RESET360 with Camille McLaughlin
Lunch

Shrimp Aguachile

Shrimp cured in a bright, spicy lime and serrano juice with cucumber, red onion, cilantro, and avocado, served cold.

Why you'll love Shrimp Aguachile

Aguachile comes from Sinaloa on Mexico's Pacific coast, and the name means chile water. Shrimp are split and bathed in lime juice blended with serrano chiles, cilantro, and cucumber, and in 15 to 20 minutes the acid turns them from translucent gray to pink and firm. It is cold, bright, spicy, and refreshing, a lunch for a hot day.

The timing is the technique. Too short a soak and the shrimp stay soft and glassy in the center; too long and the lime toughens them into rubber. Butterflying the shrimp lets the juice reach every part quickly and evenly, and keeping everything very cold keeps the shrimp sweet and firm. Avocado and cucumber cool the heat of the serranos.

Serve it in bowls with plenty of the juice, and eat it with crisp cucumber slices or lettuce leaves for scooping.

Quick overview: This Shrimp Aguachile takes 25 min of hands-on time and about 45 min in all and makes 4 servings, each about 1 1/2 cups.

Jump to recipe

Shrimp aguachile with cucumber, red onion, avocado and cilantro
Prep 25 minChill 20 minTotal 45 minServes 4Serving about 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

  • 1 lb large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1/2 cup fresh lime juice (from about 5 limes)
  • 2 serrano chiles, stemmed
  • 1/2 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, divided
  • 1 English cucumber, divided
  • 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/4 small red onion, very thinly sliced
  • 1 ripe avocado, diced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

  1. Butterfly the shrimp: Using a small knife, slice each shrimp almost in half along its back so it opens flat like a book. Lay them in a single layer in a shallow dish and refrigerate while you make the chile water.
  2. Blend the chile water: Roughly chop a third of the cucumber. Blend it with the lime juice, serranos, half the cilantro, and the salt until smooth. Taste it: it should be sour, spicy, and salty.
  3. Soak in the lime: Pour the chile water over the shrimp, making sure every piece is submerged. Refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes, until the shrimp turn pink and opaque all the way through. Check one at 15 minutes by cutting it open.
  4. Slice the vegetables: While the shrimp soak, thinly slice the rest of the cucumber and the red onion.
  5. Assemble: Add the cucumber, onion, and avocado to the shrimp and toss gently. Drizzle with the olive oil and scatter the remaining cilantro.
  6. Serve: Spoon into chilled bowls with plenty of the juice and serve right away.

Storage and leftovers

Aguachile is best eaten within 30 minutes of curing. The shrimp keep firming in the lime and turn tough.

To prepare ahead, butterfly the shrimp and blend the chile water up to 4 hours early and refrigerate them separately, then soak the shrimp just before serving.

Variations

  • Milder: Use 1 serrano and remove its seeds, or swap in a jalapeño.
  • With radishes: Add a handful of thin radish slices for crunch and color.
  • Cooked shrimp: Poach the shrimp for 1 minute in simmering salted water, chill them, then toss them with the chile water and serve right away.
  • Scallops: Use thinly sliced sea scallops, cured for 10 minutes.

Notes and tips

  • Buy the best shrimp you can: Since the shrimp are not cooked with heat, use very fresh or frozen-at-sea shrimp from a trusted fish counter.
  • Keep it cold: Chill the dish and the bowls. Cold shrimp stay sweet and firm.
  • Fresh limes only: Bottled lime juice tastes flat and can carry preservatives.
  • Taste the chile water: Serranos vary in heat. Start with one, taste, and add the second if you want more.

Nutrition and mindful eating

  • Shrimp are almost pure protein, with selenium, iodine, and vitamin B12.
  • Lime juice brings vitamin C and the sour brightness that makes the dish taste so clean.
  • Avocado and olive oil are the real fats, cooling the heat and making a light dish satisfying.
  • Cucumber is mostly water, which makes this one of the most refreshing lunches you can eat.
  • As you eat, notice the cold, the sour, and the slow heat of the chile, and pay attention to how a light, bright lunch can still leave you comfortably full.

Frequently asked questions

Have a question about this Shrimp Aguachile? Start here, with the questions people ask most.

Is lime-cured shrimp safe to eat?

Lime firms and turns shrimp opaque, but acid does not kill bacteria the way heat does. Use very fresh shrimp from a trusted source. If you are pregnant or have a weakened immune system, use the poached version in the variations.

How spicy is it?

Medium to hot, depending on your serranos. Use one chile and remove the seeds for a milder version.

Can I use frozen shrimp?

Yes. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator and pat them dry before butterflying.

What can I serve it with?

Crisp cucumber slices, lettuce leaves for scooping, or a side of avocado.

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Tags: Lunch, Mexican, Dairy-Free