Ecuadorian Shrimp Ceviche is a bright, citrusy dish featuring tender cooked shrimp in a light broth that's perfect for hot days or when you're craving something refreshing! Serve with patacones and extra lime wedges for good measure!
What is Ecuadorian shrimp ceviche?
The Ecuadorian way of making ceviche is a bit different from what you might have seen in other countries! The main difference is that the shrimp is actually cooked first in a flavorful vegetable broth rather than "cooked" in lime juice. Which many people prefer, since it takes away any food safety concerns!
Ecuadorian ceviche also includes some of the cooking broth, creating a soupy consistency that you'll often eat with a spoon. It's also generally less acidic than Peruvian ceviche, making it almost like a cold soup. Many Ecuadorians customize their ceviche at the table with additional lime, hot sauce, or in Ecuadorian tradition, some ketchup!
While I am not Ecuadorian, I do live in Ecuador and have eaten my fair share of shrimp ceviche. This recipe has been developed after learning how to make ceviche from my mother in law!
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Ingredients
You just need a handful of ingredients to make this Ecuadorian shrimp ceviche recipe. Here's what you'll need:
- Shrimp: I like to use raw shrimp that have already been peeled and deveined for ease.
- Green Bell Pepper: Green bell pepper adds a slightly earthy flavor. If you aren't a fan of green pepper, use another color like yellow, orange or red.
- Red Onion: For a sharp bite and beautiful purple color. It mellows slightly after marinating in lime juice!
- Tomatoes: Their firm texture holds up well in the dish while adding fresh acidity!
- Garlic: Just one clove adds depth without overpowering the light flavor here.
- Salt: Add to taste! I like to add some to the cooking water, and then add to taste at the end.
- Limes: Fresh lime juice lends the best flavor! I used 3 small limes, but if you like it extra citrusy you can add more to taste.
- Cilantro: For a fresh, herbaceous flavor.
- Ketchup: I know this sounds weird, but ketchup is almost always added to Ecuadorian shrimp ceviche. You can definitely omit this, or grate some fresh tomato for an added tomato flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Ecuadorian Shrimp Ceviche
- Boil Vegetables: Bring a pot of water to boil, with small chunks of green bell pepper, red onion, tomato, garlic and salt.
- Add Shrimp: Once boiling, add the shrimp to the water. Allow to cook for about 3-4 minutes until just pink. Remove the shrimp and place them in an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
- Blend Vegetables with Cooking Water: To a blender, add the green bell pepper, red onion, and tomato chunks from the shrimp cooking water along with the garlic clove, 1 ½ cups of the water, and 2-3 cooked shrimp. Blend until smooth and set aside.
- Prep Fresh Vegetables: Squeeze the fresh lime juice into a large mixing bowl. Add the diced green bell pepper, diced red onion, diced tomato, and chopped cilantro to the bowl. Season with salt to taste.
- Add Shrimp & Blended Mixture: Add the cooked shrimp to the bowl and pour the blended liquid over the shrimp. Mix everything well and adjust for taste- add more lime if you like it tangier and more salt if it is too tangy.
- Chill & Serve: Chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes before serving. Serve with ketchup if desired along with rice, fried plantains or chifles and enjoy!
Hint: It is important not to overcook the shrimp! Make sure to take the shrimp out of the water once they are pink, about 3-4 minutes after adding them. Then, place them in an ice bath to stop the cooking process quickly.
Tips for Success
- Allow at least 15-30 minutes for the flavors to meld in the fridge, but don't let it sit much longer than 2 hours or the shrimp texture may change, since the lime juice will continue to cook it as it sits.
- Dice ingredients uniformly! Small, consistent pieces ensure that you get a little bit of everything in each bite.
- Use small or medium-sized shrimp. I always use medium-sized shrimp so that they have a nice meaty texture, but aren’t so big that you can’t eat it in one bite! If you prefer, you can dice the cooked shrimp so they are smaller and easier to eat.
- Taste as you go! The balance of salt, acidity, and freshness is key. Trust yourself and adjust to your preference.
