This article was updated on the 8th of August 2023 for clarity and freshness.
If you’re wondering what to serve with your ceviche, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, I list 39 of the most popular side dishes for ceviche.
In a rush? Here’s the short answer.
The best things to serve with ceviche include crispy rice cakes, tostadas, tortilla chips, or flatbread. Go for guacamole, shrimp broth, or oysters for a lighter option. Twice-baked potatoes are also a solid option. In Peru, ceviche is traditionally served with corn.
Ready? Let’s jump right in.
Great flavor pairings for ceviche
Ceviche is a traditional Latin American dish that consists of raw seafood (fish or shellfish) that has been cured in fresh citrus juice. The acidity in the juices “cooks” the seafood and gives it a sharp, tangy flavor.
- Creamy flavors: Avocado’s creaminess holds up well to the tart flavors of your ceviche and even helps temper it slightly. You can either fold cubed avocados into your ceviche or serve guacamole on the side.
- Sweet flavors: Adding sweet elements like pineapples and mangoes provide a fruity sweetness that helps offset ceviche’s intensely tart flavor. Make sure to use the ripest fruits for the best results.
- Spicy flavors: The spiciness from chili peppers perfectly contrasts the acidity of ceviche. You can incorporate peppers like jalapenos, serranos, or habaneros straight into your ceviche or into the side dish you’re preparing.
Snacks/appetizers
Ceviche is often served as an appetizer, so it’s no surprise we have a roster of snacks on this list. Most of them have a crispy or crunchy element, which pairs superbly with the juicy, succulent texture of ceviche.
Tortilla chips
Ceviche and tortilla chips are a classic combo – I couldn’t leave them off the list despite being the most obvious choice.
The extra crispiness gives a fun element to your ceviche lunch. And they won’t fill you up as much as rice or bread if you want to keep things light.
Tip: add a tangy salsa to your spread for some more variety.
To make them, simply fry tortillas in hot oil, then season with salt. You can also bake them if you’re trying to be healthy, but there’s just something about fried tortilla chips that makes them superior.
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Homemade tortilla chips
Go Greek
Pita chips
Make it healthy
Keto tortilla chips
Crispy rice cakes
You could serve plain rice with ceviche, but these rice cakes take it up a level. They boast a satisfying crispy bite that pairs well with your tender ceviche.
Recipe creator Weelicious uses brown rice, which is healthier than regular white rice. But you can also use the latter if it’s all you have.
Serving suggestion: place the ceviche on top of the rice cake.
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Brown rice cakes
Make it different
Corn fritters
Make it healthier
Crispy quinoa cakes
French fries
As a French fries lover, I will eat them with anything. But it’s not just me who will be happy to see French fries on the table — It’s everyone!
I like a thin and crispy fry, but thicker fries work well if you want something more filling. And whatever your preference is, the key is to double-fry the potatoes to ensure they develop those golden brown crusts.
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Homemade French fries
Add a sweet twist
Sweet and spicy potato fries
A low-carb option
Baked jicama fries
Guacamole
Fact: ceviche tastes even better with guacamole on the side. The fattiness of the avocado is the perfect partner for the acidic nature of ceviche.
Plus, avocados add substance and are also healthy —did you know the fats in them can help improve brain function?
Enjoy your ceviche with a side of guac and fries for a satisfying mid-afternoon snack.
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Guacamole
Jazz it up
Pineapple guacamole
Make it simple
Grilled avocado
Sopes
Take inspiration from Mexican cuisine and whip up a batch of sopes to accompany your ceviche. They are made with the same ingredients as the classic corn tortillas, except they’re thicker and have a shallow indent in the middle which you can fill up with your ceviche!
There’s a bit of a learning curve with making sopes, but no worries. Maricruz’s recipe is highly detailed and even has pictures to guide you through the process.
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Sopes
Make it crunchy
Tostada shells
Make a classic
Corn tortillas
Starches
If you want to make your ceviche heartier, pairing it with a starchy side is the way to go. Dishes such as steamed rice, quinoa, or even potatoes can absorb the flavorful marinade of the ceviche, providing a wholesome and satiating element to the meal.
Twice-baked potatoes
Serving stuffed potatoes with ceviche might sound like a strange combo – but they’re actually a traditional side in Peru because they help fill you up.
Now, these twice-baked spuds are nowhere near like those Peruvian stuffed potatoes, but they’re a fun and tasty option you can serve with your ceviche. The bright tang from the ceviche helps cut through the rich potato filling, giving you a more balanced bite.
The only downside is they require a bit more work because the spuds undergo two rounds of cooking, but they’re worth the wait.
