What differentiates the Chilean ceviche from the Peruvian and other versions from countries in Latin America? Let’s see the size of the fish pieces: in the Chilean ceviche, the fish is cut small. I remember how sometimes my grandmother did it with cubes of 1/2 cm, almost ground. The onion variety, in the Chilean version, is always Spanish or yellow onion. And finally, the other ingredients: that are minimal in the Chilean case: bell peppers, if desired, and cilantro. In the Peruvian version, the corn and the sweet potato abound, and the onion is the purple variety and chopped in half-moons.
I am a super fan of all ceviches; I’m always happy to try all its variants. Use very fresh fish, and hopefully make friends with your fisherman or fishmonger. I buy mine at the local Farmers Market, at Airline Seafood.
Maybe you’re interested in the recipe: Sauteed white fish.
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Chilean Ceviche
Learn the secrets for a great Chilean ceviche.
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4
Ingredients
- 1/2 kilo of firm white fish (in Chile: sea bass, in the USA red snapper)
- 1/2 Spanish or yellow onion, chopped into tiny cubes
- 1/4 red bell pepper, chopped into small cubes
- 1/4 green bell pepper, chopped into small cubes
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves without stems
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- salt, pepper, and merkén if desired
- 5 lemons
Instructions
- The previous night if you want to serve it for lunch or in the morning if it is for dinner. Wash the fish and cut it into small cubes of 1 cm per side. Place in a container and squeeze enough lemons to cover the fish. I used three.
- Before serving, put the fish in a large bowl and add the onion, pepper, paprika or Merkén, and cilantro — the juice of half a lemon, oil, and salt.
- Stir everything and taste. Adjust the seasoning.
- Serve cold.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Raw
- Cuisine: Chilean
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 2.7 g
- Sodium: 647.4 mg
- Fat: 14.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 6.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 6.5 g
- Fiber: 0.8 g
- Protein: 24.4 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
Keywords: Chilean ceviche
Do I add paprika? Or should that be pepper?
Hi, is pepper and paprika or Merken. I modified the recipe to make it more clear. Thanks for your comment.
Best recipe. Feels like I’m in Santiago!
Awesome. I’m glad!
love this ceviche chileno
★★★★★
Good heavens, Chilean ceviche! That’s absurd. What’s next, Chilean lomo saltado or how about Chilean Irish stew? The whole world knows ceviche in Latin America originated in Peru. You must have a terrible sense of self-worth to not celebrate your own foods but instead to appropriate from a neighboring country.
Delicious
★★★★★
Thanks.