Kari's Ceviche Chopped Salad

I am becoming such a foodie - I love to eat and to cook, and am learning to appreciate trying new things! Coincidentally, I have always been lucky enough to have friends that grace us with culinary awesomeness. Especially at social gatherings - being part of a military community means everyone brings something different to the table - pardon the pun.

This recipe comes from a woman I was very pleased to know at our last duty station at Fort Irwin, CA. Around the time of my last pregnancy, this dish was whipped up last minute many times for various get-togethers and I couldn't get enough! I'm so grateful she was willing to pass her recipe off before we parted ways.

I was surprised to find it was possibly the most simple recipe I've ever begged for.

Thanks again for your Ceviche secrets, Kari!

I have tried to order this at restaurants in the past only to be very scared or downright disappointed by what was to come of my order. Apparently Ceviche is a bit different depending on who makes it.  Traditionally, Ceviche is a Latin-American dish where raw fish or other seafood is 'cooked' in an acidic marinade of citrus juices and chiles.  Sometimes, this will come piled atop lettuce with various condiments and herbs or atop a crisp tostada, and sometimes it will be served almost like a shrimp cocktail in a little glass.

This recipe is inspired by traditional Ceviche, but it uses pre-cooked shrimp (so much faster!) and in the end, it's basically a shrimp salad! Therefore, the ingredients really aren't measured - it's all tossed together by taste, but for the sake of this, I'll guestimate the best I can.

Kari's Ceviche Chopped Salad

1 bag cooked salad/small shrimp

1 small white onion

1 avocado
1 peeled chopped cucumber

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 cup chopped tomato

2 cups clamato juice

juice squeezed from 1 lemon

½ cup ketchup

Tapatio hot sauce to taste

salt to taste

Few things to note :

Add solid ingredients before adding liquid.

Never any harm in more avocado. No such thing as too much avocado!

Add the avocado last (but before liquids), so as not to mash it up while stirring the other ingredients.


While you're figuring out portion amounts, you can drain some of the liquid off if you like, or use less Clamato.

Unbeknownst to me until about 3 weeks ago, but here in Germany, “Cilantro” is known as “Coriander” which would have been nice to know 6 months ago. (In the US, these are the same plant, but the leaves are called cilantro, while 'coriander' refers to the seeds, usually used ground.  The tastes are not at all similar.)

“Traditionally” this should be served on delicious Tostada shells. However this is another casualty to us living in Europe and we have yet to locate them anywhere. We've just been eating it in a bowl, dipping tortilla chips into it. :)