Halibut Ceviche with Avocado

Hello, welcome! We are continuing on today with another easy recipe, perfect for hot summer weather. Ceviche is a cold seafood salad that is light and refreshing. Ceviche originated in Peru, where historically the fish is “cooked” by bitter orange juice. We do it here with lemon and lime juice. The acid in citrus juice denatures the proteins in the fish flesh, firming it up and turning it opaque. Essentially cooking the fish. You can use all kinds of different seafood in ceviche. On Kelly’s Kitchen, we did a shrimp version. Today, we are making Halibut Ceviche. Let’s get to the recipe!

Colorful and so very fresh, you can customize Ceviche exactly to your liking. You can even customize the doneness of the fish. A thirty minute marinate will give you rare fish, 2 hours yields medium-rare fish and 4 hours will give you well-done fish. We will marinate this Halibut Ceviche for 4 hours in the refrigerator.

Ceviche Prep and Assembly

Our ingredients are simple: lemon and lime juice, red onion, tomato, Serrano peppers and chopped cilantro, a little garlic and of course, the Halibut. We will dice some avocado to mix in when we are ready to serve. As for the fish, you can use whichever firm white fish that you can get most fresh. Perhaps you can’t get fresh halibut, you can go for cod or tilapia. The freshness of the fish is important because while the citrus juice will cook the fish, it won’t kill potential parasites – no matter how long you marinate it.

Cut the fish into 1/2 to 3/4-inch cubes. Otherwise, we have everything diced, minced and chopped. We are using a baking dish instead of a bowl so that the fish can sit in a relatively flat layer, to get an even marinate. Add the fish, cilantro, tomatoes, onion and garlic to a 9x 13″ baking dish.

The 1/2 cup lime juice and 1/2 cup lemon juice are mixed together and I am going to strain the juices through a fine mesh strainer before adding salt and Sriracha to the citrus juice.

Whisk to combine the marinade and then pour it over the fish mixture, give it a good stir. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Halfway Point

After being in the fridge for about 2 hours, uncover the baking dish and give everything a good stir. You can see that the fish is about medium-rare; with an opaque exterior and some translucency on the interior. If you want medium-rare fish, this is ready for service now. We are going for well-done, so cover it back up and let it marinate another 2 hours.

After 4 hours total marinate time, the fish is opaque throughout, but still somewhat soft and tender. This is perfect!

Halibut Ceviche with Avocado

Time to dice the avocado. Use a slotted spoon to serve the ceviche in a bowl as a dip for tortilla chips, or over lettuce, as a salad. Sprinkle the diced avocado over the top with sliced scallions, if you like.

I like to serve Halibut Ceviche as a dip, with tortilla chips. Just put out a spoon, to spoon ceviche onto a chip and enjoy! The flavors of the ceviche are salty, sour and a little spicy; the texture of the fish is tender; the avocado adds a little richness with its silky smooth texture. Overall, everything comes together in a fresh and bright summertime dish.

Thank you for stopping by today for Halibut Ceviche! If you’re skeptical about cooking fish in citrus juice, you can lightly poach the cubed fish and then carry on with the rest of recipe, letting it marinate for 2 hours, instead of four. But I do encourage you, if you can be sure of the freshness of the fish, to try it this way. I think you will be surprised at how well it works and how fresh it tastes. If you’re looking for another great recipe for Halibut, try my Mediterranean Poached Halibut. Are you already a fan of Ceviche? Let me know; leave me a comment here or reach out on Instagram! Take care and be well everyone! xo Kelly

Print Recipe

Halibut Ceviche with Avocado

(6 votes, average: 3.50 out of 5)

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Dinner, Main Course, Appetizer, Side Dish – South American

By Adapted From Allergy Free Alaska – Serves: 4-8

Prep Time: 20 Minutes – Cooking Time: 4 Hours – Total Time: 4 Hours, 20 Minutes

Salty, sour and a little spicy; tender halibut, smooth avocado, tomatoes and cilantro, all come together in a bright, fresh summertime dish.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs. Halibut, blotted dry and sliced into 1/2-3/4 inch cubes
• 4 Plum Tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1/2 cup Red Onion, diced
• 1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped
• 2 Serrano Peppers, seeded and minced
• 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup Lime Juice, freshly squeezed
• 1/2 cup Lemon Juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 1/2 tsp. Fine Sea Salt
• 1 – 3 tsp. Sriracha Sauce
• 1 Avocado, seeded and diced
• 2 Scallions, sliced thinly on the bias

Instructions

1

In a glass, 9x13″ baking dish, place the halibut, tomato, red onion, cilantro, Serrano peppers, and garlic.

2

Strain fresh squeezed citrus juice through a fine mesh strainer into a large, glass measuring cup.

3

To the citrus juice, add sea salt, and Sriracha; whisk to combine.

4

Pour the citrus juice mixture over the raw fish mixture. Mix until combined.

5

Cover, and place in the refrigerator.

6

Allow the fish to marinade for 2 hours, uncover and stir ceviche. For medium-rare, serve now.

7

For well-done fish, re-cover and refrigerate another 2 hours, until the halibut is opaque and cooked through.

8

Garnish with avocado and scallions, serve with tortilla chips, or over lettuce as a salad.