Aguachile de Ribeye
Aguachile de Ribeye is a bold, savory twist on the traditional Mexican seafood dish, replacing shrimp with perfectly seared ribeye steak. The thinly sliced beef is bathed in a spicy citrus-chile marinade, topped with creamy avocado, pickled onions, and fresh cilantro. Served with tortilla chips or tostadas, this dish is the perfect blend of heat, acidity, and richness—ideal as an appetizer or a light entrée.
Equipment
Ingredients
For the marinade:
- Juice of 4 – 5 limes
- Juice of half an orange
- ¼ red onion, very thinly sliced
- 1 whole serrano, seeds removed if less heat desired
- 10 – 20 chili tepin, depending on desired level of heat
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp ponzu sauce, or low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp salsa maggi, jugo maggi
- ½ tbsp worcestershire sauce, salsa inglesa
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the ribeye:
- 1½ lbs ribeye steak, excess fat trimmed
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tsp neutral, high-heat oil, for searing
For serving:
- 1 avocado, sliced
- Cilantro leaves, for garnish
- Tortilla chips or tostadas
Instructions
- To a small mixing bowl, add the lime juice, orange juice, thinly sliced red onion and a big pinch of salt. Stir and let pickle for 5–10 minutes.
- Strain the citrus juice into a blender and add the serrano, chili tepin, garlic, olive oil, ponzu, salsa maggi, worcestershire sauce, and more salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Pat the ribeye dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet or grill pan over high heat, add the neutral oil, and sear the steak for 3–4 minutes per side for medium rare, or to your desired doneness. Don’t forget to sear the edges briefly.
- Remove from heat and let rest for 5–10 minutes. Thinly slice against the grain.
- Arrange the ribeye slices in a shallow dish and pour the aguachile sauce over the top. Add the pickled onions, avocado slices, and cilantro.
- Serve right away with tortilla chips or tostadas and enjoy!
Notes
- Swap chili tepin with chile de árbol if unavailable, but start with fewer peppers and adjust to taste as chile de árbol is spicier.
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