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Aguachile is a spicy raw shrimp dish made by tossing butterflied shrimp with a lime jalapeño sauce. It’s topped with slices of avocado, red onion, and cucumber. This 20-minute no-cook appetizer is the perfect light summer meal served with crispy tostadas or plantain chips and a cold beer!
I am a lover of all things summer. Anything that will put me mentally on a beach vacation I’m here for it! Shrimp Ceviche, Shrimp Tostadas and these Seafood Rolls are summer repeat meals because they are SO simple to make in 30 minutes or less. They are full of bright flavors and require barely any cooking! They taste like a beach outing but are simple to make from the comfort of your own home!
What is Aguachile?
If you’re unfamiliar with what aguachile is, it’s simple. Think of it like a super spicy Mexican ceviche but with lime (vs. tomato). And most times the shrimp hasn’t marinated and “cooked” all the way through in the lime juice. The important thing when eating/making aguachile is that the shrimp you use must never have been frozen. We’re talking super fresh, sushi-grade shrimp.
This is easily found at a really good fish market. Even Whole Foods will have this. If you’re a little freaked out about this, then no worries. Simply boil the shrimp until pink and proceed with the marinade.
The term “aguachile” comes from when you mash the jalapeño and then add a bit of water to it, to make chile water!
Ingredients You’ll Need for Aguachile
- Shrimp – Really fresh peeled shrimp (not from frozen!). Can be medium or large in size, but the most important thing is that you look for sushi-grade shrimp since aguachile is a raw seafood dish.
- Jalapeño – 1 pepper will do the trick but if you love spice add a bit more! Or serve your shrimp with sliced chile peppers to kick up the heat!
- Lime – The juice of 4 limes will make the bulk of the marinade for the shrimp. It’s best to use freshly squeezed lime juice instead of store-bought because it has a much better flavor and zing!
- Other toppings – Ripe avocado, cucumber, and red onion all sliced thinly and served with the raw shrimp.
For the rest of the ingredients, please refer to the recipe index card below!
How to Make Aguachile
- Pulverize the jalapeño. You can do this using a mortar and pestle OR a food processor.
- Add the lime juice, salt and water.
- Butterfly the shrimp, horizontally. You want the shrimp thinly sliced.
- Toss the shrimp with the aguachile.
- If you’re squemish about eating raw shrimp, you can transfer it to the fridge to marinate for about 30 minutes. This will allow the lime juice to “cook” the shrimp.
- Serve on a plate.
- Top with sliced avocado, thinly sliced red onion and peppers.
- Serve aguachile with tostadas and beer.
Tips and Tricks
Don’t want to eat raw shrimp? Boil it for a couple of minutes or until it turns pink, then mix with the marinade. Alternatively, allow the shrimp to “cook” in the lime marinade for 30 minutes before serving. It turns the shrimp from translucent to opaque and gives it a firmer texture.
Other seafood options: Authentic aguachile is made using thinly sliced raw shrimp, but feel free to swap it out for sushi grade ahi tuna or raw thinly sliced scallops instead! Again make sure you are using really fresh seafood that hasn’t been frozen.
Slice all the ingredients thinly. This allows the marinade to flavor the shrimp better and the cucumber, onions, and avocado will be more pleasant to eat!
Recipe FAQs
They are both pretty similar but the main difference is that aguachile is made by marinating the shrimp in a lime chile mixture and it doesn’t contain any tomatoes, while ceviche is a made with lime and/or lemon juice with tomatoes.
No, this is a recipe that you’ll want to make right before serving, because after a few hours the acid in the lime juice will give the shrimp a rubbery texture.
More Seafood Recipes
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Aguachile Recipe
Equipment
- mortar and pestle or food processor
- chef knife
Ingredients
- 1 jalapeño, loosely chopped
- Kosher salt
- 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled
- 1/3 cup fresh lime juice, from about 4 limes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 avocado, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cucumber, peeled thinly sliced
- 1/2 red onion, peeled thinly sliced
Instructions
- To Make the Aguachile (water + pepper):
- To a mortar and pestle (alternatively you can use a food processor), add the jalapeño and twist and mash twist and mash. (If using a food processor, pulse until pulverized.) Sprinkle with salt and do it once again, pulverizing the jalapeño into a paste. Add 2 teaspoons of water and do it once more. This is aguachile!
- Pour into the lime juice mixture, add olive oil and a few pinches of salt. Adjust the salt to taste.
- Prep the shrimp by butterflying it. Slice it in half, horizontally. You want it super thin so it really gets marinated.
To Assemble:
- To a bowl, add the shrimp, pour the lime juice mixture on top, tossing it until evenly coated. (If you’re sort of freaked out about eating raw shrimp, no worries; transfer the shrimp to the fridge to marinate and “cook” for 15 to 20 minutes, until no longer opaque).
- Immediately plate, arranging the shrimp how you like. Add the thinly sliced cucumber, avocado, sliced jalapeño, red onion and top with any leftover aguachile lime juice mixture. Serve with tostadas and beer
Notes
Tips and Tricks
Don’t want to eat raw shrimp? Boil it for a couple of minutes or until it turns pink, then mix with the marinade. Alternatively, allow the shrimp to “cook” in the lime marinade for 30 minutes before serving. It turns the shrimp from translucent to opaque and gives it a firmer texture. Other seafood options: Authentic aguachile is made using thinly sliced raw shrimp, but feel free to swap it out for sushi grade ahi tuna or raw thinly sliced scallops instead! Again make sure you are using really fresh seafood that hasn’t been frozen. Slice all the ingredients thinly. This allows the marinade to flavor the shrimp better and the cucumber, onions, and avocado will be more pleasant to eat! Equipment: Mortar & Pestle | Chef’s Knife | Cutting Boards |Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I thought it would be a drink…the margarita looks just perfect with this meal. Happy feasting!
I’ve never heard of this, but it looks amazing!
Plus, tostadas are the BEST! In love with Mexican food for life 🙂
This looks like a very FUN meal and also it sounds really delicious! That aguachile sounds amazing!