Bright and flavorful grouper ceviche is a stunning and impressive party appetizer or easy side dish. For this fish ceviche, fresh grouper fillets are first marinated with lemon and lime juice and then tossed with chopped vegetables, fresh cilantro, and creamy avocado. This is the best ceviche served with your favorite tortilla chips or with tostadas!

In our house we love grouper fish so much! This is one of my favorite grouper recipe (with lots of raving reviews!), also try air fryer grouper, grouper fingers and grouper cheeks recipe. Yum!

Ceviche is a raw seafood appetizer and it's my favorite summertime go-to recipe. The last thing we want to do is turn on the oven or stove during the warmer weather and this no-cook fish ceviche is a great option for any summer meal or as an easy party appetizer or snack.

It's light and healthy but also filling with exceptional flavor. Loaded with fresh grouper, red onions, cilantro, and plenty of fresh lemon and lime juice this is a refreshing dip perfect for any seafood lover!

Recipe ingredients

Fresh grouper. You will need 1lb of grouper fillets cut into small cubes for this recipe. Make sure to use the freshest high-quality fish you can find for this dish since it will be eaten raw.

Citrus juice. Freshly squeezed lemon and lime juice. In addition, to providing a bright and tangy flavor, the citrus juices are used to acid "cook" the fish.

Cilantro. This recipe uses a full cup of chopped cilantro to add a bright and herby flavor to this seafood dip.

Jalapeno peppers. Chopped with the seeds removed to add a subtle touch of heat.

Vegetables. Red onions, tomato, cucumber, and avocado. This mix of chopped vegetables adds refreshing flavor and crunch to this easy appetizer.

Seasonings. This grouper ceviche is seasoned simply with salt and pepper to let the other ingredients shine.

How to make grouper ceviche

Start with the fresh grouper fillets. Make sure they are clean and free from any scales or bones. Using a sharp knife, cut the fillets into small, even-sized cubes.

Take a glass or ceramic bowl (it's important to use non-reactive materials so the acid from the citrus doesn't react with the bowl). Transfer the cubed grouper into this bowl.

Roll the limes and lemons on your countertop with a gentle pressure; this helps in extracting more juice. Slice them in half and squeeze out their juice over the fish cubes. Ensure the fish pieces are completely covered or submerged in the citrus juice. This juice will work its magic and "cook" the fish without any heat.

Once the fish is swimming in the citrus juice, pull a plastic wrap over the bowl, ensuring it's sealed well. Place the bowl in your refrigerator. Leave it alone for about 3 to 4 hours. You'll know it's ready when the fish turns from translucent to a solid white, or opaque color.

While the fish is in the fridge, you can prep the other ingredients. Slice the red onion thinly. Chop up a cup of fresh cilantro leaves. For the jalapenos, slice off the top, cut them in half lengthwise, and carefully remove the seeds inside before finely chopping them.

Dice the tomato into small pieces. For the cucumber, first peel its skin, slice in half, remove the seeds with a spoon, and dice it. Keep the diced avocado aside for now; we'll need it at the very end.

Once the fish has finished its time in the citrus bath, take the bowl out of the fridge. You'll notice a lot of liquid in the bowl. Carefully drain out about half of this liquid without discarding the fish. To the fish, add the prepared red onion, cilantro, jalapenos, tomato, and cucumber. Mix gently so that everything is combined well.

Sprinkle some salt and pepper over the mixture. Give it a gentle stir. Taste and decide if you'd like to add some more lime juice for tanginess.

Just before you're ready to serve, dice the avocado and stir it into the grouper ceviche. This ensures the avocado remains fresh and doesn't turn brown.

Your grouper ceviche is now ready to be enjoyed! Serve it chilled. If you'd like some crunch, have it with tortilla chips or tostadas on the side.

Expert tips

Use a non-reactive bowl. This is important because if you are using a metal bowl it will give your fish a metallic and off-putting taste. It's best to use either a glass or ceramic bowl for this dish.

Keep your fish as cold as possible. If the fish is warm or left out for too long it can start to go bad and that taste can translate to your ceviche. Take the fish out of the refrigerator right before you are ready to marinate and serve it.

Wait before adding the avocado. Wait until you are ready to serve your ceviche before tossing in the avocados. This is to help prevent them from turning brown too quickly.

Substitutions

Fish. Instead of grouper try using red snapper, halibut, or sea bass.

Cilantro. Use less cilantro or replace it with freshly chopped parsley if you prefer.

Red onion. Use diced shallot or white onions instead. Avoid yellow onions because it has a stronger oniony flavor that can be too overwhelming for this light appetizer.

Citrus juices. You can either lemon or lime juice instead of using a combination of the two if you prefer the flavor better. Also trying adding a splash of orange juice for additional citrus flavor.

Variations

Vegetables. Switch up the vegetables used in this recipe by including chopped bell peppers, sweet peppers, or celery.

Make this a Peruvian-style ceviche by tossing in chunks of boiled sweet potato and cooked sweet corn.

Frequently asked questions

Serving suggestions

Groouper ceviche can be served with a variety of accompaniments that complement its fresh and zesty flavors. Here are some suggestions for what to serve with grouper ceviche:

1. Tostadas or Corn Tortillas: As mentioned in the recipe, tostadas or corn tortillas are classic choices for serving ceviche. They provide a satisfying crunch and a perfect base for scooping up the ceviche.
2. Tortilla Chips: For a more casual option, serve the ceviche with tortilla chips. This is an easy and popular way to enjoy ceviche at parties or gatherings.
3. Lettuce Cups: For a low-carb or gluten-free alternative, serve the ceviche in lettuce cups. Use sturdy lettuce leaves such as romaine, iceberg, or butter lettuce to create a light and refreshing wrapper for the ceviche.
4. Salad Greens: Toss the ceviche with mixed greens, arugula, or baby spinach for a light and healthy salad. Drizzle with a little olive oil and an extra squeeze of lime or lemon juice for added flavor.

Leftovers

As i mentioned before, i don’t recommend storing ceviche that contain raw fish for too long. Up to 24 hours maximum. Also try to pour off as much marinade as possible before storing. You can add fresh lime juice later to adjust the flavor.

More seafood recipes

• Broiled salmon with skin
• Bahamian conch salad
• Air fryer frozen cod
• Ika salad
• Thresher shark recipe
• Salmon head soup
• Peking shrimp
• Triggerfish recipe
• Air fryer haddock

Hope you will like this grouper ceviche recipe as much as we do. Rate the recipe if you made it and leave a comment below if you have any questions or suggestions.