I have a confession to make. I had ceviche yesterday for breakfast. I will eat the weirdest stuff early in the morning. In fact, my very favorite breakfast is– are you ready for this– cold leftovers. I prefer something that was made the previous day over nicely cooked scrambled eggs, cereal, or even pancakes. Yup, I’m a weirdo.
Regardless of my unorthodox habits, believe me when I say that this ceviche is the bee’s knees. It is a combination of shrimp, tilapia, lime juice, pineapple, chiles, cilantro, and avocado. The pineapple adds an exotic tropical flavor while bringing out the sweetness of the shrimp. It makes an awesome main dish, appetizer, or even a hearty snack when served with tortilla chips. Does anyone know where to turn off this faucet? My mouth is watering somethin’ fierce.
Not to mention that this ceviche is super colorful and so good for you. Healthy fish oil? Check. Antioxidants? Check. Fiber? Check. Lean protein? Check. Like I said, good for you. And you know how there are recipes out there that are uber delicious and just so happen to be good for you? Yeah, this is one of those dishes. Man, I love it when that happens!
So you might be asking yourself right about now, “What, exactly, is a ceviche?” I’m so glad you asked! A ceviche is a dish consisting of fish that is cooked by adding an acidic liquid like lime juice or vinegar. How the heck do you cook fish with lime juice you ask? Let’s get scientific for just a moment. Fish is made of protein because it’s essentially muscle tissue. When the protein comes in contact with something strongly acidic, the protein fibers start to denature– or cook, if you will. The acid is also strong enough that it kills any bacteria that might be hanging around. It’s like raw cooking.
Too little time? Try this hack! Even though it takes a while to make, this delicious ceviche doesn’t take much work. Just chop, juice, throw it together, wait, and it’s done! To prevent yourself from pulling your hair out the day you want to serve this, plan ahead a bit. Just start the before day you need it and making this ceviche will be a breeze. Trust me.
Have you ever had ceviche before? What kind? Tell us your story, we can’t wait to hear about it! See you soon!
Shrimp and Pineapple Ceviche
Author: Fiona
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 3 mins
Total time: 18 mins
Serves: 4
This easy to make Shrimp and Pineapple Ceviche features tilapia, shrimp, and pineapple. It’s spicy and satisfying.
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless tilapia fillets, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1-2 serranos, finely chopped
- ½ small red onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 small orange bell pepper, cut into ½-inch pieces
- ⅔ cup cut pineapple chunks (1/2-inch pieces)
- 8 ounces cooked peeled and deveined, tails removed and cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 medium avocado, flesh cut into ½-inch pieces
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- salt to taste
- tortilla chips for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Place the tilapia in a large bowl and cover with the lime juice. Add the serrano, red onion, garlic, orange bell pepper, pineapple, and a good amount of salt.
- Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or until the lime juice has cooked the tilapia completely. To test, take the largest piece of tilapia you can find and cut it in half. If it is still raw in the middle, let it sit longer.
- Once the fish is cooked, add the shrimp, avocado, and cilantro. Gently fold to combine, then taste and add more salt if needed. Serve with tortilla chips and devour immediately!