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Enjoy crisp, fresh pico de gallo at home any time you want it with my easy homemade Pico de Gallo recipe! Made wish fresh ingredients and coming together in only minutes, this light and crispy fresh salsa is as easy as salsa gets.
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Tools to Make Pico de Gallo
- A sturdy cutting board for chopping your veggies.
- A sharp kitchen knife - you'll need a nice sharp one to cut tomatoes.
- A pair of kitchen gloves to protect your hands while chopping jalapeno.
- A large bowl for mixing.
- A citrus juicer if you have one, or use your hands!
Pico de Gallo Ingredients
- Fresh tomatoes: This is the most important ingredient, so pick nice tomatoes. In my experience, roma tomatoes work okay, but plum tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, and grape tomatoes are ideal. Or, use fresh heirloom tomato! Just make sure to use ripe tomatoes.
- Onion: I recommend using a white onion or red onion for the brighter, zingier flavor.
- Jalapeño pepper: Jalapeño is a classic, but you can also use serrano peppers. Alternatively, to reduce spice, swap it out for green bell pepper or a poblano pepper.
- Cilantro: Use fresh cilantro, or, if you don't like the flavor, swap it out for parsley.
- Lime: Lime juice is essential. Make sure to use fresh lime juice, not bottled, as it has a distinctly different flavor.
- Salt and pepper
Variations
- Avocado: Chop in some fresh avocado to make avocado salsa! The fattiness of avocado helps cut the spice. Alternatively, you can add more and make guacamole!
- Mango or Pineapple: Fresh chopped mango or pineapple adds a delightful sweetness to balance out the zingy spice of the onions and peppers. Or, try my mango salsa recipe!
- Cucumbers: The refreshing crunch and light flavor of cucumber makes for an extra refreshing pico de gallo recipe.
- Fresh Garlic: Use garlic sparingly, as it has a very strong flavor raw! However, if you like garlic, you can't go wrong adding a crushed clove.
How to Make Pico de Gallo
Step 1: Thoroughly wash your vegetables and herbs, and dry them well. I recommend giving the vegetables a good scrub under running water for 15 seconds.
Step 2: Using gloves, dice the vegetables and cilantro into evenly sized pieces. I cut smaller pieces for chip dip, and larger pieces for tacos. Discard the tomato pulp and the jalapeno seeds.
Step 3: Combine the diced ingredients in a mixing bowl and add the lime juice, and give everything a good stir. Then add salt and pepper to taste. I use just a pinch of each.
Step 4: For best results, cover with plastic wrap and rest in the fridge for up to 24 hours so the juices and flavors can meld together. Then serve and enjoy! 
Tips for Making Pico de Gallo
- If you're using jalapenos or any hot pepper, make sure to wear gloves while chopping them. The juices from the peppers can sink into your skin and cause it to burn! Additionally, never ever touch your face or eyes until you've washed your hands thoroughly.
- You can dice the veggies to any size you like, depending on how you're using the pico salsa. I dice the veggies into larger pieces if I'm topping tacos, and smaller if I'm serving pico as a dip for chips.
- For the best possible flavor, let the pico de gallo salsa rest in the fridge for 24 hours, or at least 4 hours. This lets all the flavors meld.
- I recommend removing the seeds from the jalapenos, but you can include them for spicier pico de gallo.
- Similarly to the jalapenos, I recommend removing the seeds and the surrounding liquidy flesh, keeping only the firmer flesh. This will ensure the salsa stays fresh and crisp.
Storing Leftover Pico de Gallo
- Refrigerator: Fresh pico de gallo lasts from 3-7 days in the fridge, depending on the ripeness of the vegetables used. It doesn't take long for fresh pico to start getting soggy, so I recommend eating it within the first few days. Store it in an airtight container to ensure best flavor. It will get soggier as it sits, so I recommend serving it with a slotted spoon.
- Freezer: Freezing pico de gallo doesn't work out well as the fresh vegetables lose their crisp texture.
FAQ
Pico de gallo is just a type of salsa! What makes it special is that none of the ingredients are cooked, which makes it bright, fresh, and crispy. If you want to make a more classic tomato salsa, try my fresh tomato salsa recipe, which roasts the ingredients first.
No, it certainly does not! If you don't like cilantro, you can choose to either leave it out entirely, or swap it out for parsley which has a similar flavor.
What to Serve with Pico de Gallo
- Chips: Chips are a classic! You can use your favorite bagged chip, or make your own with my air fryer tortilla chips recipe!
- In Burritos: Burritos are a perfect place for pico de gallo, as they're often heated, meaning the crisp and cool pico makes for a delicious contrast.
- In Tacos: Tacos are a classic and I couldn't recommend pico de gallo for tacos more! I like pico the most in lighter tacos like mushroom tacos, tilapia tacos, or shrimp tacos.
- Topping Quesadillas and Enchiladas: Simple, cooked dishes like chicken quesadillas and ground beef enchiladas are ideal for serving with fresh salsa, as the warm, toasty flavors and textures are perfect for contrasting with cold, refreshing salsa fresca.
Homemade Pico de Gallo
If you're looking for a quick and easy pico de gallo, this recipe is for you! My simple pico de gallo salsa recipe takes only minutes to whip up, no cooking required. Plus, with budget-friendly and easy ingredients, it's cheaper to make pico de gallo than buy it, with results so much better than anything store-bought.
To ensure I captured the perfect flavor, I started with my tried and true tomato salsa recipe. The ingredients I ended up leaving almost entirely the same, with some minor tweaking: more onion for a brighter flavor, more fresh cilantro, and leaving out the garlic, which was too powerful in a raw recipe!
The results were perfect. Because nothing was cooked, all the flavors were bright and fresh, and the texture was perfectly juicy with just the right crunch. Plus, the diced vegetables kept a perfect consistency, great for dipping or using as a topping without too much liquid.
Pico de Gallo Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen gloves
Ingredients
- 4 medium Tomatoes
- 1 medium White onion
- 1 Jalapeno
- 1 cup Cilantro - fresh
- 2 Tablespoons Lime juice
- Salt and pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Wash your vegetables and herbs thoroughly, then dry well. Using kitchen gloves to handle the jalapeno, dice the vegetables and cilantro into evenly sized pieces. Discard the tomato and jalapeno seeds.4 medium Tomatoes,1 medium White onion,1 Jalapeno,1 cup Cilantro
- Combine the diced vegetables and cilantro in a mixing bowl, then squeeze the lime over top and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste.2 Tablespoons Lime juice,Salt and pepper
- Serve right away, or let rest in the fridge for up to 24 hours for the flavors to meld. Enjoy!
Notes
-
- If you're using jalapenos or any hot pepper, make sure to wear gloves while chopping them. The juices from the peppers can sink into your skin and cause it to burn! Additionally, never ever touch your face or eyes until you've washed your hands thoroughly.
-
- You can dice the veggies to any size you like, depending on how you're using the pico salsa. I dice the veggies into larger pieces if I'm topping tacos, and smaller if I'm serving pico as a dip for chips.
-
- For the best possible flavor, let the pico de gallo salsa rest in the fridge for 24 hours, or at least 4 hours. This lets all the flavors meld.
-
- I recommend removing the seeds from the jalapenos, but you can include them for spicier pico de gallo.
-
- Similarly to the jalapenos, I recommend removing the seeds and the surrounding liquidy flesh, keeping only the firmer flesh. This will ensure the salsa stays fresh and crisp.
Nutrition
Hi, I'm Isabel! I've been sharing my recipes online, in cookbooks, and in TV specials since 2012. The most important thing to me is Sunday supper with my family, and inspiring togetherness with my recipes!
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