Tuna Ceviche Recipe

By
Ubish Yaren
Ubish Yaren
Ubish Yaren
Ubish Yaren born and raised in Mexico. He is a former sous chef specializing in Mexican food with a huge passion to show and share the importance of Mexican food for the world. Ubish does food tours in Mexico City and believes that the best taco is the one you are eating now.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 03/21/22
Tested by
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Tested by Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Tuna Ceviche in a bowl, served with a side of chips

The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Marinate time: 10 mins
Total: 25 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 4 cups

There are many ways of making tuna ceviche. This particular recipe is Sinaloa style, so the marinade calls for soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, La Negra Va brand salsa, and Clamato-brand tomato juice, along with lime juice and red onion. It's influenced by the Chinese immigrants who came to this northern region of Mexico in the early twentieth century.

When you marinate the tuna in this salsa, the citric acid denatures the protein in the fish, which creates the same change in texture as heat cooking. This is the basic concept behind ceviche. The lime juice does not necessarily kill bacteria or parasites, so you still want to be sure to use the freshest fish posible. Ceviche is not recommended for immunocompromised people.

We recommend using sushi-grade tuna. Once ceviche is finished marinating, it should be eaten right away, and not stored.

"The tuna ceviche was colorful and full of flavor. The hot sauce is available online, and the recipe uses a whole 5.4-ounce bottle. Get an extra bottle, because it's delicious. The recipe made about 4 cups of ceviche after it was drained. You could easily add another 4 ounces of tuna to the marinade." —Diana Rattray

tuna ceviche recipe/tester image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

  • 1/4 medium red onion, diced

  • 4 ounces sushi grade raw tuna, diced

  • 1 medium mango, diced

  • 1 medium avocado, diced

  • 1/2 medium cucumber, seeded and diced

  • 1 cup Clamato juice

  • 5 1/2 ounces (about 160 milliliters) hot sauce, preferably La Negra Va-brand

  • 3 1/4 ounces (about 100 milliliters) soy sauce

  • 3/4 ounces (about 20 milliliters) Worcestershire sauce

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Tostadas, tortilla chips, or saltines, for serving, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Tuna Ceviche ingredients in bowls

    The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma

  2. Add lime juice and onion to a medium non-reactive bowl. Set aside to marinate, about 5 minutes.

    Lime and onion mixture in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma

  3. Add the tuna, mango, avocado, and cucumber to the marinade mixture, gently stirring to combine.

    Tuna, mango, avocado, and cucumber in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma

  4. Add the Clamato, hot sauce, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Gently stir to combine. Let the mixture marinate, about 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning with salt, if necessary.

    Clamato, hot sauce, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce with the tuna mixture in the bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma

  5. Drain and serve immediately with tostadas, tortilla chips, or saltines.

    Tuna Ceviche in a bowl, served with a side of chips

    The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma

Eating Ceviche

The acidic marinade may not kill all of the bacteria, so ceviche is not recommended for people who are pregnant or immunocompromised. In these cases, we recommend poaching the tuna, first. See directions below.

How to Serve Tuna Ceviche

  • Serve tuna ceviche as a light lunch, snack, or appetizer, It's an excellent side to serve with a grilled meat or poultry meal.
  • Pair tuna ceviche with a dry white wine, such as pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, or a dry German reisling.

Recipe Variation

  • For a cooked-fish ceviche, poach the tuna for 1 to 2 minutes in salted, boiling water. Remove with a slotted spoon directly into an ice bath to stop the cooking; then move tuna into the citrus marinade.
  • For this poached fish version, you can omit the Clamato and Salsa La Negra Va if you wish.
  • For gluten-free ceviche, use a gluten-free hot sauce and soy sauce. Make sure the Worcestershire sauce is labeled "gluten-free." Serve with gluten-free chips or crackers.

Storing Ceviche

  • Once ceviche is finished marinating, it should be eaten right away.
  • Do not store in refrigerator or attempt to freeze for later.

Why should you use a non-reactive bowl for ceviche?

Ceviche should always be marinated in a non-reactive bowl such as glass or ceramic, and never in a reactive bowl, such as aluminum, iron, or copper. Since ceviche is acidic, if placed in a reactive bowl, the food will change color and can take on the metallic taste from the bowl.

Can you use frozen tuna for ceviche?

Frozen tuna can be used for ceviche. Simply thaw it in room temperature water for 20 minutes, and when it is still a bit hard, cut it as directed in the recipe.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
250 Calories
8g Fat
36g Carbs
12g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 250
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g 11%
Saturated Fat 1g 6%
Cholesterol 11mg 4%
Sodium 1643mg 71%
Total Carbohydrate 36g 13%
Dietary Fiber 6g 23%
Total Sugars 20g
Protein 12g
Vitamin C 75mg 373%
Calcium 52mg 4%
Iron 2mg 10%
Potassium 1082mg 23%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)