This authentic Aguachile recipe, also known as Aguachile de Camarón, Shrimp Aguachile or Aguachile Verde, is made by cooking raw shrimp in fresh lime juice and a vibrantly green blended marinade made with fresh cilantro, jalapeño or serrano chiles. Topped with thinly sliced red onions, this Mexican appetizer is similar (and as delicious) as shrimp ceviche .
Aguachile: recipe at a glance
- What you need to know: Although made with raw shrimp, the acid in the lime juice cooks the shrimp (or any other seafood) just like heat does. It’s completely safe to eat, easy to make and ridiculously delicious.
- Dietary: Aguachile is a great meal option if you are following a pescatarian lifestyle. Although this Mexican dish is incredibly satisfying, it’s low-carb, Keto (low-fat), gluten-free and dairy-free.
- Flavor and spice: This dish is a powerhouse of flavor whether you choose to make it extra spicy or on the milder side (see how below!)
Ingredients and Substitutions
Check the printable recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and their exact quantities.
- Shrimp: Use large or medium raw shrimp, deveined with tails removed. While the fresh lime juice will fully “cook” the raw shrimp, you can opt for cooked shrimp if you prefer.
- Limes: Lime juice “cooks” the seafood so there is no substitute for freshly squeezed lime juice in this recipe. When selecting limes, opt for ones that are slightly soft to the touch, with thinner skin and have a lighter green color. These limes are juicier and have better flavor.
- Jalapeño Pepper or Serrano Pepper: If you prefer a spicier dish, use serrano peppers. For a milder version, make sure you remove all the seeds and veins.
- Cilantro: Fresh cilantro is a must. Use the leaves and stems.
- Onion: Traditionally red onions are used but white, brown or yellow onions can be used.
Optional Toppings
- Thinly sliced radishes
- Sliced cucumbers
- Avocado slices or chunks
How to Make Aguachiles?
Check the recipe card below for detailed instructions and timing.
- Prep the shrimp by slicing each shrimp lengthwise.
- Place the raw, sliced shrimp on a single layer on a shallow bowl or dish. Pour over enough lime juice to cover the shrimp completely. Season with salt and marinate for 25 to 30 minutes. During this time the lime juice will “cook” the shrimp.
- To take off the sharpness and sharp taste of raw onions, season them with salt and cover them with cold tap water. When ready to use, rinse them under cold running water and drain.
- To make the marinade, place the excess lime juice marinating the shrimp into a measuring cup. Add enough fresh lime juice to complete ½ cup of lime juice.
- In a blender or in a food processor, place the garlic, the cilantro, the chile peppers and the ½ cup of lime juice. Blend until smooth. Add a couple of tablespoons of water if you need to reach a sauce consistency. Season with salt.
- Pour the blended sauce/marinade over the shrimp and top with the sliced onions. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
Aguachile Recipe Tips
- Marinade or Chile Water: You will use most of the lime juice from marinating the shrimp plus enough lime juice to complete ½ cup of fresh lime juice to make the vibrantly green blended sauce.
- To Marinate: To make this shrimp dish, use a shallow dish that can accommodate the shrimp on a single layer. You want to make sure the shrimp is completely covered in lime juice so it cooks evenly.
- Using Other Seafood: Instead of raw shrimp, you can use raw scallops thinly sliced into ¼-inch slices.
- Using Cooked Shrimp: Although not the traditional way, if you feel weird about cooking raw seafood in lime juice, you can use cooked shrimp to make this dish. Just know that the result, although delicious, will lack the authentic flavor raw seafood provides to this recipe.
How to Serve Aguachiles?
Aguachiles is best served cold, the same day is made, preferably within 2-4 hours. Serve it with your preferred toppings (I love sliced cucumbers, avocado and radishes), crispy tortilla chips or small tostadas.
Aguachile vs Ceviche
Aguachile and ceviche are both popular Mexican dishes made with raw seafood marinated in citrus juice. Here are some of the biggest differences between the two:
- To make aguachile, you first cook the shrimp in lime juice and then coat the shrimp in a vibrantly green blended sauce made with lime juice, fresh cilantro, green chile pepper and garlic.
- Ceviche is also cooked in lime juice, cilantro and spices but the marinade ingredients are never blended so the dish retains the color of each ingredient separately.
- In Mexican ceviche, the cooked seafood is mixed with chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and onions. Aguachiles is made with thinly sliced onions and all other toppings such as cucumber slices, chopped avocado and sliced radishes are optional.
How to pick the best limes?
Choose fresh limes that feel slightly soft to the touch, have thinner skin, and display a lighter green color with a hint of yellow. These limes are typically juicier, more flavorful, and milder than their darker green counterparts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Aguachile supposed to be raw?
No, although the dish is made with raw seafood, it is “cooked” by the citric acid in the lime juice. This process, known as denaturation alters the proteins in the seafood, giving it a texture and appearance similar to being cooked with heat. It is important to completely cover the seafood in lime juice and allow enough time for the process to occur.
How is Aguachile safe to eat?
Aguachile is safe to eat when prepared correctly because the citric acid in the lime juice used in the reciipe, effectively “cooks” the seafood through a process called denaturation. This process changes the protein structures in the same manner that heat does.
How long do you have to wait to eat Aguachiles?
