Camarones Aguachiles Recipe

Rinse the shrimp under cold water and pat dry. Trim any remaining veins and remove shells/tails if not already done.

Lightly dissolve 1 tsp kosher salt in 2 cups ice water. Place shrimp in the ice water for 5 minutes to chill and firm them; this helps texture before the lime cures them. Drain and pat dry.

Slice Shrimp

Using a sharp knife, butterfly each shrimp by slicing lengthwise nearly through but not cutting all the way — open them flat like a book. Alternatively, slice into 1/4-inch thick medallions. Arrange the shrimp in a single layer in a shallow glass or ceramic dish large enough to hold them.

Taste a small piece of a serrano to judge heat. Remove seeds from chiles for milder sauce or keep them for full heat. Place serranos, jalapeño (if using), cilantro (reserve 1–2 tablespoons for garnish), lime juice, cold water, kosher salt, and sugar into a blender.

Blend on high until the mixture is very smooth, about 30–60 seconds. If the sauce is extremely thick, add up to 2–4 tablespoons more cold water to reach a pourable but still slightly viscous consistency.

Strain the blended sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl if you prefer a silky texture. Press with a spoon to extract most of the liquid; discard solids. Stir in 1 tablespoon olive oil if using—this rounds flavors and gives a slight sheen.

Taste and adjust seasoning: add more salt if needed or 1/2–1 tsp sugar if it tastes too sharp.

Pour about half of the aguachile sauce over the arranged shrimp, making sure all pieces are coated. Reserve remaining sauce for serving or adjust later.

Scatter the thinly sliced cucumber and the rinsed, drained red onion evenly over the shrimp. Gently press down so the shrimp are submerged in the liquid.

Cover the dish and refrigerate until the shrimp are opaque and cooked through by the citrus — about 15–25 minutes depending on shrimp size (large shrimp will take toward the longer side). Check at 15 minutes: shrimp should look uniformly pink/opaque and firm. Do not over-cure longer than 30–35 minutes or texture becomes mealy.

When shrimp are cooked through, remove dish from refrigerator. Taste and adjust sauce seasoning with a pinch of salt or a squeeze of lime if needed.

Arrange shrimp and vegetables on a serving platter or in individual bowls. Top with avocado slices, additional cilantro leaves, and radish slices for crunch if using.

Drizzle a little of the remaining aguachile sauce over the top. Serve immediately with tostadas or tortilla chips on the side.

Leftover sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days (discard if it sits with raw shrimp longer than 24 hours). If you must store combined shrimp and sauce, consume within 24 hours.