Jul 14 2026
Restaurants›Manuela›Louisiana Shrimp Aguachile Recipe

Louisiana Shrimp Aguachile Recipe

Inspired by Manuela
Time45m
Serves4

cucumber, avocado, radish, serrano-lime, benne seeds

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Ingredients

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Shrimp & Marinade

Chile Sauce

Vegetables & Add-ins

Finishes & Garnish

Method

Shrimp & Marinade

  1. 1

    Prepare shrimp

    Rinse the shrimp under cold water, pat dry with paper towels, peel and devein if not already done, and remove tails. Cut larger shrimp in half crosswise so pieces are uniform (about 1–1.5-inch pieces).

  2. 2

    Brine briefly (optional, for texture)

    In a medium bowl combine 1 cup cold water and 2 tsp sea salt, stir until dissolved. Add shrimp and let sit 5 minutes, then drain and rinse briefly. Pat shrimp dry.

  3. 3

    Cure shrimp in lime

    Place shrimp in a shallow glass or ceramic dish in a single layer. Pour 1 cup fresh lime juice over shrimp so they are fully submerged. Cover and refrigerate 12–20 minutes, turning once halfway — shrimp should turn opaque and slightly firm but still tender. Do not over-cure (30+ minutes will make them tough). After curing, drain and reserve a little of the lime juice (about 2 tbsp) for the sauce if desired.

Chile Sauce

  1. 4

    Blend serrano-chile sauce

    In a blender add 4 serrano chiles (stemmed; deseed 1–2 if you want milder heat), 1/2 cup fresh lime juice, 1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 cup cold water and 1/2 tsp sugar. Pulse and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust salt, sugar or chiles for heat. If sauce is too thick, add up to 2 tbsp more cold water to reach a pourable but concentrated consistency.

  2. 5

    Strain (optional)

    If you prefer a very smooth aguachile, strain the blended sauce through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing to extract liquid and discarding pulp. Otherwise use sauce as-is for more texture.

  3. 6

    Combine with reserved lime

    Whisk the chili-lime sauce with 2 tablespoons of the reserved lime juice from the shrimp (or extra lime if you didn't reserve) to brighten the flavor.

Vegetables & Assembly

  1. 7

    Slice vegetables

    Thinly slice the cucumber on a bias into rounds or half-moons about 1/8-inch thick. Thinly slice the radishes and red onion. Arrange cucumber, radish and onion in a shallow, wide serving bowl or platter in an even layer.

  2. 8

    Add shrimp and sauce

    Arrange the cured shrimp over the bed of sliced vegetables. Pour the chile-lime sauce evenly over the shrimp and vegetables so the shrimp get a light coating — the vegetables will also absorb flavor. Gently toss once or twice with two spoons to combine, taking care not to mash the avocado if already added.

  3. 9

    Rest briefly

    Let the assembled aguachile rest in the refrigerator 3–5 minutes so flavors marry. This short rest slightly further cooks the shrimp from acidity without toughening them.

Finishes & Garnish

  1. 10

    Add avocado and cilantro

    Top the aguachile with diced or sliced avocado and sprinkle 1/4 cup chopped cilantro over the top.

  2. 11

    Toast benne seeds

    In a small dry skillet over medium heat, toast 2 tsp benne seeds (or sesame) until fragrant and lightly golden, about 1–2 minutes, shaking the pan. Remove immediately to avoid burning.

  3. 12

    Garnish and season

    Sprinkle the toasted benne seeds over the dish, drizzle 1 tsp olive oil if using, and finish with 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Serve with lime wedges on the side for extra acidity.

  4. 13

    Serving suggestion

    Serve chilled or just-off-cold immediately as a starter or light main. Provide tostadas or tortilla chips on the side for scooping, or serve with steamed rice to make it heartier.

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