This vegan aguachile verde recipe (Aguachile Estilo Nayarit) is spicy, tangy, and designed to be eaten on the beach on top of tostadas with a nice cold beer! In this vegan version, oyster mushrooms are marinated in a lime juice, cilantro, and serrano pepper mixture then mixed with sliced crisp cucumber and sliced red onion.
What is Aguachile?
Aguachile (literally chile water) is a type of ceviche thought to have originated on the coasts of Sinaloa. It is traditionally made with shrimp and like ceviche consists of marinating fresh seafood in a lime juice-chile mixture. It differs from other ceviches in that the marinating time is much shorter and the marinating mixture is very spicy. You can find aguachile verde and aguachile rojo as well. It is usually served as an appetizer on tostadas.
Our Vegan Mexico Project
This recipe is part of an amazing project called Our Vegan Mexico, where 32 talented cooks will be showcasing, right here on Dora’s Table, 32 vegan Mexican recipes. Each recipe will be representing one state of the Mexican union.
With this project, I am hoping to encourage the Mexican community in the U.S., and the people of my country to take a chance and make the change to a plant-based diet. This recipe, which is representing the state of Nayarit, is the creation of the talented Kimberly Rosales from @vivaverduras and here she is sharing her story with us.
Kimberly’s Story:
I decided to change my diet in Junior high (age 13) to a vegetarian based diet after making a bet with a friend on who can go the longest. After discovering PETA and watching a few of their videos, I was motivated to make it an actual real diet of mine.
After a couple of years struggling on how to eat without meat, and getting tired of pb&j sandwiches, I discovered my passion for cooking and creating recipes that catered to my diet. In 2011, I was convinced to incorporate seafood in my diet and I became pescatarian for a couple of years. After not feeling right, I watched a video from a Youtuber named FreeLee.
Although I didn’t agree with a lot with her or her choices, I did come to a realization that I didn’t want to consume any fish or dairy products. I actually changed my diet cold turkey (no pun intended) and went fully plant-based. I had a few occasional slip-ups but fully committed this past year. After discovering the endless substitutes, I found there was no need to go back. Now, I look to encourage and educate those in my community to try out a plant-based diet and show the versatility of recipes that one can create. My goal is to share my idea of, “Add the veggies, keep the culture!”
The Vegan Aguachile Verde Recipe
To make this authentic Mexican recipe vegan oyster mushrooms are used to replace the shrimp. The earthiness and texture of the mushrooms make it the perfect substitute. Without a doubt, this is the best aguachile recipe out there!
- It might seem like this is way too much lime juice, but I promise it’s not.
- You can reduce the number of chiles if you can’t take the heat.
- If mushrooms aren’t your thing you can make aguachile with hearts of palm.
- Serve this with tostadas, avocado, and a nice cold beer.
Vegan Aguachile Verde (Aguachile Estilo Nayarit)
Ingredients
Salsa:
- 2 Serrano peppers
- 1 Garlic clove
- ¼ White onion
- 4 Limes
- 1 cup Cilantro, stems removed
- Salt and pepper to taste
Aguachile:
- 7-8 King Oyster Mushrooms, medium size (about 1.25 lb.)
- 2 Cucumbers, peeled and gutted
- 1 Red onion, thinly sliced
- 5 Limes
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 3 Small seaweed sheets crumpled and sprinkled before serving
Preparation
Preparing the mushrooms:
- Clean mushrooms with a damp towel, do not wash since it will change the texture of the mushroom. Cut the mushroom stems, you can cut the top as well but I like the texture
- Shred them with two forks so they have a "shredded chicken" look. Place them in a large bowl, and marinate with 4-5 squeezed limes and pink salt, refrigerate for about 4 hours (I marinated mine over night.)
To make the salsa:
- Place the serrano peppers, garlic, onion, juice of 4 limes, and cilantro in the blender and process until smooth.
Making the aguachile:
- Cut the cucumbers in half and gut the cucumber so they resemble a “c” shape, slice thinly. Cut the onion into thin slices. Add cucumbers and onions to a large bowl.
- Pour serrano salsa over the cucumber/onion mix. Marinate for 2 – 4 hours. (I marinated it overnight.) Squeeze additional lime juice if needed, I like it very citrusy but this is optional.
After the marinating time is done, combine mushrooms and cucumber/onion mix, add salt to taste, and top with avocado and extra cilantro.
I like to add my seaweed right before serving so it doesn't get too soggy.
Chef's Notes
• It might seem like this is way too much lime juice, but I promise it’s not.
• You can reduce the amount of chiles if you can’t take the heat.
• If mushrooms aren’t your thing you can make aguachile with hearts of palm.
• Serve this with tostadas, avocado, and a nice cold beer.
or ground up nori seaweed to get that fishiness. Either way, this makes a wonderfully satisfying dish.
