Mango Habanero Fish Ceviche
This bright, tropical ceviche pairs citrus-cured white fish with sweet ripe mango, spicy habanero, and crisp cucumber for a bowl that's fresh, fruity, and packed with heat. It cures in just 15 minutes, comes together with no cooking at all, and tastes incredible scooped up on tostadas or with a pile of chips on the side.
Equipment
- Citrus juicer
- Serving bowl
Ingredients
For the Ceviche:
- 1 lb white fish, halibut, sea bass, or mahi mahi, cut into cubes
- 1 cup fresh lime juice, about 8–10 limes
- 1 large ripe mango, diced
- ½ habanero, seeded for less heat or seeds in for full heat, very finely minced
- ½ English cucumber, finely diced
- 1 tomato, finely diced
- ¼ small white onion, very finely diced
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh orange juice
- 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
For Plating:
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Tostadas or tortilla chips, for serving
Instructions
- Place the cubed fish in a shallow bowl and pour the lime juice over it making sure every piece is fully submerged. Cover and refrigerate for 15–20 minutes until the fish is opaque on the outside and lightly cured but still tender in the center. Drain off most of the lime juice leaving just 3-5 tablespoons behind to keep everything bright and moist.
- Add the diced mango, the minced habanero, cucumber, tomato, onion, and cilantro to the drained fish. Add the orange juice and salt and toss gently to combine. Taste and adjust as needed – add more lime if it needs brightness, more habanero if you want more heat, or a pinch more salt if it tastes flat.
- To plate, spoon the ceviche into a wide shallow bowl or onto a flat plate. Finish with fresh cilantro leaves and serve immediately with tostadas or tortilla chips on the side.
Notes
- Don’t over-cure the fish. 15–20 minutes gives you that perfectly tender center, much longer and the texture turns rubbery and chalky.
- Leave a few tablespoons of lime juice in after draining so the ceviche stays bright and saucy rather than dry.
- Mince the habanero as finely as possible so the heat distributes evenly throughout instead of hitting in random concentrated bites.
- Dice everything uniformly and close to the same size as the fish so you get a balanced mix of flavors and textures in every spoonful.
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