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Home » Recipes » Aguachile Recipe (Mexican Shrimp Ceviche)

Aguachile Recipe (Mexican Shrimp Ceviche)

by Mike Hultquist · Apr 30, 2025 · 47 Comments

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Aguachile Recipe

Aguachile is an essential Mexican ceviche from Sinaloa with shrimp marinated in a mix of lime juice, chili, and herbs with lots of fresh garnish, so good! Great with scallops, too!

A bowl of aguachile features shrimp, cucumber slices, red onions, and cilantro in a vibrant green sauce. Lime slices and tortilla chips accompany this delicious aguachile recipe on a light surface with a green cloth.

Aguachile Verde Recipe

We're cooking up a fresh bowl of Shrimp Aguachile in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen today, my friends. You are in for something wonderful.

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), 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 - the Recipe Method

First you'll 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.

Soaking red onions and marinating shrimp in lime juice to make Aguachile

Next, we 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.

Processing chilies and herbs, and soaking shrimp to make Aguachile

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. 

Aguachile Recipe

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.

Serving 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.

Cookbook Recommendation

If you love traditional Mexican cooking, I love these cookbooks with recipes from all over Mexico. Definitely recommended.

  • Mexico: The Cookbook (affiliate link, my friends!)
  • Made in Mexico: The Cookbook, by Danny Mena (affiliate link, my friends!)

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.

Aguachile ceviche on a tortilla chip

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.

Aguachile Recipe
Print

Aguachile Recipe (Mexican Shrimp Ceviche)

Aguachile is an essential Mexican ceviche from Sinaloa with shrimp marinated in a mix of lime juice, chili, and herbs with lots of fresh garnish, so good! Great with scallops, too!
Save Recipe Saved!
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: jalapeno, scallops, serrano, shrimp, spicy
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Calories: 35kcal
Author: Mike Hultquist
Servings: 6
Tap or hover to scale
5 from 21 votes
Leave a Review

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

Nutritional information estimated without tortilla chips.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 35kcal   Carbohydrates: 9g   Protein: 1g   Fat: 1g   Saturated Fat: 1g   Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g   Monounsaturated Fat: 1g   Sodium: 175mg   Potassium: 208mg   Fiber: 1g   Sugar: 3g   Vitamin A: 255IU   Vitamin C: 27mg   Calcium: 27mg   Iron: 1mg
Aguachile Recipe
Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

NOTE: This recipe was updated on 4/3/25 to include new information and video. It was originally published on 8/30/21.

Reader Interactions

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Dave Lacy says

    May 18, 2025 at 7:30 pm

    Mike, did you find a good recipe for Tamarindo sauce with shrimp rhat you recommend?

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      May 19, 2025 at 5:34 am

      Dave, I need to test this one to get it where I want it. I'll be adding it to my list.

      Reply
  2. Eric Billings says

    May 17, 2025 at 1:37 pm

    5 stars
    Hi there Mr. Mike!!

    I made the ceviche this afternoon and it was absolutely fabulous!!! The combination of flavors was wonderful as none of each was overpowering yet none was undetectable. I did not slice the shrimp tails in half instead I chopped each tail in three sections. I thought it would be easier to get the shrimp onto a tortilla chip that way...lol.

    Thanks so much for your site and these great recipes. You are most definitely the Chili Meister!!!

    Best regards

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      May 17, 2025 at 1:55 pm

      Hey, Eric! This is great to hear! Honestly, this is one of our favorites. Patty requests it all the time and makes me bring it to parties, haha. So good! Very happy you enjoyed it.

      Reply
  3. Kate says

    April 30, 2025 at 7:31 am

    I’m slightly afraid of the raw shrimp (who knows how it’s been processed) but love the look of the recipe. Would it still be good if I cook the shrimp first?

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      April 30, 2025 at 7:34 am

      Kate, yes, I have tested that and it is still delicious. I suggest very lightly poaching the shrimp until it just cooks through, then you can mix with the rest. Very tasty. Enjoy!

