Vegan • Serves 4

This bright tropical ceviche replaces seafood with tender young coconut while letting fresh dragonfruit take center stage. Lime juice, jalapeño, cilantro, avocado, and red onion give it the familiar fresh ceviche character without any animal products.

Ingredients

For the Ceviche

– 2 cups young coconut meat, cut into ½-inch pieces
– 1½ cups ripe dragonfruit, cut into ½-inch cubes
– ½ cup cucumber, finely diced
– ¼ cup red onion, very thinly sliced
– 1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely minced
– ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
– ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
– 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
– 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
– ½ teaspoon sea salt
– ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
– ½ avocado, diced

For Serving

– Tortilla chips
– Lime wedges
– Additional cilantro

Instructions

1. Place the young coconut, cucumber, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, orange juice, olive oil, salt, and black pepper in a nonreactive bowl.

2. Gently stir until everything is evenly coated.

3. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes. This allows the lime and orange juices to penetrate the coconut without making the vegetables excessively soft.

4. Remove from the refrigerator and gently fold in the diced dragonfruit and avocado.

5. Taste and adjust the salt and lime juice if necessary.

6. Refrigerate for another 5 minutes, then serve immediately.

7. Spoon into chilled serving bowls and finish with fresh cilantro and a lime wedge.

Chef’s Tip

Add the dragonfruit near the end rather than marinating it for a long period. This keeps the cubes intact and gives the finished ceviche its beautiful fresh color.