Lobster Ceviche Recipe

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated April 25, 2025
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J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

Recipe Details

Lobster Ceviche Recipe

Prep 25 mins
Cook 15 mins
Active 30 mins
Total 40 mins
Serves 2 to 4 servings
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Ingredients

  • 1 whole live lobster, about 1 1/2 pounds total

  • Kosher salt

  • 1 small shallot, minced

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

  • 1 tablespoon finely minced jalapeno pepper

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons juice from about 2 whole limes

  • Extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, kill lobster by inserting a large knife into its head and splitting it in half. Tear off claws (with knuckles) and tail by twisting away from lobster body, using a clean kitchen towel to grip. Discard body.

  2. Prepare an ice bath by adding 2 quarts of water and a quart of ice cubes to a large bowl. Drop tail and claws into boiling water. Boil tail for exactly 1 1/2 minutes, then transfer to ice bath. Boil claws for a further 1 1/2 minutes (3 minutes total), then transfer to ice bath. Carefully shell lobster and transfer meat to a cutting board.

  3. Slice lobster tail into thin slices and roughly chop claw and knuckle meat. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add shallots, cilantro, jalapeño, and lime juice. Toss to combine and season to taste with salt.

  4. Plate ceviche and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Serve immediately.

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
178 Calories
5g Fat
4g Carbs
29g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories 178
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 6%
Saturated Fat 1g 4%
Cholesterol 216mg 72%
Sodium 879mg 38%
Total Carbohydrate 4g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 29g
Vitamin C 5mg 25%
Calcium 152mg 12%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 423mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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