Pico de gallo is a quick and easy fresh salsa that is perfect for scooping with tortilla chips or for topping tacos, burritos, fajitas, nachos, and more!
What is pico de gallo?
Pico de gallo is also known as salsa fresca, salsa mexicana, or salsa cruda and is common throughout Mexican cuisine as a topping or side dish. It is made with simple fresh ingredients; tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and jalapeños or serranos and seasoned with salt and lime juice.
Ingredient Notes
See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients and measurements.
- Tomatoes - Fresh ripe tomatoes are the star of the dish. I prefer Roma or Plum tomatoes in pico de gallo. They have fewer seeds and pulp and a good amount of meaty flesh and are typically a good option year-round. In the summer months, when fresh tomatoes are in season, beefsteak and heirloom tomatoes are also good choices.
- Onion - I'm not a big fan of raw onions, but they are key in this dish, so I go with white onions since they generally have a little less bite than red onions. You can also soak your onions in cold water for around 15 minutes then drain before using if you want to mellow out the flavor more.
- Peppers - One or two finely diced jalapeño or serrano peppers give it a bit of a kick. I'm usually cooking for kids, so I usually leave it out. If you like it extra hot, you can keep the seeds and the white membrane. Make sure not to touch your face while handling the peppers, and wash your hands well afterward.
- Cilantro - Another must for pico de gallo is chopped fresh cilantro. If you're like me and are not a cilantro lover, you can substitute parsley, but it won't have the same flavor.
- Lime juice - Go for fresh squeezed if possible!
- Salt
- Olive Oil (optional) - this one's not traditional, but I like a little drizzle of olive oil in my pico.
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Dice the tomatoes, onions, and peppers and chop the parsley and put it all into a bowl. If you want less liquid in the end product, squeeze out the seeds and pulp from the tomatoes before dicing.
- Squeeze on some fresh lime juice and season with salt to taste. It's best to let it sit for around 30 minutes to allow the flavors to combine if possible.
Tips
- The tomatoes will release a good bit of liquid after being salted, so if you want it with less liquid you can drain off some of the excess liquid using a colader or mesh strainer. I usually serve the salsa with a fork or slotted spoon so I don't typically bother draining it.
- Just before serving I like to drizzle on a little olive oil and give it a good toss.
Storage
This pico de gallo salsa will keep for in the refrigerator for about a day but is best if used the same day. The tomatoes begin turning mushy after that.
If you do plan to make it a day ahead, it is best to store it in a colander set over a bowl, then cover and refrigerate.
What to serve with your salsa?
📖 Recipe
Pico De Gallo
Ingredients
- 4-5 roma or plum tomatoes, diced
- ½ cup white onion, diced
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- 1-2 jalapeño or serrano peppers, stemmed, cored and finely diced
- 1 lime, juiced
- salt, to taste
- 1-2 teaspoon olive oil, optional
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients but the olive oil in a bowl and toss to combine. For the best flavor let rest for around 30 minutes before serving. Just before serving drizzle with olive oil and toss again.
Nutrition
* All nutrition information we provide are estimates based on third party calculators. We encourage you to calculate these on your own for accurate results.
Julia Egan says
Simple easy delicious! Many excellent pointers throughout recipe. Thanks!