Meet ceviche, the Peruvian seafood dish that brings sour, spicy, and refreshing all together in one magical plate. And get this—there’s no real “cooking” involved. That’s right, no burnt fish or overcooked veggies to fear—you can make this meal without even turning on the stove (unless you make the recommended side, which is also pretty easy, to be fair).

There are many variations of ceviche, but my favorite is made by my boyfriend’s dad. So in the hopes of learning how to make this drool-worthy meal, I went to him for the recipe. Don’t worry, it’s really simple to recreate, and the version here is based off of  ingredients a typical student has access to, rather than harder-to-find, traditional ingredients. Feel free to experiment – adding your own personal flair is what makes each ceviche recipe so special.

Tilapia Ceviche

  • Prep Time:15 minutes
  • Cook Time:1 hour
  • Total Time:1 hour 15 minutes
  • Servings:6
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • 2 pounds boneless skinless Tilapia
  • 10-20 limes (enough for 1 cup lime juice)
  • 1 stalk celery
  • 1 jalapeño pepper (or hot pepper or sauce of your choice)
  • 1 square inch piece of fresh ginger
  • 1 tablespoon garlic paste (or fresh garlic, chopped)
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 red onion
  • salt and pepper to taste
Photo by Lexa Rowland
  • Step 1

    Cube the tilapia and place in bowl. The pieces should be bite sized.

     

  • Step 2

    Salt the fish (use enough salt to cover the top of the bowl of fish).

  • Step 3

    Juice limes into bowl.

  • Step 4

    In a blender, puree hot pepper or hot sauce, celery, ginger, garlic paste, and lime juice. If you want it to be less tart, go for the consistency in the picture below. If you’re looking for something slightly more more liquid-y and limey, add more lime juice.

  • Step 5

    Add salt and pepper to taste (it’s okay for the mixture to taste really salty, it’ll balance out the sour limes).

  • Step 6

    Pour mixture into fish and *gently* stir. Add in cilantro.

  • Step 7

    Put fish in the fridge and wait for about an hour. You’ll know it’s done when the fish is opaque and not as pink.

    Photo by Lexa Rowland
  • Step 8

    While fish is sitting, thinly slice red onions. Keep them in a bowl with water and ice to keep them crisp.

  • Step 9

    When fish is done, remove onions from water and pat dry with paper towels. Place on top of fish and serve.

    Photo by Lexa Rowland

Boiled potatoes

  • Prep Time:1 minute
  • Cook Time:15-20 minutes
  • Total Time:20 minutes
  • Servings:6
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • 4 sweet potatoes (or any varietal)
  • Water
  • Step 1

    Place whole potatoes in a pot and cover in cold water.

  • Step 2

    Boil on stove, then reduce heat to a simmer. When the potatoes cut like butter, they are ready to be peeled and sliced.

  • Step 3

    Serve alongside ceviche.