Learn how to make authentic aguachile at home, an essential Mexican dish from Sinaloa similar to ceviche with shrimp marinated in fresh lime juice, chili, and cilantro, topped with lots of fresh garnish. Great with scallops, too!
Aguachile Verde Recipe
We're cooking up a fresh bowl of Shrimp Aguachile Verde in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen today, my friends. This is one my favorite dishes to eat in Mexico, and now we're making it at home, perfect for spicy food lovers like me and you.
What is Aguachile?
Aguachile is a Mexican seafood dish that is essentially a ceviche made with either shrimp or scallops, or both, that are marinated in lime juice and served in a chili-lime marinade, usually garnished with cucumber.
As with ceviche, the acidic lime juice cooks the shrimp and imparts its tart, addictive flavor.
The dish comes from Sinaloa in northern Mexico, and has gained popularity not only in Mexico as a Mexican appetizer, but in the United States as well.
You'll find variations depending on the cook and the ingredients used, with versions of aguachile verde and aguachile rojo and recipes in between.
This particular recipe includes shrimp (aguachile de camaron or camarones en aguachile), though you can easily sub the shrimp in whole or in part with scallops or other white fish. It is meant to be a fresh, bright dish, best served cold, with a good level of spice and heat.
You can easily dial back on the heat if you'd like, though you'll then be missing a component of the dish that makes it so popular.
Let's talk about how to make aguachile, shall we?
Featured Reader Comment
"I made your aguachile recipe! Excellent, delicious and super easy to follow! You have so many recipes I want to try!!! I actually live in Puerto Vallarta Mexico! Thank you for all your knowledge!" -- Debbie
Aguachile Ingredients
The full ingredients list with measurements is listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- FOR THE SHRIMP
- Raw Shrimp
- Lime Juice - Enough to cover the shrimp and cook them.
- Salt
- FOR THE RED ONION
- Sliced Red Onion
- Vinegar - I'm using simple white vinegar, though you can use others.
- Water - Enough to cover the onions
- FOR THE AGUACHILE MARINADE
- Lime Juice - Reserve some of the lime juice from marinating the shrimp, or use fresh if you'd like.
- Jugo Maggi - or use Soy Sauce
- Produce - Garlic, cilantro, jalapeno peppers, serrano peppers
- Salt
- AGUACHILE GARNISH
- Sliced cucumber, radish, serrano, chopped cilantro, spicy chili flakes
How to Make Aguachile - Step by Step
First, marinate the shrimp in fresh lime juice. The acidic lime juice "cooks" the shrimp through, which takes about 20 minutes to 30 minutes.
Soak the red onion in water as well to take the bit out of it.
Next, make the aguachile marinade. Process 1/2 cup reserved lime juice from cooking the shrimp, jugo maggi (or soy sauce), garlic, cilantro, jalapeno, serrano, and salt to taste to a blender or food processor.
Add the shrimp with remaining lime juice to a serving bowl. Pour the chili-lime marinade over it.
Top with sliced cucumber and onion, chili peppers, and radish. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes to chill.
Top with fresh herbs. Sprinkle with red chili flakes.
Serve with tostadas or tortilla chips.
Boom! Done! Your aguachile is ready to serve. Looks incredible, doesn't it? Look at that vibrant green color and textures. I could eat this all day long.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Other Ingredients. Feel free to use scallops with this recipe as well, or only shrimp for aguachile de camaron. Jugo maggi is a popular addition, though you can use soy sauce. Try it with fresh sliced avocado and a bit of salt and pepper. Absolutely delicious.
- Heat Factor. You'll get a nice level of heat from the serrano peppers, though you can omit them. For the chili flakes, try crushed pequin chilies, chiltepin, or chiles de arbol. Or, use crushed red pepper to taste.
Make Ahead Aguachile
If you want to make your aguachile ahead of time, you can make the marinade the day before. Two hours before you'd like to serve, cover the raw shrimp in freshly squeezed lime juice to cook through, then assemble and complete your dish.
