Peruvian Fish Ceviche Recipe
Photo Courtesy of Picasa web
This recipe is done in the traditional Peruvian style. If you are able to get tilapia or corvina (Chilean sea bass), those work best. The traditional way to make this recipe is with raw fish, but you may also cook the fish beforehand if you prefer. Personally, I always cook the fish first.
Serves 6
Ingredients:
2 pounds of tilapia fillets, diced (you can also use other white fish fillets)
1 ½ cup of fresh lemon juice
1 fresh yellow hot pepper, seeded and chopped (if you can’t find it, use a habanero pepper)
½ cup of celery, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 large red onions, cut into long thing strips - julienne style
3 tablespoons of fresh cilantro, chopped
1 cup of lemon juice
Boiled corn, cut in 2 inch pieces
Boiled sweet potatoes, cut in slices
Lettuce leaves
Preparation:
Put the fish into a large glass bowl with the lemon juice (1 ½ cup), cover, and put in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
Drain the lemon juice from the fish and add the hot pepper, celery, garlic, onions, cilantro, salt, pepper and the rest of the lemon juice (1 cup). Put in the fridge until ready to serve.
Serve the ceviche on top of lettuce leaves. Enjoy with corn and sweet potatoes on the side!
52 comments
If you’re cooking the fish first……well then you’re not making Ceviche are you. The whole point about Ceviche is to cook it with citrus juice.
A few comments:
Never cook the fish beforehand!!! or just don´t call it ceviche. Erase de cellery and garlic from the recipe.
Change the lemon juice for lime juice
How can you call this ceviche if you cook the fish first? The whole point of ceviche is for the citrus to cook the fish without heat.
Yes, im sorry but you shouldn’t add garlic, you can leave the celery. You just have to let the lemon juice cook the fish long enough so that it’s not raw anymore, but sort of like a “lemon boiled”. If you cook it then its more of some kind of citrus sushi.
The great thing about recipes is that you make them your own, personally I prefer the raw fish variety, but if you cook the fish first, although strange, it is yours to share. Never mind the recipe Nazis who tell you how to present your dish!
It wouldn’t be Peruvian ceviche if you make it with raw fish. That would make it from Mexico or Ecuador…but NOT Peru.
Glad to hear everyone’s comments. Thanks, Frank! Since I’m from Ecuador, I would never make ceviche using raw anything. We don’t make it like that.
But, I respect other country’s methods for preparing ceviche. Unlike some other posters on here.
Regardless, enjoy! Use raw or cooked fish, whatever suits your fancy.
If you make it with the raw fish how long does it take for the lime or lemon juice to ” cook ” the fish?
I am amazed at the arguing on here. Just get the info and appreciate it. I am eating Ceviche twice a day here in Panama at the moment. Although when I get home I will try making the raw fish variety, if people are turned off by the thought that it may be gross or uncooked, do it YOUR way. Call it what you want, live, enjoy, share, celebrate! I too would wonder how long it takes to cook in the lemon/lime brine…….
@Admin,
Have you lost it!!!??? I am not trying to pile on here but I lived in Ecuador for three years and “ABSOLUTELY” it is cooked with raw fish anywhere I have ate it…and trust me…I ate alot!!! LMAO!!!
Perhaps you were just not keen to the fact that it is made using raw fish and the “CITRUS” is what cooks the fish. It is not “cooked-cooked” in advance. No way.
why should i leave out the garlic? i leave out the celery tho, the celery doesnt do much for the dish.
Agreed. Thanks, Chris!
Ok. You lived there for three years? I’m from there. Thanks for telling me how we make Ceviche in my country.
How can you tell when the fish is “cooked”? At what point do you realize that the fish is safe to eat? Has anyone tried adding orange Juice? I noticed a few other recipe sites toting the idea.
Although there are so many different ways of making ceviche, “The Peruvian Fish Ceviche” Traditional way is not pre cooked but raw. You should change the title of your recipe to Ecuadorian ceviche then if you want to cook the fish first, don’t mix both.