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Twice-baked potatoes
Make it straightforward
Baked potato
Preheat the oven
Garlic roasted potatoes
Oven-roasted corn on the cob
Corn is another side dish typically served alongside ceviche in Peruvian cuisine. The starchy, sweet flavor of corn helps wash away ceviche’s sharp, acidic marinade.
You can boil whole ears of corn in just five minutes. Or you can maximize the corn’s flavor by roasting them. The high heat chars the corn kernels a bit, which helps bring out more of their natural sweetness.
Immaculate Bites takes their corn up another notch with a garlic and creole seasoning, but you can use any spice blend you prefer.
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Oven-roasted corn on the cob
Skip the oven
Butter bath corn on the cob
Make it different
Mexican street corn salad
Flatbread
Flatbread is soft and fluffy and tastes great alone, but it gets even more exciting when you pair it with zesty, spicy ceviche.
The lightness of the bread means it isn’t too heavy for the ceviche. Tear it into pieces and use it to mop up the last drop of the marinade. YUM.
You can use store-bought flatbread if you’re in a rush, but I prefer making my own from scratch with Crunchy Creamy Sweet’s recipe. It only calls for two ingredients (spoiler alert — no yeast is needed): self-rising flour and Greek yogurt.
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Two-ingredient flatbread
Make it Mediterranean
Pita bread
Make it Chinese-inspired
Scallion pancakes
Vegetables
Veggie sides are a good option if you want to keep your ceviche meal healthy but filling. Whether you roast, grill, or turn them into a salad, they’re a guaranteed perfect pair for ceviche.
Three-bean salad
The ceviche is your protein, so now you need some vegetables. Salads are perfect because they keep things fresh.
My go-to salad is this bean salad from Stephanie Kay. Preparing it is a breeze, plus the beans are packed with fiber that’ll make sure to make you feel full. You can use any kind of beans you like in this recipe, but you can’t go wrong with a classic combo of black, kidney, and garbanzo beans.
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Three-bean salad
Make it different
Cucumber tomato salad
Add a fruity twist
Watermelon mint salad
Roasted peppers
Roasting is one of my favorite methods to cook bell peppers. It involves zero hands-on cooking, and under its high heat, the peppers soften and blister, infusing them with a deep, smoky flavor.
These roasted peppers are tasty enough, but I like drizzling them with a bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt for extra flavor.
Combine your ceviche and these roasted peppers inside a warm corn tortilla for a light but nourishing meal.
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Roasted peppers
Make it hearty
Stuffed peppers
Keep it simple
Sauteed peppers
Spicy cilantro lime slaw
There are many coleslaw recipes, but this one from Kevin is Cooking has to be one of my favorites. It still uses the classic blend of vegetables, but the difference maker is the creamy dressing.
Its base is made with a blend of mayo, Greek yogurt, jalapenos, and lots of fresh cilantro, giving it a rich but vibrant flavor. You also get a bit of a kick that’ll make your taste buds tingle.
This slaw is perfect for fish tacos, but I’ve found it to be tasty alongside zesty ceviche and tortilla chips.
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Spicy cilantro lime slaw
Skip the mayo
Greek yogurt coleslaw
Add a sweet touch
Mango slaw
Seafood
Stick to your ceviche’s seafood theme and pair it with another fish or shellfish-based dish for the ultimate ocean lover’s feast.
Fresh oysters
There’s no such thing as too much seafood, right?
Add some oysters to your ceviche meal to really wow your guests. You can fry them if you prefer adding a crunchy bite to contrast your juicy ceviche. But fresh oysters are also great when served raw.
Feasting At Home recommends serving the fresh oysters with mignonette sauce to give them a sharp, contrasting bite.
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Fresh oysters
Make it crunchy
Deep-fried oysters
Fire up the grill
Char-grilled oysters
Shrimp broth
Ceviche is served cold, so a warm broth helps to balance the meal. Plus, using shrimp sticks to the seafood theme.
The broth will work best if you serve it as an appetizer before the ceviche, then the ceviche can act as a citrusy palate cleanser.
Place a bowl of fresh bread on the table, and your guests can use it to wipe their plates after each dish!
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Shrimp broth
Make it decadent
Scallop corn chowder
Make it fancy
Lobster bisque
What To Serve With Ceviche [39 Ideas]
Ingredients
- 1 portion tortilla chips
- 1 portion three-bean salad
- 1 portion guacamole
- 1 portion sopes
- 1 portion roasted peppers
- 1 portion flatbread
- … and more
Instructions
- Prepare your ceviche according to your favorite recipe.
- In the meantime, choose one of the following sides to serve alongside it.
- Sides include: baked sweet potatoes, corn, flatbread, fresh oysters, crispy rice cakes, tortilla chips, bean salad, french fries, guacamole, roasted peppers, shrimp broth, spicy cilantro lime slaw, sopes.
- Serve immediately and enjoy.
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