SeafoodEasy

Prawn Ceviche

Name: Prawn Ceviche
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 Red onion; 2 Serrano chilli; 0.5 bunch Fresh coriander; 3 Tomato; 250 ml Lime juice; 1 Cucumber; 1 tsp Salt; 3 tbsp Ketchup; 12 Corn tostadas; 500 g Medium prawns; 1 Avocado

4.0(1 rating)

30 min (30 prep + 0 cook) Easy 6 servings Costas de Mexico

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 4 Feb 2026 · Updated: 3 Jun 2026

Prawns cured in lime with tomato, cucumber, red onion and coriander. Served cold on tostadas.

About this recipe

Prawn ceviche is a refreshing coastal dish made with prawns cured in lime juice, mixed with tomato, red onion, cucumber, coriander and serrano chilli. Served cold on crispy tostadas or with salted crackers, it is one of the most revitalising dishes in Mexican cuisine.

History & Origin

Mexican ceviche has its roots along the Pacific coast, particularly in Sinaloa, Nayarit and Colima, where fishermen prepared it with the day's catch as a fresh lunch on the beach. Although the concept of 'cooking' seafood in citrus is shared with Peru and other Latin American countries, the Mexican version is distinguished by its use of green lime, red onion, coriander and a touch of ketchup or hot sauce. The technique of curing proteins in citric acid has been practised along the American coasts since pre-Hispanic times. In México, ceviche is traditionally served on crispy sweetcorn tostadas or in glass cups as a refreshing starter. It is an emblematic dish of the coastal 'mariscos' restaurants and the famous seafood carts that travel through Mexican cities.

Estimated cost

£25.14

Total cost

£4.19

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

300

Calories

26g

Protein

26g

Carbohydrates

14g

Fat

Fibre

887mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Clean the prawns: remove the head, shell and black vein from the back with a small knife. Rinse under cold water and drain well.
💡 Keep the shells and heads to make a prawn stock. Boil with onion, garlic and salt for 20 minutes.
2
Place the cleaned prawns in a glass or ceramic bowl (never metal). Cover them completely with freshly squeezed lime juice. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes until the prawns are pink and opaque.
💡 Do not leave them in the lime juice for more than 40 minutes or their texture will turn rubbery.
3
While the prawns 'cook' in the lime juice, dice the tomato into small cubes, discarding the seeds. Finely chop the red onion, cucumber (deseeded), coriander and serrano chilli.
4
Cut the avocado into medium cubes and set aside separately so it does not break apart when mixing.
5
Drain a little of the excess lime juice from the prawns (leave some juice). Add the tomato, onion, cucumber, coriander, serrano chilli, ketchup and salt. Mix carefully.
6
Incorpora the cubes de avocado al final with movimientos suaves. Prueba y ajusta la salt y el limon.
7
Sirve inmediatamente en tostadas de maiz, copas individuales o dish hondo. Acompana with salsa spicy y mas tostadas.
💡 El ceviche se consume el same dia. No lo guardes for el dia siguiente.

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Edmond Bojalil

Founder, Recetas Mexas

Mexican from Puebla, IT professional and foodie. Author of 1000+ authentic Mexican recipes adapted for home kitchens worldwide. Based in Madrid since 2018.