Ecuadorian Shrimp Ceviche

History

Ecuadorian shrimp ceviche is the Ecuadorian take on South American ceviche, made with shrimp rather than raw fish, and served in a spicy tomato-lime broth that’s altogether different from the pure, cold lime marinade of neighboring Peruvian ceviche.

Unlike the Peruvian version, where raw fish “cooks” solely from contact with lime juice, Ecuadorian shrimp are usually briefly pre-cooked before marinating, and the dish is often enjoyed warm or at room temperature, alongside toasted corn (chulpi) and plantain chips. A fixture of Ecuador’s coastal markets, especially in Guayaquil.

The wider ceviche family varies just as much by country as by technique: Peru relies on the citrus-only “tiger’s milk” cure on raw fish, Mexico’s aguachile adds a fiery green-chili liquid to raw shrimp, and Chilean ceviche typically stays closer to the Peruvian model but with milder seasoning — Ecuador’s tomato-based, lightly cooked version is the outlier of the group.

Ingredients — serves 4

• 600 g (1.3 lb) peeled shrimp
• 4 tomatoes, blended or juiced
• 2 limes
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 chili, finely chopped
• Fresh cilantro
• Plantain chips and toasted corn, to serve

Ecuadorian shrimp ceviche, step by step

1. Poach the shrimp briefly in simmering water until pink, then drain and cool.
2. Blend the tomatoes into a juice, then season with salt and a little lime juice.
3. Toss the sliced red onion with the remaining lime juice to soften it slightly.
4. Combine the shrimp, tomato juice, marinated onion, and chopped chili.
5. Let rest in the fridge for about thirty minutes so the flavors meld.
6. Serve topped with fresh cilantro, with plantain chips and toasted corn on the side.

Cooking method

Technique: brief pre-cooking of the shrimp followed by marinating in a citrusy tomato juice, enjoyed warm rather than ice-cold.

Traditional equipment: Ecuadorian coastal street market, served by the cup alongside toasted corn.

Signs of doneness: the shrimp should stay tender, pulled from the heat as soon as they turn pink so they don’t turn rubbery.

Nutrition, per serving

Calculated from the raw ingredient quantities above, divided by four servings.

Shrimp is naturally very lean, and nothing in this recipe adds fat back in — no oil, no cream — which leaves a dish that’s almost entirely protein and citrus-tomato liquid: 32 g of protein against essentially no fat, before the plantain chips and toasted corn served alongside.

Economic context

Ecuador’s Pacific coast gives it one of the region’s most active shrimp industries, which keeps ceviche an everyday, market-stall dish in Guayaquil rather than a special-occasion seafood splurge.

Source: World Bank / FAO, Food Prices for Nutrition database (Cost and Affordability of a Healthy Diet) v4.0, 2024 data, CC BY 4.0, DOI 10.57966/41AN-KY81. Retrieved 29 July 2026. This figure describes the cost of a healthy diet in Ecuador generally — it is not a costing of this specific recipe.

Who this dish suits

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