Ceviche de camarón is one of two Ecuadorian dishes I ate the most when I was growing up (the other is seco, page 9). Ceviche is a Latin American dish made by combining seafood and citrus in a variety of ways. While its origins are still debated, there is evidence that the first kinds of ceviche were made over three thousand years ago by fishermen. The dish is an integral part of Ecuadorian cuisine and is present in one form or another in all twenty-four provinces of the country, changing to fit what’s in season and continuing to adapt to local tastes. Usually, the fish (the most common seafood of choice for ceviche) is raw and bathed in fresh lime juice (also the most common citrus). The acid from the limes cures the fish while it soaks, slightly firming up the raw surface, and leaves the fish with a kinda-cooked-yet-still-tender texture in the process. But Ecuador’s famous ceviche de camarón is special because it doesn’t fully include or do either.
It is made with just-cooked shrimp, fresh orange and lime juice, red onion, cilantro, and (the thing that truly makes it Ecuadorian) a little ketchup. For those who have only had Peruvian ceviche before, I understand why the ketchup might sound surprising. But you just have to trust me and all the Ecuadorian people who have been doing this for a long time—it’s really good. The ketchup adds a touch of sweetness and color, giving the ceviche a recognizable blush look. Like any country-specific recipe, it varies slightly from region to region and cook to cook. No orange, lots of orange, more limes, fewer limes, little mustard, extra ketchup. This recipe is the combination I personally like the best, but you can tweak it to fit it to your own taste. One thing that is not essential but strongly recommended is eating it with chifles (plantain chips), popcorn (yes, popcorn!), or maíz tostado (little toasted corn nuts). These are common to eat with ceviche in Ecuador. For the true Ecuadorian experience, though, it’s better to have a combo of all three, alternating between salty, crunchy, and citrusy tastes with every bite.
This is a dish that is best eaten the day it’s made, so avoid making too much if you can; it scales down as easily as it scales up. On many occasions, I’ve made this as one serving by quartering or halving the recipe (depending on my appetite), and it’s never let me down.
Excerpted from the book MY (HALF) LATINX KITCHEN: Half Recipes, Half Stories, All Latin American by Kiera Wright-Ruiz. Copyright © 2025 by Kiera Wright-Ruiz. Photography © 2025 by Lauren Vied Allen. From Harvest, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Reprinted by permission.
Directions
- Prepare the shrimp. Remove the shells and reserve them for later. Using a paring knife, carefully devein the shrimp.
- Place the shrimp shells in a small saucepan with enough water to fill about three-quarters of the pan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 5 minutes. Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain the shrimp stock and reserve the liquid.
- Return the shrimp stock to the same saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, add the shrimp and cook until just pink all around, about 10 seconds. Using tongs, place the cooked shrimp into a large bowl or on a plate to cool at room temperature. Reserve 1/4 cup of the shrimp stock in a measuring cup and set aside to cool. Store the remaining stock for another use, if desired.
- While the shrimp is cooling, mix together the lime juice, orange juice, ketchup, mustard (if using), and salt in a large bowl. Add the onion and let the mixture soak for at least 10 minutes.
- Add the tomato, cilantro, shrimp, and reserved 1/4 cup shrimp stock to the lime mixture. Taste and adjust for salt, if needed. Stir until fully incorporated. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Garnish with the avocado, if using, neatly arranged on the side of the bowl.
- Ceviche de chochos is a very common variation in Ecuador. Instead of seafood, the protein is chocho (lupini beans), making it fully vegan. This recipe works just as well with cooked chochos; just ditch the shrimp and stock.