Cooking Recipes

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my Privacy Policy for more details.

Vegan ceviche is a cool and satisfying appetizer that is great for weekend gatherings. It comes together in minutes. And no stove is required. Serve with your favorite cocktail. Vegan & gluten free.

The first and only time I had non-vegan ceviche was on Catalina Island.

I was there for my job working as an actress in a touring children’s theatre company. We performed plays for kids on the island on an outdoor stage with the ocean as our backdrop.

Our evenings were spent telling stories and singing songs by the campfire at a Catalina campground. And during the day, we rehearsed, broken up only by trips to the cabana for snacks.

One of the items on the cabana menu was ceviche. Since I’d grown up in a landlocked state, ceviche was new to me.

Non-vegan ceviche is made with raw fish, cured in lime or lemon juice. It’s then tossed with onions, salt, and cilantro.

The idea of consuming raw fish that was “cooked” only by citrus juices while we sat in the sun seemed to defy reason. But I tried it anyway. (This was before I was vegan, of course.)

The flavors that stood out were bold notes of lime, salty chips for scooping, and of course, a Mexican beer to wash it down.

Vegan ceviche

Not long after I’d gone vegan, I was popping open a jar of hearts of palm. The texture and briny flavor took me back to those sunny Catalina days.

It was clear that hearts of palm would make the perfect vegan ceviche.

This cool and satisfying appetizer is great for weekend gatherings by the pool, a vegan potluck, or to enjoy with a margarita on a warm day.

New to hearts of palm?

Hearts of palm are harvested from the inner core of certain palm trees. The taste and texture is similar to artichoke hearts.

The shape is long and cylindrical. It’s delicious in salads.

You can find hearts of palm canned, jarred, or packaged in sealed bags.

Hearts of palm has a very delicate flavor. So if you can find jarred or bagged hearts of palm, go with that. The flavor is a little better since cans sometimes impart a metallic flavor. 

How to make vegan ceviche

Combine all of the following in a bowl:

• Sliced hearts of palm
• Sliced cherry tomatoes
• Cubed avocado
• Diced onion
• Chopped cilantro
• Diced jalapeño pepper
• Freshly squeezed lime juice

Then garnish with additional cilantro & a pinch of cayenne if you like things a little spicy. Serve with chips for dipping!