Culinary Harmony: 8 BEST Side Dishes to Serve with Ceviche

Ceviche is a South American dish of raw fish or seafood marinated in citrus juices, such as lemon or lime.

The citric acid in the juice “cooks” the seafood through enzymatic action – similar to cooking with heat.

Most chefs favor cooking the seafood only until the exterior flesh firm up but are not completely cooked through.

Ingredients can vary with different regions and vendors and personal taste – some people like their ceviche more lemony than spicy, for instance – but most recipes call for onions, chilies, and cilantro and lime juice.

The texture of ceviche can vary too, depending on the seafood used, but it is typically a lighter consistency than cooked fish.

People who don’t like the taste or texture of raw fish may be wary of trying out ceviche for this reason, but most say that its unique flavor and aromatics are well worth making an exception for.

Serving ceviche with traditional accompaniments like corn tortilla chips, white rice, and plantain chips can help to bring out its unique flavor.

Serving ceviche with cold side dishes; hot accompaniments like rice and tortilla chips will make the dish come out of the refrigerator, defeating its purpose.

In this article, we will list 8 of the most popular side dishes to serve with ceviche.

Why Consider Serving Side Dishes for Ceviche?

Ceviche is best to serve as an appetizer.

The acidity and spiciness of ceviche lead it to be served along with side dishes that can potentially neutralize the taste but also offer a contrast in flavor.

As such, ceviche is typically consumed with a variety of different side dishes.

This helps create a more interesting dish for the diner.

Side dishes also give the ceviche a bit more substance, as it is typically pretty light and refreshing.

Sample side dishes paired with ceviche include potato salad, pasta salad, fruit salads such as watermelon or pineapple, and simple green salads.

The idea is to pick a dish with complementary flavors so that the overall dish is not too oily or spicy but rather has a balanced flavor.

Another reason to pick side dishes for ceviche is that it makes the dish more filling.

Generally, ceviche doesn’t have too much substance since it is typically eaten as an appetizer.

This means that you will want to serve your diners with a substantial dish before they go home – something like pasta salad or potato salad (which can also be eaten with ceviche) is perfect for this.

What to Serve with Ceviche? 8 BEST Side Dishes

Here are some suggestions for side dishes to serve with ceviche:

1 – Potato Salad

Potato salad is a classic dish that is the perfect side because it isn’t too heavy or filling.

Potato salad can be served with cold dishes such as ceviche or even hot main courses, so you don’t have to worry about double heating anything up in the oven before your meal.

This means that if your family is hosting a brunch or barbecue, potato salad would be the perfect dish to serve because you can eat it at room temperature and save yourself some hassle.

It is also easy to make ahead of time and store in your refrigerator before serving, so if you’re having an event with lots of different dishes, you won’t have to worry about making it last minute.

You can choose between different flavors and add your favorite ingredients, such as onion or relish.

2 – Pasta Salad

Pasta salad is another great side dish for ceviche because it’s fairly easy to make and has a great flavor.

It also gives the ceviche some more substance instead of serving it with a simple green salad that doesn’t compliment the dish.

However, pasta salad can also be a bit heavy depending on which ingredients you choose to the add in.

Many different pasta salads; some popular varieties include macaroni salad, tuna and noodles, and even chicken Caesar.

The key is to make sure that your family likes the flavors you’re choosing to mix.

One great thing about pasta salad is that you can eat it warm or cold, so if your ceviche has been marinating for a few hours and you want to serve it right away, the dish will still work out perfectly.

Pasta salads are also fairly easy to make ahead of time and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve them.

3 – Soup

Soup is another great side dish to serve with ceviche because it makes the entire meal more filling.

Soup can be served either hot or cold, so you don’t have to worry about double heating anything up before your meal.

When choosing a soup to pair with your ceviche, make sure that it isn’t too heavy or oily since that will spoil the taste of both dishes.