How long in advance (before eating) should Ceviche be prepared? Hours? Days? Thanks!
Hey guys, respect the person and the recipe. Evaluate the ingredients and the procedure add or discard whatever you think is not matching and voila!! you got your personal (Brand name recipe) Cooking is an art and a science, is like medicine 2 + 2 is not always 4. So relax chill out and enjoy the ceviche…
Ceviche by definition is not cooked. The lime juice causes a chemical reaction that treats the fish. And while everyone is free to cook a dish however they like, you wouldn’t make spaghetti and call it ravioli. And for the record, I had Ceviche last year in Costa Rica and it was fabulous. It was not precooked, and it used lime juice.
Thanks for providing your opinion!
Yes, I will also concurr with the fact that ceviche needs to be let alone with lime/lemon juice for, what? 2 hours. The water cooking will dull the fish flavor and appearance, on the other hand lime will make the fish spark and being perfectly al “dente”, keeping proteins still good source for your body. Next time I am gonna provide my ceviche recipe. see u guys.
I have never had civeche with cooked fish but it’s a recipe not a heart transplant procedure, so I’d be happy to give it a try. I’d just wonder how well the citrus juice would flavor a cooked fish.
You’re looking for the fish to whiten so I think rule of thumb is about four hours. The taco idea sounds pretty interesting so we’ll give that a try!
We brought home fresh San Francisco Bay Halibut. Nice white firm fish without a fishy taste.
THANK’S YOU
Guys.. Peruvians don’t eat anything raw!!! Trust me. Fish meat is very very delicate & soft that can be cooked on just lime juice…, if you boiled the fish & then cook it with lime, it will destroy the fish meet..(Like eating tuna in a can) Do this test, add all dice fish on a bowl, but leave one piece out marinate the dice fish on a bowl & compare with that one left out to see how fast starts cooking… you’ll be amazed.. Try it…!. If we add anything else beside fish, like shrimp, octopus clams etc… That has to be cooked or at lease boiled for a few minutes… How long it takes to Cook on lime juice?.. Well just a few minutes. No more than 30 min. Lime juice is so strong that will overcooked the fish or it will make it hard to chew (shrink), depends what kind of fish are you using. Don’t use Tilapia… red snapper is best, Corvina is excellent, garlic for taste is ok, I personally use 1 big soup spoon of it. Please don’t add any kind of tomatoes or ketchup… remember is Peruvian Ceviche!!!
To Admin: I’m From Peru, and I have 2 sisters in law from Ecuador since 1996 they haven’t eat Ecuadorian ceviche anymore. They love Peruvian ceviche, Spicy chicken, arroz con pollo, Papa a la huancaina & Pollo a la brasa. We also taste their food, sopa de bola, sopa marinera y guatita. But anytime we go to a Restaurant, they want to go to a Peruvian one… True story!!
[...] Peruvian Fish Ceviche Recipe [Ceviche Recipe] [...]
My uncle made cevechi was I was a teenager. I make it occasionally and always think of him. It is 8AM so it should be ready this evening.
Today I will try making it with cod, and freshly squeezed lemon and lime juice. I will not cook it first. I agree that ceviche is not cooked. I will add red and green peppers when I eat the cevichi. I plan to add celery and tomatoes one time too. I like the varitey. Variety is the spice of life. Cheers! Thanks for the web site.
I make ceviche on my flats skiff while fishing. Plastic sealable box or bowl, lime or lemon juice - still working on good ratio, too much time in lime juice makes fish into fish candy - plus onion, pepper and cilantro made up ahead of time and into the cooler on the ice. Catch small snapper, filet (skinless), cut into finger sized pieces, throw into container with other ingredients, keep on ice 20-30 minutes and enjoy! Guests don’t believe how good it is. I’d like to try some other recipes.
About a month ago, I had a ceviche called “Ceviche Tradicional” at a restaraunt in Lima. This recipe is almost identical to what I ate, with a few exceptions - the corn was parched, there was no celery or garlic and the fish was cooked with lime, not lemon. All in all, this is a great, authentic Peruvian recipe. Thanks!