It is best enjoyed within 2-3 hours.
You can also prepare aguachile with pre-cooked shrimp in the same way.
How to Serve Aguachile
Serve your aguachile as an appetizer with crispy tortilla chips. Top the bowl with your favorite toppings, like thinly sliced cucumber, sliced radishes, sliced chilies, and fresh chopped herbs.
I enjoy a nice sprinkling of red chili flakes over the top.
Storage and Leftovers
Store any leftover aguachile in the refrigerator with the juices in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my aguachile recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how you made it your own.
This Recipe Is In our Cookbook - FLAVOR MADNESS
Did you know that you can find this recipe in our new cookbook FLAVOR MADNESS? It's waiting for you on PAGE 117.
Want More Recipes?
If you love aguachile, you'll enjoy this Shrimp Ceviche, which is a South American spin on the dish. Peruvian Tiradito is another you'll certainly enjoy, and one of my favorites.
For shrimp dishes with Mexican flavors, you can't beat Camarones a la Diabla (Diablo Shrimp) for a fiery kick, Mexican Shrimp Cocktail (Coctel de Camarones) for a classic dish, and Mexican Garlic Shrimp (Camarones Al Mojo De Ajo) for mild heat but big garlic flavor.
Shrimp lovers everywhere will enjoy these American dishes as well - Firecracker Shrimp (zesty heat!), Bang Bang Shrimp (just like the restaurant!), Blackened Shrimp (so easy, and you'll love the technique), and Shrimp Etouffee (the famous Cajun/Creole dish everyone loves).
I especially hope you'll try my Shrimp Marinade, which everyone raves about for delivering big flavor to grilled shrimp.
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Easy Aguachile Recipe (Mexican Aguachile de Camaron)
Ingredients
FOR THE SHRIMP
- 1 pound raw shrimp peeled, deveined and sliced in half lengthwise
- 1 cup lime juice about the juice from 3-4 large limes
- Salt to taste
FOR THE RED ONION
- 1 small red onion thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 cup water
FOR THE AGUACHILE MARINADE
- 1/2 cup lime juice reserved from cooking the shrimp
- 1 tablespoon jugo maggi or use soy sauce
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 3/4 cup fresh cilantro
- 1 large jalapeno pepper chopped
- 1 serrano pepper chopped
- Salt to taste
AGUACHILE GARNISH
- 1 medium cucumber peeled and deseeded, sliced into crescents
- 3 radishes thinly sliced
- 2 serrano peppers thinly sliced
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Spicy chili flakes
Instructions
FOR THE SHRIMP
- Place the sliced shrimp into a bowl and cover with 1 cup fresh lime juice, enough to completely cover the shrimp. Use more as needed.
- Add salt to taste let the lime juice "cook" the shrimp for 30 minutes, flipping once part way through. The shrimp will turn pink in color.
FOR THE RED ONION
- While the shrimp is cooking, add the red onion to a bowl. Add the vinegar and enough water to cover the onions. Soak until ready to use.
FOR THE AGUACHILE MARINADE
- Add the 1/2 cup reserved lime juice, jugo maggi (or soy sauce), garlic, cilantro, jalapeno, serrano, and salt to taste to a food processor. Process until smooth.
ASSEMBLE THE AGUACHILE
- Add the shrimp with remaining lime juice to a serving bowl. Pour the aguachile marinade over it.
- Top with sliced red onion, cucumbers, chili peppers, and radish. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes to chill.
- Top with fresh herbs. Sprinkle with red chili flakes.
- Serve cold with tortilla chips.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 4/3/25 to include new information and video. It was originally published on 8/30/21.
Al says
This was very well received. I used soy sauce and a little less lime juice, as we were worried about too much acid, but next time I use the exact amount. Can't wait to try it with scallops also.
Mike Hultquist says
Super happy you enjoyed it, Al! Thanks so much!