrimp cured in fresh lime juice with a complex, smoky red chile salsa made from toasted chiles de árbol and guajillo peppers. Served on crispy tostadas with cucumber, tomato, and red onion, it's a bright, restaurant-quality Mexican appetizer.
Check what you already have. We'll leave it off your shopping list.
CookOS may earn a commission from Instacart orders.
Prices vary by store
*Service fees apply. Instacart® and the Instacart logo are registered trademarks of Maplebear Inc. d/b/a Instacart.
In a bowl, combine the chopped shrimp with black pepper, salt, and the juice of 10 limes. Ensure the shrimp is fully submerged.
Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour to allow the shrimp to 'cook' in the lime juice.
While the shrimp marinates, prepare the salsa. Heat a dry pan over medium heat.
Add garlic cloves, chiles de árbol, guajillo peppers, and chiles tepin to the pan.
Lightly toast for about 2 minutes, being careful not to burn them. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a molcajete (mortar and pestle), add the toasted garlic cloves and grind into a paste.
Add the toasted chiles and a pinch of salt to the molcajete and continue grinding until a thick paste forms.
Pour a few spoonfuls of the lime juice from the marinating shrimp into the molcajete and mix well to create the salsa roja.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the marinated shrimp and its juice, diced cucumber, diced Roma tomatoes, diced red onion, and chopped cilantro.
Pour the prepared salsa roja from the molcajete into the bowl.
Season with Maggi seasoning sauce and Huichol hot sauce.
Mix everything together thoroughly.
Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt if needed.
To serve, spread a layer of mayonnaise on a tostada. Top with the shrimp ceviche, sliced avocado, and an extra drizzle of hot sauce.
Store the salsa roja in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Cure shrimp fresh no more than 30 minutes before serving; do not store cured shrimp as the texture deteriorates.
No. Raw shrimp is essential because the lime juice cures it through chemical breakdown. Cooked shrimp will become rubbery and won't absorb the lime flavor properly.
15–20 minutes is ideal. The shrimp will turn opaque and firm when ready. Longer than 30 minutes can make it tough.
Dried Thai chilies or cayenne peppers work as alternatives, though they'll shift the flavor profile. Guajillo peppers can also carry more of the salsa if árbol chiles are unavailable.
Prepare the salsa roja up to 2 days ahead. Cure the shrimp no more than 30 minutes before serving to maintain texture. Assemble tostadas just before serving to keep them crisp.
Yes, if you use sushi-grade or very fresh raw shrimp from a reputable fishmonger. Lime juice lowers the pH but doesn't fully cook the shrimp; food safety depends on ingredient freshness.
