This vegan ceviche is about to become your new favorite warm weather appetizer, snack, and side! It's light, refreshing, so flavorful, and easy to make. With hearts of palm, seasoned jackfruit (optional), cool and creamy avocado, and fresh lemon and lime juice, it's a "more than the sum of its parts" kind of dish, for sure!
Why You'll Love This Vegan Ceviche
- The flavors come together to create such a fresh and vibrant dish. It's seriously addictive!
- It's versatile. You have several options for replacing the seafood, such as jackfruit, hearts of palm, chickpeas, and/or extra avocado.
- Other than some chopping, prep is very simple - a great dish for beginner cooks!
- Best of all, the fish stay in the sea where they belong, and there are no unnecessary risks to your health from consuming raw or undercooked seafood.
Jump to:
Not long ago one of my readers emailed to ask if I had any "fish" recipes with hearts of palm. So I started thinking about all of the fun seafood alternatives I wanted to try.
And since the flavors in ceviche are some of my absolute favorites, it was an easy first choice. Stay tuned for more hearts of palm recipes, like vegan lobster, crab cakes and fishless tacos!
In case you're not familiar with hearts of palm, it is exactly as the name describes, the "heart" or core of palm trees. It is safe to eat raw, once its tough outer hull is removed. But most of us are unlikely to have access to fresh heart of palm.
When you see hearts of palm called for in a recipe, this is typically going to be a prepared version (with the inedible parts already removed), that has been packed in brine.
You'll find hearts of palm in cans or jars at the grocery store, often on the same aisle as artichoke hearts.
But as mentioned above, you have options when it comes to replacing the fish in ceviche. The texture of hearts of palm is nice because it tends to have a slight firmness on the outside, while being softer near the center. Jackfruit, chickpeas, and avocado are also great options for vegan ceviche!
Ingredients
- hearts of palm: Look for canned harts of palm packed in water (see Substitutions below for other options). The ingredients will also include citric acid or some other type of acidifier and salt. Hearts of palm are safe to eat straight from the can and taste better than plain jackfruit, in my opinion. But for variety I do like to use both in this recipe.
- jackfruit (optional): Feel free to use 2 cans of hearts of palm instead, or sub chickpeas or cannellini beans.
Inspired by my vegan tuna recipe, I briefly saute the jackfruit to dry it out and remove some of the brine taste. And since we're already breaking rules by making ceviche without fish, I also season the jackfruit with a teaspoon of Old Bay and a squeeze of lemon juice. It's a subtle, familiar flavor many of us associate with seafood, but it doesn't overpower the ceviche at all. - veggies: You'll need cucumber (I like to use English/hot house cucumber since it doesn't need to be peeled), tomatoes, red onion, and jalapeno. Or if you want it spicy, use serrano pepper.
- lime & lemon juice: I really like using both, but feel free to use only one or the other if that's what you have.
- avocado: Perfectly ripe, creamy avocado adds much needed fat to our fishless ceviche. Plus it always tastes amazing with lime, cilantro, and jalapeno!
- cilantro: Its fresh herb flavor is everything here! If you're not a fan of cilantro, feel free to use parsley instead.
- seasonings: You'll need salt, and as mentioned, I like to season the jackfruit lightly with Old Bay seasoning. If you're not using jackfruit, you can skip this step.
See the recipe card below for amounts and step-by-step instructions.
How to Make Vegan Ceviche
Skip this step if not using jackfruit. If you are, first sort through and discard the hard bits. Then pat dry, and saute over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Season with Old Bay and cook for another minute or so. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and stir. Then set aside to cool.
Prepare the hearts of palm by draining and patting dry. Then slice in half lengthwise, and cut into half moons. Set aside with the jackfruit, while you prepare the other ingredients.
Since the hearts of palm, jackfruit, and avocado are somewhat soft, add them last. Toss the cucumber, tomatoes, onion, and jalapeno together in a large bowl.
Add the citrus juices, cilantro, and salt, and stir well. Just before serving, add the hearts of palm, seasoned jackfruit, and chopped avocado, and lightly toss to combine.
Taste for seasoning, and add more salt, lime, or lemon juice if you like.
