🦐 Shrimp aguachile
Aguachile is a Mexican dish of raw shrimp “cooked” in lime juice blended with fresh green chili. The shrimp is butterflied, drenched in the bright, fiery liquid and layered with thin slices of cucumber and red onion, then finished with cilantro and avocado. It is citrusy, very spicy and refreshing, and is eaten cold, straight after mixing, as a starter or a light meal.
Diets
Allergens
Contains (in a typical recipe):
What it is made of
Recipe
Ingredients
- 500 g very fresh raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 200 ml fresh lime juice (about 8 limes)
- 2–3 serrano chilies
- A bunch of cilantro
- 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 avocado, sliced
- Salt
Method
- Butterfly the shrimp by cutting them almost in half lengthwise, lay them in a shallow dish and season with salt.
- Blend the lime juice with the chilies, half the cilantro, a pinch of salt and 50 ml cold water until smooth.
- Pour the green chili-lime mixture over the shrimp and leave for 10–15 minutes in the fridge, until the shrimp turn opaque.
- Layer cucumber and red onion over the shrimp, top with avocado slices and the remaining cilantro, and serve at once, very cold.
How to make it lighter
- The shrimp and lime base is light; avocado brings most of the fat, so half an avocado for four keeps it lean.
- Add extra cucumber to make a bigger plate for few calories.
- Serve it as a main with a crisp vegetable salad rather than with fried sides.
History
Aguachile — literally “chili water” — comes from the Pacific coast of north-west Mexico, especially Sinaloa. It is usually described as a close relative of ceviche, but marinated for minutes rather than hours. Today it is a staple of mariscos stands and seafood restaurants across Mexico, with green, red and black versions.
Count it in one photo
Point your camera at the table — Me Nutrition recognises Shrimp aguachile and every other dish, with calories and macros for each. Ate only half? Slide it.
Download on the App StoreSimilar dishes
Values are estimates per 100 g for a typical recipe; home and restaurant versions vary. Diets and allergens are worked out from the ingredients of a typical recipe — always check with whoever cooked the dish. Not medical advice. Nutrition data: Me Nutrition dish database v13. How we count →