I’m at the age where I’m so grateful for my 20+ year friendships. And this shrimp ceviche tostadas recipe comes straight from my first job out of college; more specifically, it’s from my friend Armida, aka the Diva, who I met there over 20 years ago. I kind of want to whisper that last part–20 years! 👀
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Armida eventually moved from Boston back to her hometown, San Diego, but I’ve been very lucky to have kept in touch enough to share several Thanksgivings with her. And every time Armida comes to Thanksgiving, she makes this absolutely delicious shrimp ceviche. Recently she shared the recipe with me and I’m so grateful for that.
This recipe is simple and requires just a few ingredients that I almost always have on hand. It’s tangy, flavorful, slightly spicy, and refreshing on the palate which makes it a perfect starter to a heavy Thanksgiving meal. But now that I have access to this recipe, I’ll be making it often for lunches and light dinners.
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Armida recommends serving her ceviche on a tostada schmeared with Hellmann’s mayonnaise and a few drops of picante sauce. I’m calling this Diva-style now and will always eat my shrimp ceviche this way going forward. But, you could also serve this as a dip with tortilla chips for a crowd.
- Shop: Tapatio Picante Sauce
Watch Me Plate Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas
Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas
Ingredients
- ¼ cup red onion finely diced
- kosher salt for seasoning along the way
- ½ tsp black pepper for seasoning along the way
- 2 limes halved
- 1 lb extra-large raw shrimp with shell on see note
- 1 tbsp Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 lemon halved
- 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and finely diced
- 3 medium tomatoes deseeded and diced small
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp Mexican oregano
- 2 avocados ripe but not mushy
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves finely chopped
- 6 tostadas see note
- Mayonnaise the Diva says it should be Hellmann's
- Picante Sauce to taste
Instructions
- Add the diced red onion to a large glass or ceramic bowl. Add the juice of one lime, ¼ tsp kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Set aside to marinate while you deal with the shrimp.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tbsp kosher salt, Old Bay seasoning, and the juice of 1 lemon. Throw the lemon halves into the pot once you've juiced them. Add the shrimp and cook until they are just cooked through. You'll know when they are pink all the way through. This should take about 3-4 minutes. Drain immediately and add to a large bowl filled with about 2 cups of ice. This will stop the shrimp from cooking further (and getting too tough) and chill the shrimp quickly. Let sit for 10 minutes.Then remove the shell, tail, and any poop shoots that might be left on your shrimp. Slice the shrimp lengthwise and then chop into thirds.
- Add the tomatoes, jalapenos, cilantro, and cumin to the bowl with the onions. Add the oregano by crushing it between your fingers to bring out more flavor. Mix well and add another ½ tsp kosher salt. Add the cooled shrimp and toss to combine. Dice the avocado small and add them to the ceviche. Squeeze the second lime over the diced avocado to coat it well and add a pinch of salt to season the avocado. Gently toss to combine. Taste and add more salt if needed. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or up to a few days.)
- To serve, remove the ceviche from the refrigerator and mix again to combine. Schmear the mayonnaise on a tostada, top with ceviche, and add a few drops of picante sauce. Eat and repeat!
Notes
- Shrimp is sized based on the number of shrimp per pound, so for this recipe, look for shrimp that are in the 21-30 shrimp per pound range. This is also often marketed as jumbo.
- You can easily find pre-made tostadas in most grocery stores where you find taco shells. But, I often have a pack of old-ish corn tortillas in my fridge and like to fry them myself. To do this, add about 1/2 inch of canola oil to a medium skillet. Heat to about 350 degrees. Add one corn tortilla at a time–cooking for 2-3 minutes on each side until the tortillas are browned and crisp. Drain crisped tostadas on paper towels and sprinkle with salt when you remove them from the oil.
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Crab Rangoon Crunch Wraps
One of my favorites. My grandmother taught me only Hellmanns too.