Ceviche de Pescado (Mexican Fish Ceviche)
Cubes of very fresh white fish cured in a sharp lime marinade with tomato, red onion, cucumber and avocado, piled on crisp tostadas.
Made with Tostadas and totopos (tortilla chips) and Ceviche lime marinade. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time40 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £2.81 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
Keep the fish in the fridge. Make your ceviche lime marinade first (see the base recipe) and chill it. Pat the fish dry and cut it into 1.5 cm cubes.
- 2
Put the fish in a non reactive glass or ceramic bowl and pour over the ready made ceviche lime marinade (see the base recipe). Stir gently so every piece is coated. The fish should be just covered.
- 3
Cover and chill for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring once, until the outside of the fish is opaque white and the middle is still slightly translucent.
20 min - 4
Meanwhile, rinse the red onion in cold water for 30 seconds and drain well. Mix it with the tomato and cucumber in a bowl.
- 5
Drain off about a third of the marinade into a cup, keeping it to spoon over later. Fold the onion, tomato and cucumber into the fish, then the avocado and coriander. Taste and add salt if you like.
- 6
Spoon the ceviche onto your tostadas (see the base recipe) just before serving, with extra marinade at the table. Serve at once, very cold.
Tips
- Cut the fish into even cubes of about 1.5 cm so every piece firms at the same speed. Keep the fish in the fridge until the minute you mix.
- Add the avocado, tomato and coriander only at the end. They go soft and dull if they sit in the acid.
- Taste a piece of fish after 15 minutes. It should be opaque on the outside and just translucent in the middle. Longer than 25 minutes turns it chalky.
- Sea bass, sea bream and fresh haddock all work. Raw scallops and previously frozen tuna are good swaps.
Storing and freezing
Eat within 1 hour of making it. Do not keep leftovers: throw them away, along with any marinade that has touched raw fish.
Questions
Is the fish in ceviche really cooked?
No. The lime juice firms and whitens the surface but does not cook the fish the way heat does, so it can still carry bacteria or parasites. That is why the fish must be very fresh and previously frozen at -20C for at least 24 hours.
Which fish is best for Mexican ceviche?
Firm, mild white fish such as sea bass, sea bream, snapper or very fresh haddock. Oily or soft fish turn mushy. Ask your fishmonger for fish suitable to eat raw.
Can I serve it without tostadas?
Yes. Spoon it into glasses, serve with lettuce cups, or eat it with a spoon and tortilla chips. It is gluten free as long as the chips or tostadas are made only from corn.
More made with tostadas and totopos (tortilla chips)
Tostadas de Frijol y Aguacate (Bean and Avocado Tostadas)
GFDFEFChilaquiles Verdes con Huevo (Green Chilaquiles with Fried Egg)
GFNFNachos de Tinga con Queso (Loaded Chipotle Black Bean Nachos)
VEFNFAguachile Rojo de Camarón (Red Chilli Prawn Aguachile)
GFDFEFSee every dish made with tostadas and totopos (tortilla chips)
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.