How to Make Pico de Gallo (Easy Pico de Gallo Recipe)
Homemade Pico de Gallo
- 1 ¼ pounds ripe tomatoes (any variety)
- ¾ cup diced sweet onion
- 1 jalapeno (seeded and diced)
- ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- Salt and pepper
- Dice the tomatoes and small ¼ inch pieces. Remove as many tomato seeds as possible and place the diced tomato in a mixing bowl.
- Dice the onion and add to the mixing bowl. Then remove the seeds and stem of the jalapeño and dice.
- Chop the cilantro and juice the limes. Add all ingredients to the mixing bowl. Toss well, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss again. Taste and salt and pepper as needed.
- Allow the pico de gallo to rest for 15 minutes before serving. Cover and chill until ready to use.
How to Make Pico de Gallo: This homemade pico de gallo recipe includes a perky combination of fresh tomatoes, onion, jalapeño and cilantro. It’s a slightly spicy and delicious chunky salsa dip that’s delicious to scoop with chips and add to your favorite Mexican dishes!
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
If you love freshness, big flavor, and recipes that are easy to make, this salsa crudo is perfect for you! In fact, (or at least, in my opinion,) Pico de Gallo is the ultimate fresh topping for any Mexican dish.
But exactly what is pico de gallo? We also add some diced jalapeño for a little kick, and lime juice to keep the produce bright and tangy… However, as much as we are big fans of this traditional recipe, there are several easy variations you can try, too!
Why We Love This Pico de Gallo Recipe
The salsa fresca comes together in mere minutes, and is great to prep ahead of time.
How to Make the Best Pico de Gallo
Find the full Pico de Gallo recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, extra tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Serve the dip immediately, or cover it and keep it in the fridge until ready to enjoy. Fresh pico de gallo is great to prep ahead of time, early in the day when you’ve got some extra time!
Recipe Variations
There are several different ways to kick up the flavors in this homemade salsa crudo recipe! Here are a few ideas to consider:
- Spiciness – Want more heat? Leave the seeds in the jalapeno when chopping and adding to the salsa. Or go the opposite direction and make this a mild dip by reducing the amount, or totally omitting the jalapeno.
- Peppers – Speaking of jalapenos and heat, you can switch them with much spicier serrano peppers, if you prefer.
- Spices – Sprinkle in Tex-Mex style seasonings like cumin, garlic powder, or chili powder.
- Fresh Herbs – Swap out cilantro or stir in additional fresh chopped herbs like mint or parsley.
- Garlic – Give the savory flavors some oomph by adding minced fresh garlic.
What to Do With Pico de Gallo
The first thing that comes to mind is, of course, to serve the chunky salsa as a dip with tortilla chips or on nachos. It’s incredibly refreshing and balances the saltiness and crunch of corn chips!
Next, you definitely want to use homemade pico de gallo as a fresh topping on all of your Mexican food favorites. (Seriously, I’m not exaggerating.) Use a slotted spoon and add a scoop or two on classics dinner dishes like:
- Enchiladas Suizas, Verde, or Black Bean Skillet Enchiladas.
It’s even scrumptious on breakfast dishes, too! We love adding a bit of salsa fresca on…
You can also use pico to make other recipes, like scoop-able Chunky Guacamole and 5 Layer Bean Dip!
What’s the difference between salsa and pico de gallo?
A traditional salsa blends ingredients together, usually in a blender or food processor. So you have a thicker, even consistency, like a heavier liquid. Salsa can also be made with fresh produce or it can be cooked to deepen the flavors. Pico de gallo, however, includes RAW chunky chopped veggies that are stirred together but not fully combined.
Can you cook pico de gallo?
You can use pico de gallo in place of salsa in some cooked dishes. But note that it will lose its freshness and won’t have quite the same consistency since the pieces of ingredients are thicker.
How long does homemade pico de gallo last?
Store pico de gallo in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. The chopped veggies will start to become soft after a day or two, so I suggest using it fairly soon after preparing.
