My husband and I were introduced to ceviche on our first trip to Mexico and we were instantly hooked. For the remaining days of our vacation, we set aside time for “ceviche crawls,” making it our goal to try as many versions as we could find in Cozumel’s wonderful loncherías and pescaderías. If there’s a form of edible ocean life that didn’t eventually make it into the mix, I don’t know what it is. It was like a seaside carnival of flavor. 

Ceviche is so fresh and vibrant, and even better, it’s really healthy. It’s packed with lean protein, vitamin C, and potassium. Pair it with the healthy fat found in guacamole and perhaps a tostada for a bit of carby crunch and you’ve got a tasty meal that won’t weigh you down. This was a welcome change from the normal vacation fare that might have had us waddling back home about to burst our buttons. Having to walk from place to place during our crawls didn’t hurt either.

When we returned to real life, I decided to learn how to make ceviche myself. After a few minutes of research, I was like, “Wait, what? Is that all there is to it?” Turns out this dish is easy to make and hard to mess up. As long as you’re comfortable letting your tastebuds guide you, you’ll probably hit a home run your first time at bat.

It’s entry-level easy because there’s no actual cooking involved. The acid in the lime juice denatures the protein molecules in the shrimp, essentially mimicking the cooking process. The entire recipe is just a matter of juicing, chopping, and mixing. It’s easy to customize to your own taste by trying different seafood, swapping out citrus juices, or adding in some extras like diced jicama or cucumbers. I’ve been making ceviche for many years now and I don’t think I’ve ever made it the same way twice. It almost always makes an appearance for Cinco de Mayo, so I thought I’d share the recipe a day in advance in case anyone wants to give it a go.

Easy Shrimp Ceviche

• 1 pound raw medium shrimp, chopped (peeled, deveined, tail removed)

• ¾ cup freshly squeezed lime juice

• ½ cup finely chopped shallots or red onion

• 2 medium jalapeños, seeded, deveined, and finely chopped

• ½ cup chopped cilantro

• 1 ½ cups chopped tomato

• Kosher salt

• Optional: tostadas or lettuce cups, guacamole, sriracha, additional chopped cilantro,

Combine the first five ingredients in a mixing bowl. Let stand for at least 30 minutes or refrigerate up to four hours, giving it a stir every now and then. The shrimp will be opaque when ready. Mix in tomatoes and season with salt to taste. Serve immediately and refrigerate leftovers for up to two days. Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Serving suggestion: Spread guacamole on tostadas or lettuce cups, add a generous layer of ceviche, then top with a drizzle of sriracha and additional chopped cilantro.