In this recipe, the shrimp is first marinated in fresh lime juice for 25-30 minutes and then, it marinates again in aguachile sauce for 30 additional minutes and up to 2 hours before it’s ready to be served.
Storing and Freezing
Aguachiles, like ceviche is best when eaten the same day and within 2-4 hours of being made. I don’t recommend freezing aguachiles either. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight. Although it is safe to eat, the texture of the shrimp may be a bit chewy.
Take a look at these other Mexican recipes:
Things you may need
-
Blender – Ninja Professional 72 Oz
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Food Processor Cuisinart 8-cups
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Wusthof Classic 8-inch Chef’s Knife
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Aguachile Recipe (Aguachile Verde)
Learn how to make this authentic Aguachile recipe aka Aguachile Verde, a flavorful Mexican appetizer made by cooking shrimp in a vibrant green color marinade made with fresh lime juice, cilantro and chili peppers. Similar to Mexican ceviche, aguachiles can be served with crispy tortilla chips.
Ingredients
For the shrimp:
- 1 pound raw shrimp peeled, deveined, tails off
- 1 – 2 large fresh limes
- Pinch of salt
For the onions:
- ¼ red onion, sliced very thinly
- Pinch of salt
- Water to cover the onions
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar (optional)
Marinade:
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice (see step 4 and notes)
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- 1 small bunch of cilantro (about 1 cup packed)
- 2 medium serrano or jalapeno peppers, sliced in half lengthwise, stem and seeds removed – veins intact (see notes)
- 1-2 tablespoons water (optional)
- ¾ – 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Optional Garnishes:
- 1/2 small English cucumber, cut in half lengthwise and sliced thinly
- 2-3 Radishes, thinly sliced
- 1 Ripe avocado, seeded, peeled and sliced or chopped
- Jalapeno or serrano pepper, sliced
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Olive oil
For Serving (optional):
- Tortilla chips or crispy tostada shells
Instructions
- Using a sharp knife, slice the shrimp in half lengthwise (like butterflied shrimp).
- In a shallow dish, place the shrimp on a single layer, if possible. In this dish, the shrimp is fully “cooked” in lime juice, so it’s essential to layer the shrimp evenly and to use enough lime juice to completely cover the shrimp. Season with salt and allow to sit for 25-30 minutes, turning at least once so both sides of the shrimp cook evenly. The shrimp will turn light pink and will no longer be transparent.
- Meanwhile, place the red onions in a bowl and season them generously with salt. Add enough cold or room temperature water to completely cover them. This will take the sharp raw onion taste away. As an optional step, stir in the vinegar. The vinegar brightens up and enhances the color of the onion. Allow the onions to sit for at least 10 minutes or until you are ready to use them.
- To make the marinade, place the excess lime juice marinating the shrimp into a measuring cup. Add enough fresh lime juice to complete ½ cup of juice.
- In a blender or in a food processor, place the garlic, the cilantro, the chile peppers and the ½ cup of lime juice. Blend until smooth, scraping the sides of down with a spatula as needed. To reach a sauce consistency, add a couple of tablespoons of water if needed. Season to taste with salt.
- Pour the cilantro marinade over the shrimp and gently toss to coat.
- Drain the onions and quickly rinse them under cold running water. Place the onions on top of the shrimp, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes and up to 2 hours before serving.
- When ready to serve, taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve with sliced cucumbers, radish slices, avocado, chiles, cilantro leaves, and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve cold, with tortilla chips or tostadas cut into pieces.
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Recipe Notes
- Shrimp: For this aguachiles recipe, I use large or medium raw shrimp, deveined with the tails removed. While the fresh lime juice will fully “cook” the raw shrimp, you can opt for pre-cooked shrimp if you prefer. Although the flavor may be slightly milder compared to using raw shrimp, it will still be absolutely delicious.
- Lime Juice: There’s no substitute for freshly squeezed lime juice in this recipe. When selecting limes, opt for ones that are slightly soft to the touch, with thinner skin and lighter in green color, as they tend to be juicier than hard, dark green limes. These limes also have a milder acidity, which creates a more balanced and flavorful dish.
- Onion: I love using red or purple onion, thinly sliced in this recipe.
- Chile Peppers: For a spicier marinade, use serrano peppers instead of jalapeños which are a bit milder. If you are sensitive to spicy food, remove both the seeds and the veins.
- Marinade or Chile Water: You will use most of the lime juice from marinating the shrimp plus enough lime juice to complete ½ cup of fresh lime juice to make the green sauce.
- Fresh Cilantro: Both, leaves and stems can be used.
- To Marinate: To make this shrimp dish, use a shallow bowl or dish that can accommodate the shrimp on a single layer. You want to make sure the shrimp is completely covered in lots of lime juice so it cooks evenly.
- Using Other Seafood: Instead of raw shrimp, you can use raw scallops sliced into ¼-inch slices.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Aguachile Recipe (Aguachile Verde)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 66
Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 0.1g1%
Trans Fat 0.01g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.1g
Cholesterol 95mg32%
Sodium 720mg31%
Potassium 142mg4%
Carbohydrates 4g1%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 11g22%
Vitamin A 225IU5%
Vitamin C 15mg18%
Calcium 50mg5%
Iron 0.3mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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