Ceviche de Camarón (Mexican Prawn Ceviche)
Cooked prawns marinated in lime with cucumber, red onion and tomato, then spooned into ripe guacamole. A safe, fresh first ceviche.
Made with Classic guacamole and Ceviche lime marinade. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time35 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £2.40 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Make your ceviche lime marinade (see the base recipe) and your classic guacamole (see the base recipe) and chill both.
- 2
Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Add the raw prawns and cook for 2 minutes until pink and curled. Drain and cool at once in iced water, then pat dry.
2 min - 3
Cut the prawns into 1 cm pieces. Put them in a glass or ceramic bowl and pour over 200 ml of the ready made ceviche lime marinade.
- 4
Chill for 20 minutes, stirring once.
20 min - 5
Drain off most of the marinade, saving a few spoonfuls. Fold in the cucumber, red onion, tomato, coriander and jalapeño.
- 6
Spread a layer of your guacamole (see the base recipe) in four shallow bowls or glasses, spoon the prawn ceviche on top and drizzle with the saved marinade. Serve very cold.
Tips
- Poach raw prawns for just 2 minutes until pink and firm, then cool them under cold water. Cooking them first is the safest way to make prawn ceviche at home.
- Cut the prawns into 1 cm pieces so the marinade reaches every bite. Whole prawns stay bland in the middle.
- Marinate for 20 minutes only. Prawns go rubbery if left for hours in lime juice.
- Use ready cooked cold water prawns if you are short of time, but pat them very dry first.
Storing and freezing
Eat on the day you make it. Keep covered in the fridge for no more than 24 hours at most, and throw away anything left after that.
Questions
Can I use raw prawns in ceviche?
It is safer to poach them for 2 minutes first, as lime juice does not reliably make raw prawns safe. Mexican cooks often blanch the prawns briefly for exactly this reason.
How long does prawn ceviche keep?
Eat it the same day. If you must keep it, cover and chill for up to 24 hours, though the prawns will be firmer and the vegetables soft.
What do I serve it with?
Tostadas, corn tortilla chips, lettuce cups or just a spoon. Guacamole underneath keeps the juices from soaking a tostada too quickly.
More made with classic guacamole
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.