Pico de gallo is a fresh salsa made from diced tomatoes, onion, and peppers, perfect for serving over tacos, burritos, bowls, or to eat with chips!
Pico de Gallo
I make pico de gallo anytime I’m making Mexican food. It’s simple to make with ingredients I usually have in my fridge. This fresh, uncooked salsa is the Best Pico de Gallo recipe! A fresh and healthy salsa made with tomatoes, onions, cilantro and lots of lime juice. Sometimes I spice it up with some jalapeno if I want some heat! I serve it with just about anything from smash tacos (see my tiktok video here), fish tacos, chipotle chicken bowls or with tortilla chips. It’s the perfect way to add freshness and flavor to any dish.
When I make an type of tacos, nachos, enchiladas, or any Mexican dish, I always make a batch along with guacamole and some cilantro lime rice on the side to make it a meal.
What is pico de gallo?
Pico de gallo, also known as salsa fresca, is a fresh, uncooked salsa commonly found in Mexican cuisine. Characterized by its finely chopped ingredients, it typically includes ripe tomatoes, white onions, jalapeños, cilantro, and lime juice, with salt added to taste.
Pico De Gallo Ingredients
- Tomatoes: You can use Roma tomatoes, plum tomatoes or vine-ripened tomatoes. If you only have cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, they will work too.
- Onion: Finely chop a white or yellow onion. Red onion will also work.
- Hot Peppers: Use jalapeño peppers to keep it mild, or for extra spicy salsa, choose serrano peppers. Remove the seeds and finely chop one or two peppers depending on how spicy you like your salsa.
- Cilantro: I love adding lots of cilantro to my pico de gallo. If you really don’t like cilantro, you can omit it and try replacing it with chives.
- Lime Juice: I like it extra limey, but you can adjust the flavors to your taste.
- Salt and Black Pepper to season.
- Optional Ingredients: I love adding fresh garlic and a little bell pepper. If you like it spicy, you can also add jalapeno pepper.
How to Make Pico de Gallo Salsa
Making this traditional salsa from scratch is easy and SO much better than buying it pre-made. Trust me, if you read the comments, you’ll see everyone agrees. Once you make it from scratch, you’ll never buy jarred again! All you have to do is dice all the ingredients then stir them in a bowl. I like to let it sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour so the flavors meld.
What to Serve with Fresh Pico de Gallo
Homemade Pico de gallo is versatile, serving as a standalone dip, a topping for tacos and grilled meats, or a flavorful addition to various Mexican dishes. Try it on:
- carne asada steak
- chicken tacos
- shrimp tacos
- chicken tostadas
- shrimp taquitos
- eggs
- chicken burrito bowls
- It’s also a great snack or appetizer with tortilla chips.
Storage
Pico de gallo will last refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. If it get’s watery, use a slotted spoon to transfer to a bowl.
More Salsa Recipes You’ll Love
Pico de Gallo Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 medium ripe tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
- 1-2 jalapeño or serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves, no stems
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp chopped red bell pepper, (optional)
- 1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
Instructions
- In a bowl combine all ingredients.
- Let it marinate in the refrigerator at least an hour for best results.