I;m sorry admin but I have to agree that cooked fish is not ceviche. I live in Puerto Rico and our version of it also calls for the fish to be raw and for a good amount of lime juice to ‘cure’ the fish.
From Ecuador - Just got off the plane yesterday. I mean back on the Fourth of April 1966. Now I don’t know when some Ecuadorian restraunts started serving Ceviche pre-cooked, which they do, but by definition and from the Spaniards Tall Ship sailors fresh catch seafood was cooked by the citrus juices. The sailors prepared it by placeing it in an earthen pot and then buried the pot in the sand for around four hours. The warm sand from the hot sun on the beach accelerated the reaction of the citrus juices. In Manabi where I first learned to appreciate the dish, my fiirst wife was a Pata Salada from Porto Viejo - she would prepare the dish the day before serving and refrigerate it until about a half hour before serving.
It’s okay if you cook it - that’s your taste and it’s up to you to like it. However, it is NOT Peruvian style ceviche, and it shouldn’t be called so if cooked. It would be like making an American style hamburger with raw meet and no bunn - some people would call this stake tartare though! No harm, the recipe doesn’t change!
Also, “cooking” time (as we call it in Peru): 15-30 mins with Peruvian key lime juice. Regular limes are not as strong, maybe they need longer. I wouldn’t dare to make it with “lemons”.
What a bunch of food nerds getting their panties all in a bind over raw vs. cooked fish. Who gives a shit? I’ve had both, but prefer raw fish. Why else would you soak it in citrus for 2 hours other than to cook it. Think about it.
The ceviche I ate during my 2-year time in Peru was never precooked. When I make it at home my wife takes half the fish and poaches it and I make tow batches. She won’t touch the ‘raw’ stuff. I’ve always made it (and seen it made) with both the lime juice and onion in the marinade. Then after a couple hours I add the other ingredients. The aji amarillo and cilantro make the dish for me but all the other ingredients are vital as well. For the celery, make sure it is sliced thin and don’t leave stringers. I hit this for my work group each Christmas. It’s a hit! ¡Provecho!
It does not matter if your from Peru, Ecuador or any where else, if you don’t start with raw fish only cooked in the acid of the lemon juice then your not making ceviche. What ever you add to it after that makes it your own.
I spent some time in Peru volunteering and that is where I was introduced to Ceviche. God I love this dish, true in Peru it was lime juice, fish, onions, and spicy peppers and that’s it. However, I am excited to make this for my girlfriend and see what she thinks about it. Thanks for the list of ingredients! Come on everyone give the admin a break at least it is up! You can always change it to your tastes. Thanks again
I am from Guatemala, I can eat ceviche every day of my life. But when I tried the Peruvian style. It is the best. It is a matter of pride. HAS to be raw fish. Also my friends blend the ginger, garlic,celery, cilantro, pepper, ROCOTO pepper, msg salt with the lemon juice and they pour it on the raw fish. Eat it right away or cool it for 15 mins. The Guatemalan style is different and still we call it ceviche. Check ecoguate.org
Just got home from a vacation in Ecuador and thought I would check out some Ceviche recipes to recreate what I enjoyed there. I certainly didn’t count on such great enertainment,thanks everyone you certainly are amusing!!! I am pretty sure what I ate there was raw…it was wonderfully fresh and delicious.
One thought on Tilapia vs. ocean fish - I would definitely cook tilapia before using it in ceviche. As a freshwater fish it is more likely to carry waterborne diseases easily transferred to humans.(Used to grow them - great fish, but I cook them). Not nearly as much an issue with sea fish.
Guys, guys, guys…really?
In America, we imagine Italian as spaghetti with meatballs…when really, from what I know, it’s not. But, I personally have a friend who grew up in Italy who ate spgahetti with meatballs all the time. So go to an ‘Italian’ restaurant in Italy…do they have spaghetti and meatballs? I imagine it would depend on the restaurant.