Choosing a more neutral soup such as chicken broth or vegetable broth is perfect, but if you want to add some extra flavor, you can add something like basil.

Both cold and hot soups are great choices for your ceviche dinner.

If you choose to serve hot soup, it will warm up the ceviche and give it a steamy flavor that will enhance the flavors of both dishes.

If you choose to serve cold soup, it saves your diners from waiting for their meal since they can quickly dish out some soup while everything else is being brought to them.

4 – Plaintain Chips

Caribbean cuisine often uses plantain chips to act as a crunchy, savory pairing for other dishes such as ceviche.

They can be fried or baked depending on your preference, and they also maintain their crunchiness when left out for long periods (unlike other types of chips).

Instead of serving traditional tortilla chips, plantains are a low carbohydrate option that provides a great texture for your ceviche.

The best part of serving plantain chips is that they can be used as a garnish to the ceviche instead of serving them separately.

They are perfect for dipping on top of any sauce or salsa topping on your dish, and you don’t have to worry about making an extra side dish (unless you want to).

5 – Grilled Shrimps

Grilled shrimp is a light and delicious side dish that goes well with ceviche because it has a seafood flavor.

You can choose to grill the shrimps, or you can cook them in oil on your stovetop.

There are many different ways to cook your grilled shrimp, but one of the most popular methods is to marinate them in butter, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

You can also choose to serve them with different seasonings such as garlic or parsley to give them an extra kick.

This side dish is also quick to make, and it will add a unique flavor to your ceviche since shrimp get their distinctive taste from the waters in which they live.

For example, shrimp that lives in the Caribbean tends to have a salty taste, while shrimp that lives in Antarctica tend to have a sweeter flavor.

6 – Green Salad

Perhaps the most common side dish to serve with ceviche is a simple green salad.

Not only does it add some nutrients and fiber to your meal, but it also doesn’t overpower any flavors that you’re trying to achieve for this dinner.

You can choose to add other ingredients such as avocados or tomatoes into your salad if you want.

A simple green salad with some dressing on top is all you need to complement your ceviche dinner.

A great thing about serving a green salad with your ceviche is that you don’t have to worry about heating it.

You can serve it right out of the refrigerator, so it cools down everything else on the plate while adding extra crunchiness.

7 – Fruit Salad

Fruit salads are another common side dish for people who like to eat light and healthy ceviche.

The fruit in your salad can be cut up into smaller cubes, so it mixes well with the other ingredients in the dish.

Just like when you are choosing your green salad, make sure that you choose fruit salads that are not too sweet or sour.

You don’t want to overpower any of the flavors in your ceviche dish, but you still want to make sure that the fruit salad matches well with all of its ingredients.

A great time to serve a fruit salad is at the beginning of your meal, as it can be a starter before you serve other dishes such as shrimp appetizers.

This will cut back on the waiting time for your ceviche to marinate, and it will also provide a fresh way for your guests to start their meal.

8 – Bread Rolls or Tortillas

If you plan on serving ceviche as the main course of your dinner, people may get hungry before they finish all of the food on their plate.

Because of this, it’s always a good idea to serve some bread on the side.

Bread rolls or tortillas are great companions for ceviche because they not only soak up any extra juice or sauce left on your plate but also provide a more solid food option for your dinner.

This is especially important if you’re serving ceviche with shrimp since it won’t be enough to have your shrimp dish on its own.

Make sure that you choose the right type of bread to serve with ceviche.

Some people prefer softer, fluffy rolls, while other people might want something crunchier but still soft on the inside.

Also, make sure not to forget the butter.

Conclusion

There are many different types of side dishes that you can serve with ceviche.

However, each one has to be paired well with its main dish. Don’t be afraid to experiment and try something new.

Just make sure to stick to light and healthy ingredients, so your ceviche doesn’t get watered down.

I hope this article helped you. Enjoy cooking and eating. If you want to check out some ceviche recipes, click HERE.

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