Peruvian Ceviche Recipe
James Bustamante is Native to New York but born to Peruvian parents. He has been traveling throughout Latin America since early 2003 and finally made his home in Peru. James has made his way by eating and traveling through almost every country in Central and South America.
Last Updated on June 28, 2022 by James Bustamante
Peru’s coast provides one of the largest varieties of seafood. If Peru had an official national dish, it would probably be the Peruvian Ceviche so below we have a Peruvian ceviche recipe; this preparation of raw fish marinated in lime juice is a favorite among locals.
Peruvian ceviche extends everywhere int he country regardless of geographical location. You’ll find varieties of the dish with different ingredients from Lima to Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, The Amazon and back.
Peruvian chefs used lime juice to “cook” the fish, giving it a delicate flavor and slightly chewy consistency. The dish is usually spiced with red onion and hot pepper, and served with sweet potato or choclo, a white Andean corn.
Peruvian fish ceviche usually includes some type of aji or hot pepper, one of the most popular is called aji Limo. It is also very important to use extremely fresh and high-quality fish to prepare ceviche.
This is by far the most common tip given by ceviche masters in Peru, if the fish isn’t fresh then it’s not a ceviche.
Each chef has his or her own preferred fish as it can be made with halibut, mahi mahi (called dorado in South America), escolar, hamachi, and corvina (a type of fish found in South America that is quite similar to halibut), flounder or sole, etc.
It’s usually preferred to use “white meat” fish but Peruvian ceviche can be made with most fish. Some even use Bonito or Tuna for a stronger taste. Peruvian ceviche can also be made with a large variety of shellfish.
Chef Wong from the restaurant Chez Wong prefers to keep it as simple as possible. He uses flounder in his ceviches and keeps the ingredients to a minimum. Below a video from travel blogger Mark Wiens when he paid Chef Wong a visit.
So how long does it take to make this Peruvian dish? The answer? It should take around 30 minutes or less. So, let’s take a look at the necessary ingredients.
Ingredients for Peruvian Ceviche
- 1 ½ pounds very fresh and high-quality fish filets (corvina, halibut, escolar, hamachi, mahi-mahi, flounder).
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced.
- 1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice from about 15-20 Peruvian limes.
- 1-2 hot peppers (aji Limo is the traditional pepper used in Peru), cut in half, without seeds and deveined.
- 2-3 sprigs of fresh cilantro.
- salt to taste.
- Pepper to taste.
Now let’s take a look at how to put it together.
Step 1: First cut the fish into small cubes, place in a glass bowl and cover with cold water and 1 tablespoon of salt, cover and refrigerate while you prepare the onions and juice the limes.
Step 2: Up next, rub the thin onion slices with 1/2 tablespoon of salt and rinse in cold water and rinse the fish to remove the salt. Next up place the cubes of fish, half of the sliced onions, and hot peppers in a glass bowl and pour the lime juice over the ingredients. Sprinkle with a little bit of salt.
Step 3: Cover and refrigerate for about 5-15 minutes, remove the cilantro sprigs and the hot peppers from the mix (If you like spicy food then leave the peppers in).
Stage 4: Taste the fish ceviche and add additional salt if needed. Serve immediately with your choice of sides and garnishes.
There you have it, a quick and simple way to make a Peruvian classic.
Be sure to try it out and taste for yourself. If you want to know anything more about Peru, Cusco and Machu Picchu Travel or its Cuisine, check out the rest of our blog posts at Peru Travel Blog and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for our special packages.
If you wish to include a Peruvian ceviche tasting in any of our Peru tour packages please let us know and we can make that happen. We received dozens of culinary travel groups every year and put together a personalized itinerary to visit some of the best ceviche restaurants in Lima.
Frequently Asked Questions About Peruvian Ceviche?
Did ceviche originate in Peru?
There are a many origin stories and many countries have a version of ceviche. The Peruvian version seems to be the most popular of all ceviche recipes due to it’s simplicity and use of fresh ingredients.
Can I use frozen fish for Peruvian ceviche?
It depends. Peruvian ceviche is meant to be prepared with the freshest fish you can find. That doesn’t mean it has to be freshly fished and gutted. A day in the fridge or freezer would be find but any longer than that is a negative. IF you can find fish that’s been freshly caught your ceviche will be much better in both texture and taste.
Can I use any Lime for ceviche?
It’s best to use Peruvian limes, also called “Lemon Acido Peruano”. Other limes can be used but they won’t have the same acidity of the Peruvian variety.
Can I use other types of hot pepper?
Yes. You can use just about any hot pepper to make ceviche but the Aji Limo variety is what is required for the Peruvian ceviche. It has a mellow taste that goes perfectly with lime juice. It is neither too sweet or bitter.
Can I use white onions in Peruvian ceviche?
Yes. However the red onion has a stronger taste which goes well with the raw fish and lime juice.
Is ceviche safe to eat?
Yes. It’s about as safe or safer to eat than sashimi due to it being cooked in the acidity of the Lime.
