This Basic Pico de Gallo recipe combines fresh tomatoes, onions, cilantro, lime juice, and jalapeños for a zesty and versatile topping. Perfect for meats, salads, tacos, or as a tasty appetizer with chips. Uncover easy ways to enjoy it!
"Pico de Gallo" translates from Spanish to "rooster's beak." The name's origin is unclear, but it's thought to either refer to the way the ingredients were traditionally pinched between the fingers (like a beak) when eaten or the small, beak-like shape of the chopped ingredients.
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What Are the Best Tomatoes for Pico de Gallo?
The best tomatoes for Pico de Gallo are firm and flavorful, like Roma or plum tomatoes, which have fewer seeds and less water content, making the salsa less watery.
Vine-ripened tomatoes are another excellent choice for their rich flavor. Always choose ripe but not overly soft tomatoes for a fresh tomato salsa.
Ingredients
- Red Juicy Tomatoes: Get the freshest, juiciest tomatoes you can find.
- White Onion: White or red onions. White onions have less bite than standard yellow onions. Red onions are a little sweeter than both.
- Fresh Garlic
- Jalapeno Peppers: Jalapenos are mild chili peppers. Slice them lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and white membranes with a teaspoon. If you want more heat, add the seeds to the mixing bowl. For more intense heat, try Serrano or Habanero peppers.
- Cilantro: Cilantro adds Mexican flavor to anything you cook. If you prefer, fresh parsley, flat or curly, can be chopped up and used in place of cilantro.
- Salt: Salt makes the delicious flavors of your food pop!
- Fresh Lime Juice: Balances the sweetness of the tomatoes and the heat of the jalapeños, giving the salsa its signature zesty taste.
Recipe
- Combine diced tomatoes, onions, and minced garlic in a large bowl.
- Slice jalapeños in half and remove the seeds and white membranes. Finely chop the jalapeños and add them to the tomato mixture. If you prefer a spicier pico de gallo, include some seeds.
- Clean the cilantro by swishing it in a bowl of cold water. Pat the cilantro dry with paper towels, then roughly chop the leaves and add them to the bowl.
- Slice the limes in half and squeeze the juice over the chopped veggies. Add half a teaspoon of salt, then taste and adjust with more salt and lime juice as needed. Toss everything together.
- If you have the time, cover the bowl and let the pico de gallo sit for about two hours or refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to meld.
- Before serving, adjust the seasonings (salt and lime juice) to taste.
How To Use Pico de Gallo
- Top Your Tacos, Burritos, and Quesadillas
- Mix into mashed avocados for a quick guacamole
- Use as a Salad Dressing
- Top Your Morning Eggs
- Use as a Topping for Fish and Meat
- Baked Potato Topping
- Sandwiches and Wraps
- Dip It!
Tortilla Chips for Scooping
Thick, sturdy tortilla chips are the best choice for Pico de Gallo since they can hold up to the chunky texture of the salsa. Look for salted corn chips to complement the fresh flavors of the Pico without overpowering them.
I like to eat Pico de Gallo with cut-up bell peppers, or as I call them Faux Corn Chips recipe. Cut the peppers in half, scoop out their insides, and slice lengthwise and then crosswise. You'll get eight pepper "cups" from each bell pepper. It's not a tortilla, but it's grain-free and a delicious low-calorie option.
Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips are a tasty chip. The Garza family of South Texas has created chips (and tortilla wraps) that taste great and don't contain grains and seed oils. You can pick them up at most grocery stores, including the ones on the Keys.
Storage
Place the Pico de Gallo in an airtight container and refrigerate it. It will stay fresh for up to three days. Before serving, give it a quick stir, as the juices settle at the bottom. If it's very wet, lift the container with a slotted spoon for serving.
Takeaway
Pico de Gallo makes an excellent chip dip as well as topping for many of your favorite foods.
Pico de Gallo is a fresh, chunky salsa made with raw ingredients including diced tomatoes, onions, cilantro, jalapeños, salt, and lime juice. It’s similar to salsa, which is briefly cooked and has a smooth texture and a more liquid consistency.
Its bright flavor can enhance a wide variety of dishes. From breakfast to dinner, and snacks in between, there are countless ways to incorporate this fresh condiment into your meals.
Next time you have some Pico de Gallo on hand, try one of these ideas to make the most of it. Whether you’re mixing it into guacamole, using it as a dressing, or simply enjoying it with chips, Pico de Gallo adds a burst of flavor and a touch of freshness to any dish.
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"📖 Recipe"
Basic Pico de Gallo Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups diced fresh tomatoes
- ½ cup diced red or white onion
- 2 cloves fresh garlic peeled and minced
- 1 large or 2 small jalapeño peppers, finely diced (remove the seeds for less heat)
- ½ bunch cilantro washed well and chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- Juice of 1 or 2 limes
- 4 large unblemished bell peppers in assorted colors
Instructions
- Combine diced tomatoes, onions, and minced garlic in a large bowl.
- Slice jalapeños in half and remove the seeds and white membranes. Finely chop the jalapeños and add them to the tomato mixture. If you prefer a spicier pico de gallo, include some of the seeds.
- Clean the cilantro by swishing it in a bowl of cold water. Pat the cilantro dry with paper towels, then roughly chop the leaves and add them to the bowl.
- Slice the limes in half and squeeze the juice over the chopped veggies. Add half a teaspoon of salt, then taste and adjust with more salt and lime juice as needed. Toss everything together.
- If you have the time, cover the bowl and let the salsa sit for about two hours or refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to meld.
- Before serving, adjust the seasonings (salt and lime juice) to taste.
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