Shrimp Ceviche Roja Recipe

Clean and prepare shrimp

Rinse shrimp under cold water, pat dry, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces if large. Place shrimp in a nonreactive bowl (glass or stainless).

Cure shrimp in citrus

Pour the fresh lime juice and lemon juice over the shrimp, stirring to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 20–30 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Shrimp should become opaque and firm (if pieces are large, extend to 35–40 minutes).

Prepare tomato purée

While shrimp cures, core and blanch the tomatoes: score an X at the base, drop in boiling water 20–30 seconds, then transfer to ice water. Peel skins, halve, seed lightly, and roughly chop. Purée tomatoes in a blender or pulse in a food processor until slightly chunky but pourable. If texture is very thick, stir in up to 1 tablespoon stock or reserved tomato juice to reach a saucy consistency. Stir in 1 teaspoon olive oil.

Combine with tomato juice

Mix the fresh tomato purée with the cup of tomato juice (or strained canned tomatoes) in a bowl. Taste and adjust for brightness with a pinch of salt if needed. Allow to cool in refrigerator while shrimp cures.

Prepare vegetables

Finely dice the white onion, red bell pepper, and cucumber. Mince the jalapeño or serrano (remove seeds for milder heat). Chop cilantro and dice avocado last to prevent browning.

Blend vegetables into ceviche

Once the shrimp are opaque and 'cooked' by the citrus, drain about half of the citrus liquid from the shrimp (reserve a little for flavor). Add the shrimp to the tomato base, then fold in onion, bell pepper, cucumber, jalapeño, and most of the cilantro (reserve a little for garnish).

Season

Season the mixture with sea salt, black pepper, ground cumin, and optional sugar. Add hot sauce if using. Stir gently to combine and taste; adjust lime/lemon, salt, or sugar as needed. If the tomato base is too tangy, a small pinch more sugar can balance it.

Add avocado and rest

Gently fold in the diced avocado just before serving to avoid it breaking down. Chill the ceviche in the refrigerator for 10–15 minutes to meld flavors, but serve cold or just-cool — prolonged sitting will further 'cook' shrimp and soften vegetables.

Spoon the Shrimp Ceviche Roja into chilled bowls or onto tostadas. Garnish with remaining cilantro and lime wedges. Serve immediately with tortilla chips or crisp tostadas for scooping. Leftovers keep well covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours; texture will soften over time.