One of the most requested recipes after we returned from Galapagos was the ceviche we had on board! This Sea Bass Ceviche takes it's inspiration mostly from our time Brazil and a little bit from Ecuador and it's fantastic! It pairs perfectly with this Sangria.
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
When we were in Brazil (I can't believe it was 8 years ago at this point) we spent a few nights at Hotel Villa Bahia. It's situated right in the heart of Salvador de Bahia, which is easily one of the most magical place in Brazil. If you're heading to Brazil anytime soon, a stop here is mandatory! They also have one of the most amazing restaurants in the entire city. We spent our first night in Salvador de Bahia here, and I loved it so much I begged and pleaded my travel mates to go back for lunch the following day.
What we ate for both lunch and dinner blew my mind. Two standout dishes were the moqueca which I've recreated countless times at home because I simply cannot get enough, and the Sea Bass Ceviche. It was so perfect we ended up ordering multiple for the table and went to town! I've been counting down the days until it's warm enough to make this Sea Bass Ceviche at home and today marks the start of ceviche season. (I have no idea if that's a thing or not, but let's just go with it!)
This Sea Bass Ceviche is loaded with sea bass (cooked in the juiced of the citrus), plenty of mango, cucumber, tomato, lime juice, chives, olive oil and red onion. And it cannot be beat! You can serve this on it's own, atop a gorgeous bed of greens for a ceviche salad, or with a handful of various flatbreads so you can scoop it up and devour!
Ingredients
- Fresh Sea Bass
- Fresh Orange Juice
- Fresh Lime Juice
- Lime Zest
- Salt & Pepper
- Olive Oil
- Mango
- Cucumber
- Avocado
- Red Onion
- Tomato
- Chives
- Jalapeño
- Tortilla Chips
*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below
How to Make Sea Bass Ceviche
Step 1: Cut the sea bass into small bite sized cubes (about ½ inch each) and transfer to a medium sized glass or stainless steel bowl. To the bowl add the orange juice, lime juice and zest, kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Gently stir to combine so all the fish is coated in the citrus juice. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
Step 2: After 2-3 hours the fish should look fully "cooked." This means that each piece of fish no longer looks raw when broken open. If the fish still looks slightly raw, cover and place back into the refrigerator for an additional hour. Drain most of the juice from the fish of the remaining juice and add the olive oil and set aside.
Step 3: In a clean bowl, toss together the mango, cucumber, avocado, red onion, tomato, jalapeño and chives. Add the sea bass and toss to combine. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper or lime juice as needed. Serve immediately with freshly fried tortilla chips.
Tips & Tricks
- For the fish, Chilean or Mexican sea bass are both great options. If you're not able to get your hands on sea bass, look for snapper, any other kind of bass, or halibut. You want a medium firm white fish for this recipe.
- While buying a bag of tortilla chips is more convenient, if you have the time I highly recommend making a fresh batch at home. Try this insane Homemade Tortilla Chips recipe. I promise you will never go back to store-bought!
FAQs
What fish is best for ceviche?
Ceviche requires fresh, high-quality fish, and the choice of fish can influence the flavor and texture of the dish. Here's a list of some of the best fish for ceviche:
Sea Bass: Known for its firm and flaky texture, sea bass is a popular choice for ceviche. Its mild flavor works well with the acidic lime juice.
Halibut: With its firm texture and sweet, clean taste, halibut is another excellent choice.
Snapper: Red snapper offers a slightly sweet taste and a firm yet tender texture, making it suitable for ceviche.
Mahi-Mahi: This fish's firm structure and mildly sweet flavor are great for ceviche, providing a satisfying bite.
How does ceviche cook the fish?
In ceviche, the acidity of the citrus juice causes the proteins in the fish to denature, a process that mimics the effect of heat on the proteins.
Though the fish in ceviche appears to be "cooked" as it turns opaque and firm, it's important to note that it hasn't been exposed to heat. Therefore, using fresh, high-quality fish that's been handled and stored properly is essential to minimize the risk of foodborne illness.
What is it called when you cook fish in lime juice?
When you cook fish in lime juice (or other citrus juices like lemon), it's referred to as "ceviche."
More Seafood Recipes
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today
Sea Bass Ceviche
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Fish
- 8 ounces fresh sea bass Chilean or Mexican sea bass are both great options
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 3 limes zested and juiced, plus more as needed
- kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
To assemble
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ cup mango diced
- ½ cup cucumber diced
- ½ cup avocado diced
- ¼ cup red onion diced
- ¼ cup tomato diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives chopped
- ½ jalapeño finely chopped
- freshly made tortilla chips for serving
Instructions
- Cut the sea bass into small bite sized cubes (about ½ inch each) and transfer to a medium sized glass or stainless steel bowl. To the bowl add the orange juice, lime juice and zest, kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Gently stir to combine so all the fish is coated in the citrus juice. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
- After 2-3 hours the fish should look fully "cooked." This means that each piece of fish no longer looks raw when broken open. If the fish still looks slightly raw, cover and place back into the refrigerator for an additional hour. Drain most of the juice from the fish of the remaining juice and add the olive oil and set aside.
- In a clean bowl, toss together the mango, cucumber, avocado, red onion, tomato, jalapeño and chives. Add the sea bass and toss to combine. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper or lime juice as needed. Serve immediately with freshly fried tortilla chips.
So you use the lime juice that was with the sea bass anymore? Just get rid of it and use fresh lime juice in the end?
the original lime juice is used as an acid to "cook" the ceviche. Then it's discarded and you add extra to flavor the dish even further!
Would this be a good appetizer to bring to a party of 12 or so people? Everyone is bringing something. Or should I double it? Also in regards to a comment about pin bones, do those need to be removed? Thanks!
totally a great appetizer! I would double it and yes, always remove pin bones
Mind blowing every time. I first printed this sea bass ceviche recipe in 2017. I don’t think I’ve ever veered off from the recipe because it doesn’t need tweaking.
This dish a definitely a labor of love so be prepared to put the time in. It’s a hit every time.
I came back today to get the link for my sister-in-law. She doesn’t need the stained up printed version. Hoping everyone loves this recipe as much as I do!
First had this dish in Gauchos this recipe is equal 5 star rating.
Simple and easy to follow
Can you make this ahead of time and let it marinate overnight? Will it "cook" the fish too much? Chilean Sea Bass is costly and I don't want to ruin it.
I wouldn't go for over 4 hours of "cooking" time on this one
I made this a few weeks ago and it was the star app at my dinner party! The flavours are so fresh and clean, it tastes amazing! Just make sure you get your fish monger to take out any pin bones from the fish. This was the only tedious part I had to deal with.
This was my first batch of ceviche although I've had some in Peru and thought it was delicious. You'll die when you learn I used freshwater crappie (white perch, sac-a-lait).
I had a surplus and was tired of frying it, smoking it or making smoked fish dip with it ( all of which were great).
This recipe produced a remarkable product. To suit my taste I increased the amounts of avacado and mango.