Prep Tip :
There's enough citrus juice to help keep the avocado looking fresh for several hours, but generally speaking, vegan ceviche is best served right away while all of the veggies are crisp and vibrant.
Substitutions
- hearts of palm & jackfruit: Either or both of these can be replaced with cooked chickpeas, lima beans, white beans, or additional avocado and tomato.
- jalapeno: If you're averse to spicy heat, be sure to remove all of the seeds and membrane inside the pepper, or use bell pepper instead. For a spicier option, go with serrano pepper.
- lemon & lime: Add a touch of sweetness to your vegan ceviche with fresh squeezed orange juice.
- cilantro: If you aren't a fan, flat-leaf or curly parsley may be used instead.
Serving Suggestions
There are no rules when it comes to the ways you can enjoy vegan ceviche. Honestly, it's surprisingly versatile!
- Scoop it up with crispy tortilla chips or by the spoonful.
- Serve with lettuce cups as a light appetizer.
- Use vegan ceviche like salsa on tacos, tostadas, enchiladas, and taquitos.
- As a side dish, the burst of freshness is great alongside sandwiches and veggie burgers.
- Add it to a veggie tray or vegan charcuterie board/snack board!
FAQs
The bright and fresh acidity of lime and lemon juice is a key player in the overall flavor profile and dominates the brininess of hearts of palm and/or jackfruit. Red onion and salt add savory notes, cool and creamy avocado brings balance, while cucumber, jalapeno, and cilantro lend garden fresh flavor.
Absolutely! Crumbled nori or kelp or dulse granules can be added to any vegan recipe where you want a subtle "taste of the sea." I always add seaweed when preparing vegan tuna salad. However, since ceviche has so many fresh and bright flavors, I don't find seaweed necessary here.
Vegan ceviche is best served immediately, while all of the veggies are at their most crisp and vibrant. But if you do have leftovers, there is enough citrus juice to keep the avocado looking fresh until the next day.
More Vegan Seafood Alternatives
Recipe
Vegan Ceviche
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Ingredients
- 1 (14 oz) can young/green jackfruit, optional - packed in brine; see Notes
- 1 (14 oz) can hearts of palm - packed in water/brine
- 1 medium English cucumber, chopped
- 1½ cups grape or cherry tomatoes, chopped - about 7 oz.
- ¾ cup diced red onion - about half medium-size onion
- 2 fresh jalapenos, seeded and diced
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup chopped cilantro, leaves & thin stems
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 large Haas avocado
Optional ingredients - if using jackfruit:
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- squeeze of lemon juice
Instructions
- Skip this step if not using jackfruit. Preheat a saute pan over medium heat. Drain the jackfruit and place on a clean, lint-free towel. Sort through it with your hands and discard any hard bits or seeds. Chop larger pieces in half so they're bite-size. Gently pat dry to remove as much of the brine as possible without crushing the jackfruit. Transfer the jackfruit to the pan, and saute for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the Old Bay and stir well. Cook for another minute or so, then add a generous squeeze of lemon juice. Stir again, and remove from heat. Transfer to a plate to cool.
- Drain the hearts of palm and pat dry. Slice each cylinder in half lengthwise, then across into half moons. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cucumber, tomatoes, onion, and jalapeno. Add the lime and lemon juice and ½ tsp salt. Toss to combine.
- Just before serving, peel and chop the avocado. Add it to the bowl along with the cilantro, hearts of palm, and jackfruit (if using). Gently toss to combine. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or citrus, if desired.
- Serve vegan ceviche as an appetizer with tortilla chips for scooping or as a garnish, salad, or side dish. Vegan ceviche is best fresh or at least within a few hours while the veggies are crisp. If you do have leftovers, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator to enjoy the next day.
Notes
- Instead of jackfruit, use an additional can hearts of palm, or 1 cup cooked chickpeas or white beans, or additional avocado. It's flexible!
- If you enjoy a touch of sweetness, replace the lemon with fresh orange juice. You can also incorporate freshly chopped mango.
- For spicier "ceviche" use serrano pepper instead of jalapeno.
- Scoop it up with crispy tortilla chips or by the spoonful.
- Serve with lettuce cups as a light appetizer.
- Use it like salsa on tacos, tostadas and taquitos.
- Serve as a side with sandwiches and veggie burgers.
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used.
Marcus