Aguachile Verde

Simple ingredients are transformed into a refreshing dish for this Aguachile Verde. It features shrimp marinated in lime juice, which essentially cooks the shrimp and gives it amazing flavor.

I first had aquachile while on vacation in Mexico and was a little surprised when it came out. It looked like a soup. It was an especially hot day and this chilled dish with fresh ingredients was exactly what I needed. You could tell the shrimp was fresh, likely caught recently around the island we were visiting. The meal was refreshing and its depth of flavor from such simple ingredients was shocking. We ended up eating the entire dish between the two of us.

Since then, I often make it at home when I want a simple dinner or late lunch.

Preparing the Shrimp

When making aguachile, get the freshest shrimp you can find.

To devein it, use a 3″ Gourmet Paring Knife to cut through the shell, making a narrow slit along the back of the shrimp. Peel off the shell and use the tip of the knife to remove the vein.

For instructions on how to devein shrimp, take a look at our easy tutorial. You can also save some time by buying shrimp that’s already shelled and deveined.

Butterfly the shrimp then marinate it in fresh lime juice for around 20 minutes to allow the flavors to absorb. When it’s ready, the shrimp will turn pink. A note of caution, don’t leave it in the juice too long or it could become chewy.

The Verde Sauce

It is really unbelievable how simple the sauce is for this dish. It’s just a matter of tossing lime juice, cucumber, cilantro, a jalapeño or serrano pepper (optional) and some chicken bouillon powder into a blender to puree.

Best yet, the only things that really need to be cut up before going into the blender are the cucumber and pepper (if using). The 6″ Vegetable Knife is a great choice for rough chopping both.

The cucumber and cilantro in this sauce make it very refreshing and if you choose to add in the jalapeño or serrano pepper, you’ll get a nice little kick of heat.

Serving the Aguachile

The Aquachile Verde is served by mixing the marinated shrimp, sliced cucumbers and red onion with the prepared verde sauce then adding some splashes of Maggi^® Jugo sauce.

For additional texture and flavor, garnish the dish with diced avocado.

A 4″ Gourmet Paring Knife is a good choice for the prep work.

You can also top the aguachile with thin slices of jalapeño or serrano pepper. The 4″ Gourmet Paring Knife is also great for cutting them.

Top everything with more sliced red onion and some finely chopped chiltepin, if you choose, then serve with saltine crackers or tostadas.

Give this recipe a try and I think you’ll be surprised how fast and easy it is to throw together.