Mexican Ceviche de Pescado (Colima Style)
Enjoy this Mexican ceviche de pescado, a refreshing and healthy dish made with fresh fish cooked in lime juice and tossed with various vegetables. Serve as an appetizer or main dish along with tortilla chips or tostadas!
About
Ceviche de pescado is a Mexican dish consisting of raw fish marinated in lime juice and mixed with various types of vegetables. It has a chunky texture and a combination of fresh, tarty flavors with a spicy kick from chiles.
Fish ceviche, also spelled as Cebiche, seviche, or sebiche, is mainly served as an appetizer or light meal with tostadas or tortilla chips and paired with refreshing drinks like tamarind agua fresca.
It is believed that the origin of ceviche is from Peru and it dates back millennia. To this day, fish ceviche is also made in many other Latin American countries, including Mexico, where many versions of this dish can be found in various states.
Colima-style Fish Ceviche
Our recipe features the way is made in Colima, a Mexican central-western state. One of the main differences between the fish ceviche from Colima and one from other states is the way the meat is cut.
In Colima, is common to finely chop the fish to the consistency of ground meat, while in other versions the meat is cut into small cubes.
The texture is also another notorious difference as most recipes aim for a juicy dish, while in Colima you’ll find that it has a dry consistency, perfect to serve over crispy tortillas.
Ingredients
- Fish: Guachinango (red snapper), dorado (Mahi Mahi), halibut, flounder, corvina (sea bass), or Tilapia are the most common choices to make Mexican ceviche. But you can also use other types of white-fleshed fish. I have made it even with cod. Just make sure you buy your fish from a trusted source.
- Chilies. Use chiles verdes like serrano peppers, jalapeno pepper, or anything available.
- Vegetables and herbs. Carrots, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, and lots of fresh cilantro.
- Lime juice. For cooking the fish. You can also use lemon juice.
- Orange juice. This citrus juice gives a distinctive and slightly sweet flavor to Mexican ceviche.
How To Make Ceviche de Pescado
Start by chopping the fish with a knife. Since the meat is very tender, it won’t take you more than 3-4 minutes to have it finely minced as in the picture below.
Now, place the meat in a glass container and add as much lime juice as needed to cover the fish meat.
Mix well, cover the container with a lid or cling film and let the fish meat macerate for at least 1 hour in the fridge.
Prepare the veggies & mix everything
Using a cheese grater, grate the carrots. Dice tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, and green chilies (serrano, jalapeño, etc).
Finely chop the cilantro and last, squeeze the oranges and limes. Set everything aside.
Use your hands to nicely squeeze the fish meat. You need to remove as much juice as possible.
Place it in the bowl where you will prepare the ceviche and crumble it with your hands or using a fork.
Add all vegetables to the bowl, if you’re not used to spicy food, I suggest adding chilies in small batches and then adjusting to your taste after.
Pour lime and orange juice over the ingredients, season with salt, and toss everything for 1 minute.
Taste and make flavor adjustments, like adding more lime juice, salt, or even more chiles.
Serve this Mexican ceviche de pescado as suggested below or store it in the refrigerator for later.
Notes
- The acid from lime juice can react when in touch with stainless or aluminum material, so make sure you use a glass bowl for mixing and storing the ceviche.
- Ensure the fish meat is well covered with lime juice as this will ensure the fish will cook evenly.
- As one of our readers mentioned in the comments, the juice left where the fish is cooked is called “leche de tigre” (tiger’s milk), and in some versions, like the one from Peru, is used as a condiment for this dish. Try it, you might like it.
- Any type of semi-firm or firm white fish can be used to make this recipe.
- Make sure to dice and chop all vegetables into small bits, so the dish will be easier to serve and eat.
- For extra flavor, you can also add a few tablespoons of homemade Clamato juice, but this is optional.
How To Serve
Mexican ceviche de pescado (fish ceviche) can be served on tostadas with a few drops of hot sauce.
In Colima is always served with a side of fresh cucumbers, slices of avocado, and various hot salsas.
A basket with saltine crackers, totopos corn chips, and tostadas is also brought to the table so anyone can eat their fish ceviche as they prefer.