Take pizza for an example too. There’s NY pizza, Chicago pizza, and all the other types…all of who claim that their pizza is THE only way to make true pizza. What if you put toppings on a tortilla and call it a pizza? Some will recognize that it’s a pizza, and the purist will say it is not.
Different regions, different styles, different methods, different food. Purists and modern thinkers. Isn’t that what cuisine and culinary creativity is all about?
You people are pathetic…food is all about experimentation and preference…if you don’t like this recipe then find one to your liking…idiots! Thank you to the person who shared the recipe.
Also, admin did put “you can cook the fish if you prefer” but traditionally the fish is raw!!!! Admin you are dealing with ignorant people who obviously do not know how to read.. It’s hilarious- the comments written here bashing on you.
It amazes me how many people freak out over the fact this poster cooks the fish. Read the recipe. Verona says it’s traditionally raw, but she prefers to cook it. And yet, retards are still screaming at her to use raw fish, like they’re correcting her. She knows! She prefers cooked! We know its raw! She said so! Read the whole thing before posting.
I am amazed that nobody said that cooked fish in citrus makes escabeche and raw fish in lime juice makes ceviche. They are different. Look it up.
The manager of the great Mexican restaurant here admitted that they do cook the fish for reasons of safety and legal liability. Even so, they make a great “ceviche”.
Enjoyed all the commentary….I was just checking ingredients to refresh my memory, and I wonder…does anyone use Spanish capers? I often add them if available. Otherwise my recipe is a basic Mexican version a la Texas.
I once knew a guy that knew this other other guy that was the best man at a wedding that had a peruvian guy in the band and he said that ceviche was made with raw fish. So, he should know since he played a musical instrument and they know things.
I make this dish often in the summer. Too hot to cook and it really packs a great whollop if you want to loose weight. All that protein and zero carbs or fat…yay. So I cooked it for my friend who said she would try it but she had a huge ewww factor regarding the “raw” even though I explained that when it was done bathing in lime juice it would NOT be raw…I did not win so I tried to cook the fish first…I hated it because the fish was mushy in texture. It was like it had been cooked twice. I prefer “cooking” my ceviche in lime, garlic, red onion, cilantro, and tomato….It comes down to personal taste and preferred texture for me. But regardless, it is amazing all summer.
The white peper, and litle gengibre and a lot cilantro make the trick, cut the fish (tilapia is good) and let rest after mix with the lemmon and others for 1 hour and the check for salt probably need to ajust salt and peper and at the end mix with the red onion cut very thin and washed with hot water and dried
Ok…..Really do you people not understand that you don’t have to choose this particular recipe no one has said choose this one or die…..you chose to come on this page and use this recipe…..don’t bash the creator of this dish obviously it’s her own style….if you don’t like it feel free to go else where and use that one….but don’t criticize if you have a suggestion do that but no need to be so anal…..it could be you doing a recipe think of how you would feel try if you don’t like it make it to your own taste…..good work @ admin……it’s your style…….smile
This is awesome - glad to see people are so passionate about Ceviche. Say what you REALLY think. LOL.
When make Peruvian Ceviche, PRIMERO, the piscado or fish HAS TO BE RAW…SECOND: In PERU we use fresh LIMES not LEMONS OR LEMON JUICE..Aji amarillo is our 3rd choice, followed by cilantro and red onion salad. Red onion salad is a must, sliced thinly red onions that set in a bowl of lightly salter water for about a half hour, then drain and you’re ready to use…makes a major difference in their flavor. Tonight I am using the stripe bass I caught today at the New Jersey shore…we’re looking forward to it..gracias a todos…
Oh I almost forgot the juice is called leche de tigre…wonderful, and they even sell it in many Peruvian restaraunts in the US & Peru.
Hi, and Thank you for the recipe. I will do some changes here and there but overall it defenally will help me alot. Im working on getting my family back together and I know thatnks to your help and I little touch of mine, he will feel as if his home….
** Readers recipe are one more reason for people to come together and enjoy our differences. Cook, Laugh and Enjoy
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