      Reply
      • Kate says

        May 02, 2025 at 4:17 pm

        5 stars
        Awesome thanks! I have your book and do most of the recipes you send. Thanks a lot! Kate

        Reply
        • Mike Hultquist says

          May 03, 2025 at 5:33 am

          That's great to hear, Kate! I appreciate it! I hope you'll leave a review on Amazon! People love that! Cheers!

          Reply
  4. Bambi says

    October 21, 2024 at 7:44 pm

    5 stars
    This dish is mind blowingly delicious!!

    I got a little confused with the lime juice distribution...is it 1/2 cup of Lime Juice for cooking the Shrimp and then 1/2 a cup for the Aguachile?

    Thanks for sharing 🙂

    Reply
    • Mike H. says

      October 22, 2024 at 4:19 am

      Thank you, Bambi. Yes, it is 1/2 cup of lime juice for shrimp and another 1/2 cup - for the marinade. Enjoy!

      Reply
  5. Ray says

    May 21, 2024 at 5:54 pm

    5 stars
    This is a very good recipe, I've must have made it no less than 10 times last summer, and excited to make it again this evening.

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      May 21, 2024 at 7:50 pm

      Thanks for sharing this, Ray. It's one of our favorites, too. So good!

      Reply
  6. Amanda says

    April 07, 2024 at 4:58 pm

    5 stars
    This is the simplest and best recipe ever. It is delicious! This is the second time I’ve made this and it does not last. It’s gone before we know it.

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      April 07, 2024 at 5:58 pm

      Thanks so much, Amanda! Glad you're enjoying it! I agree, I've made this for many people and it's always a hit! Thanks!!

      Reply
  7. Debbie Murray says

    December 17, 2023 at 11:21 am

    5 stars
    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!

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      December 17, 2023 at 11:42 am

      Thanks so much, Debbie! I appreciate it, and hope you find many more recipes you enjoy!

      Reply
    • Jlynn says

      July 12, 2024 at 5:24 am

      Hi Debbie, Could you be so kind as to share YOUR favorite PVR restaurants & "unique & hidden" things to do. I'm a frequent visitor but want to expand my exploration. Muchas Gracias!

      Reply
  8. Bill Taylor says

    September 23, 2023 at 4:16 pm

    5 stars
    I made it with both shrimp and scallops. OMFG! Your recipe is perfection. Everyone loved it and the heat was excellent. Thank you!!!

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      September 24, 2023 at 9:39 am

      Awesome to hear, Bill! Thanks for sharing this!

      Reply
  9. Marjorie says

    May 02, 2023 at 7:59 am

    5 stars
    Hi Michael! This recipe sounds just totally amazing can’t wait to try it here in East Texas! I absolutely love Ur recipes, explanation of spices, and totality everything about all kinds of peppers ️! I always learn about my favorite spices, food, & how to put them together! Ur knowledge of spices & peppers just simply amaze me! Thank U so much for all of Ur knowledge & hard work! U r very appreciated!!! Keep up the good work! I will be waiting to read ur posting for tomorrow!!! Tyyyyy!♥️

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      May 02, 2023 at 8:15 am

      Awesome, Marjorie! I appreciate the very kind comments! Thanks so much!

      Reply
  10. Boo Scruffy says

    February 14, 2023 at 9:10 am

    5 stars
    Used fresh scallops & shrimps, M-M-M, this bad boy was scrumptious, spicy, super delish. The radishes, diced avocado, cilantro, extra jalapeno, seafood was an explosion of tasty Aguachile (Mexican Style Shrimp Ceviche) Topped it off with pinch of dill. Do not like onion, so thanks for suggesting soaking red onion (Thinly Sliced) in vinegar and water.
    Thanks so much !

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      February 14, 2023 at 9:14 am

      Very nice! Glad you enjoyed it, Boo! SO good with scallops. My favorite!

      Reply
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