For pairing this refreshing dish, we recommend going with a slightly sweet beverage, such as strawberry horchata fresca or this tropical agua de mango.
In Mexico is very common to pair ceviche de pescado or any other mariscos (seafood) with cold beer, or other boozy drinks. We recommend trying our classic michelada or this mango michelada with a sweet kick.
How To Store
Take in mind that this is a fresh recipe made with raw fish, so our recommendation is to not store it for more than 2 days.
Place ceviche de pescado leftovers in a glass container with a tight lid before storing them in the refrigerator. If you don’t have a glass container with a lid, use wrap film to nicely cover it and prevent the smell from dispersing.
We don’t recommend freezing ceviche de pescado as the fresh vegetables’ texture will change and become mushy when thawed.
FAQ
Where does ceviche come from?
Ceviche has a prehispanic origin. According to some food historians, it could be from Perú or Ecuador and then spread throughout other Latin American countries, being Mexico one of the most associated with this typical dish.
Can ceviche be cooked?
You can briefly cook the fish meat in water, allow to cool down, shred it, then follow the recipe to make the ceviche.
How to tell when the fish meat is done?
To know when the ceviche is done, make sure the fish has marinated for at least one hour fully immersed in the lime juice. After that time, it should have an opaque color and a firmer texture.
Can I make Mexican ceviche with frozen fish?
Absolutely. But before preparing it, make sure to defrost it first in a safe environment, such as the coldest spot in the fridge.
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Mexican Ceviche de Pescado
Ingredients
For fish marinade
- 1 lb white-fleshed fish, finely minced (read notes)
- 1 cup lime juice (freshly squeezed )
- 1 tsp salt
For ceviche
- 2 medium carrots (grated)
- 1 medium white onion (diced)
- 2 large tomatoes (diced)
- 1 medium cucumber (diced)
- 2 serrano chilies (chopped)
- ½ cup cilantro (finely chopped)
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice
- 4 Tbsp lime juice
- salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Add fish to a bowl, pour over the lime juice, and sprinkle with salt.
- Mix well and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour in the fridge.
- Squeeze the fish meat with your hands until there's no more liquid coming out.
- Place fish in a large bowl and crumble it well with your hands or a fork.
- Add to the bowl the onions, carrots, cucumber, tomatoes, chilies, and cilantro.
- Add orange and lime juice and season with salt. Mix well.
- Adjust flavors to taste by adding more lime or orange juice, chilies, and salt.
- Serve with tostadas or saltine crackers or store in the fridge for later.
Notes
- You can make this Mexican ceviche with Guachinango (red snapper), dorado (Mahi Mahi), halibut, flounder, corvina (sea bass), or Tilapia.
- Make sure you use a glass bowl for mixing and storing the ceviche as stainless or aluminum containers can reach with the lime acid.
- Make sure to dice and chop all vegetables into small bits, so the dish will be easier to serve and eat.
- You can add a few tablespoons of homemade Clamato juice for extra flavor, but this is optional.
- This recipe is made with raw fish, so we recommend storing it for no more than 2 days in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Information
*This recipe was first published on May 22, 2021.
Discard the lime juice??? That is the leche de tigre, one of the best parts of Ceviche! I love your recipe and have many friends in Manzanillo, so I eat it this way often. But, I would save the left over lime/fish juice and drink with with a beer!!! Aye que ricooo!! :D
I’ve heard so many times about Peruvian ceviche and “leche de tigre” but really didn’t know what it was. Thank you for clarifying this! Definitely will give it a try next time and leave some for flavor! :)
God Bless you, the passion and love of a Mexican woman, there is nothing better. you explained this recipe simply and clearly! even I feel I can make it. leave the juice and mix the vegetables in after the fish has set and cooked in the lemon juice that way it will continue to add flavor and serve what you will eat in a strainer, with a spoon press juice out if that’s how you like it.
I love the ceviche from Cuyutlan. We normally eat at el 7.
Thanks for sharing the recipie 😁
Cuyutlán ceviche is the best! :) We love the one from Engracia and Rubén stand, it really taste amazing! Just like the one I used to eat when I was a kid :)