Recipe Variations
- Shells: If using shrimp with shells, boil the shells in the cooking water for 5-10 minutes before adding the shrimp for a deeper, richer seafood flavor. Remove the shells before adding the shrimp.
- Pepper: If green pepper is too bitter for you, substitute with sweeter red or yellow bell peppers. For some spice, you can substitute the green pepper with jalapeño!
- Onion: If red onion proves too strong, use milder shallots or soak diced onion in cold water for 10 minutes before using!
- Protein alternatives: Ecuadorian ceviche can also be made with firm white fish or scallops!
How to Serve Ecuadorian Shrimp Ceviche
There are many different things you can serve with this ceviche! Here are some traditional ideas:
- White Rice: A side of simple white rice is common throughout Ecuador, creating a hearty meal and soaking up the flavorful broth. Some people even mix the rice directly into their ceviche!
- Canguil (Popcorn): Perhaps surprising to non-Ecuadorians, popcorn is a traditional accompaniment to ceviche! The light, airy crunch adds a lovely texture contrast.
- Tostado (Toasted Corn): Similar to corn nuts, these crunchy, toasted corn kernels add texture as well. These are kind of hard to find outside of Ecuador, but if you are in the country, give it a try!
- Hot Sauce: You can try making it with aji criollo, or use your favorite store bought hot sauce for a kick.
- Patacones: Thicker slices of green plantain that are fried, smashed flat, and fried again create a sturdy, crispy platform perfect for scooping up shrimp and broth. You can also serve them with chifles, which are thin plantain chips that you can buy at the store.
- Avocado Slices: The creamy richness of fresh avocado provides a wonderful counterpoint to the acidic ceviche. Simply fan out a few slices on the side of each serving!
Frequently Asked Questions
Definitely! If you prefer, you can use pre-cooked shrimp. Skip the cooking step but still prepare the flavorful broth with the vegetables.
You can prepare the components ahead of time and store separately, but it's best to combine everything no more than 2 hours before serving for optimal texture and flavor. It is also best to eat it on the same day as making it, and avoid storing it for later.
Ecuadorian ceviche is safe for pregnant people to eat in moderation, since the shrimp is cooked in boiling water!
More Recipes to Try
- Camarones al Ajillo
- Ecuadorian Seco de Pollo
- Ecuadorian Black Beans
- Fried Sweet Plantains
- Cevichocho Vegan Ceviche
Ecuadorian Shrimp Ceviche Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb raw shrimp peeled and deveined
- water enough to cover the shrimp in a pot, reserve the cooking liquid for later.
- ½ green bell pepper ¼ of the bell pepper for the shrimp cooking water and dice the rest into small cubes.
- 1 red onion use about ¼ of the onion for the shrimp cooking water and dice the rest into small cubes.
- 3 roma tomatoes ½ tomato for the shrimp cooking water and the rest diced into small cubes.
- 1 garlic clove
- salt to taste.
- 3-4 limes juiced, more to taste
- 1 small bunch fresh cilantro chopped
- ketchup to taste, or grated tomato for a fresher flavor.
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to boil, with small chunks of green bell pepper, red onion, tomato, garlic and salt.
- Once boiling, add the shrimp to the water. Allow to cook for about 3-4 minutes until just pink. Remove the shrimp and place them in an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
- To a blender, add the green bell pepper, red onion, and tomato chunks from the shrimp cooking water along with the garlic clove, 1 ½ cups of the water, and 2-3 cooked shrimp. Blend until smooth and set aside.
- Squeeze the fresh lime juice into a large mixing bowl. Add the diced green bell pepper, diced red onion, diced tomato, and chopped cilantro to the bowl. Season with salt to taste.
- Add the cooked shrimp to the bowl and pour the blended liquid over the shrimp. Mix everything well and adjust for taste- add more lime if you like it tangier and more salt if it is too tangy.
- Chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes before serving. Serve with ketchup if desired along with rice, fried plantains or chifles and enjoy!
Notes
- If you prefer, you can use pre-cooked shrimp. Skip the cooking step but still prepare the flavorful broth with the vegetables.
- If you don't like green pepper, replace it with yellow, orange or red pepper.
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