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Peruvian

Peruvian ceviche

Non-vegetarian

Cebiche

Very fresh raw white fish briefly cured in lime juice with red onion, hot chilli and cilantro, served with sweet potato and corn to balance the sharp, spicy 'tiger's milk'.

Peruvian ceviche is a Peruvian starter, ready in about 30 minutes and made with sea bass and lime juice. It serves 4 and is rated intermediate to cook.

Start cooking
Vibrant Peruvian ceviche with corn, onions, and crispy elements on a rustic table.
Photo: Nano Erdozain / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
25 min
Cook
0 min
Rest
5 min
Total
30 min
Serves
4
Level
Intermediate
Calories
144

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Keep the fish very cold. Put it in a chilled glass or ceramic bowl and toss with the salt, garlic (opens in a new tab) and chilli.

    • 3 min

    Food safety: Use only very fresh fish from a trusted fishmonger, ideally previously frozen to kill parasites. Raw fish is not recommended for pregnant people, young children, older adults or anyone immunocompromised.

  2. Step 2

    Pour over the lime juice (opens in a new tab) and stir gently. Leave for 2–5 minutes, until the outside of the fish turns opaque but the centre is still translucent.

    • 5 min

    Modern Peruvian ceviche is cured only briefly; long soaking makes it chalky.

  3. Step 3

    Fold in the red onion (opens in a new tab) and cilantro (opens in a new tab) and taste for salt.

    • 2 min

  4. Step 4

    Serve immediately on lettuce (opens in a new tab) with sweet potato (opens in a new tab) and corn (opens in a new tab), spooning over the juices.

    • 2 min
    A finished dish being plated
    How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Peru · Well documentedRaw fish dishes cured in citrus are found along the Pacific coast of Latin America; Peru's is the best known and is a national dish.Also popular in Ecuador, Chile, MexicoMore food from Peru
Dish
Lunch · Appetizers & starters · Main courses
Cooking method
Raw, Marinated / cured, No-cook
Taste
sour, spicy (chilli heat), fresh, citrusy
Diet
Pescatarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carb · High-protein
All labelsPescatarian · Non-vegetarian · Whole-food focused · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · High-protein · Low-fat · Calorie-conscious
Without the optional extras: Paleo-styleWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Cook more with
Sea bass · Lime juice · Garlic · Fresh red chilli · Red onion · Coriander leaves
Techniques
Marinating · Curing

Allergens

  • Contains: Fishfrom sea bass

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

144 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 205 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 66%
  • Carbohydrate 18%
  • Fat 16%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy144 kcal70 kcal
Protein23.6 g11.5 g
Carbohydrate6.5 g3.2 g
Net carbohydrate6 g2.9 g
Sugars2.3 g1.1 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre0.5 g0.3 g
Fat2.6 g1.3 g
Saturated fat——
Trans fat——
Cholesterol51 mg25 mg
Sodium672 mg327 mg
Salt equivalent1.7 g0.8 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
429 mg
Calcium
29 mg
Iron
0.6 mg
Magnesium
59 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
68 µg
Vitamin C
18 mg
Vitamin D
7 µg
Vitamin B12
—
Folate (DFE)
—

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: sweet potato, sweet corn, lettuce.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Squeeze limes gently by hand — pressing hard releases bitter oils from the peel.

Common mistakes

  • Making ceviche ahead: it keeps 'cooking' in the acid and turns rubbery.

Serve with

  • Serve the leftover juice (leche de tigre) in a small glass alongside.

Food safety

  • Lime juice does not kill bacteria or parasites the way cooking does.

Storage

  • Do not store — eat within 30 minutes of making.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2, 4

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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