Tostada de Shrimp Ceviche, the Perfect Party Starter

This tostada de shrimp ceviche recipe is a Vivi Abeja original. One of Familia Kitchen’s favorite Mexican-food cooks, the Chicago based Vivi Abeja got inspired watching the cooks in her local Mexican restaurant, her uncle, and YouTube. She went home and created this recipe with all of her favorite flavors in mind — following her grandmother’s philosophy using the least amount of ingredients for results that are simply delicioso (emphasis on simple).

One of Vivi’s favorite flavors is anything citrus. Whether she boils the shrimp first or relies solely on the acid from the lime juice to “cook” the shrimp, she says she uses the juice of 4 to 5 limes in this dish. 

“My taste buds love lime, so I add lime or lemon juice to everything I can. It brightens up the flavors and meal all together,” Vivi says. 

Since shrimp wasn’t something Vivi ate often when she was younger (except at the occasional family party or mariscos restaurant) because it’s a pricey ingredient when feeding a large family like hers, she considers shrimp dishes a treat. “I usually make it when it’s a special occasion,” says Vivi. “But I should make it more often since it’s truly so simple and everyone loves it!”

Vivi guarantees that this ceviche will be a crowd-pleaser at any party, grande or pequeño. The bright tomato, earthy jalapeño and fresh cilantro in this ceviche, along with the toasty tostadas, made from fried corn tortillas, make for a colorful and festive presentation. Vivi recommends serving this ceviche extra often in the summer, since it’s so light and refreshing.

Just as Vivi made this dish her own by incorporating all of her favorite flavors, she encourages anyone who tries her recipes to adapt them as well!

“The best way to cook is to make the dish your own,” Vivi says. “It’s important to honor the recipe by following its general structure and ingredients, but I’m a big advocate for adding extra and making any substitutions you need to.” 

Find more of Vivi’s Mexican family recipes at Familia Kitchen.com

Tostada de Shrimp Ceviche

Recipe by Vivi Abeja

3.7 from 3 votes

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

In the Fridge

1

minute

Ingredients

• 1 lb raw shrimp

• 2 tomatoes, diced

• 1 jalapeño, diced

• 1/2 red onion, medium, diced

• 1 small bunch cilantro, stems removed, chopped

• 4 to 5 limes, juiced, to cover the shrimp

• 1 to 2 tsp salt

• 12 corn tortillas (1 pack)

Directions

• Clean and devein shrimp. Cut into small, bite-sized pieces.
• In a medium bowl, add the shrimp, jalapeño, tomatoes, onion and cilantro. Mix until well combined.
• Pour lime juice into the bowl, adding enough to fully cover the shrimp. The acid in the lime juice will ”cook“ the raw shrimp.
• Cover with a lid or plastic wrap to seal the bowl. Place bowl in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours, until the shrimp is no longer grey and is turning a light shade of pink. This means the shrimp is no longer raw and now safe to eat.
• While the shrimp is in the fridge, turn your tortillas into tostadas. In a medium-size skillet, add enough oil to get a thin layer of oil covering the bottom of the pan. Fry your tortillas until golden-brown and crispy.
• Season your tostadas with salt while they are still hot. Set aside to cool.
• When they have cooled, load up each tostada with ceviche. Top it off with your hot sauce of choice and enjoy!

Notes

• The smaller you chop each piece, the faster the shrimp will ”cook” in the lime juice.