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Learn how to make a quick 5-ingredient Pico de Gallo! This recipe calls for easy ingredients, and Pico de Gallo can be used on tacos, fajitas, or served straight with your favorite tortilla chips!
It’s chip and dip season!!
A batch of homemade Pico de Gallo is a staple in our house once spring hits. Nevermind the fact that my husband won’t even look in the general direction of raw tomatoes. Okay, it’s me. I eat all the pico in the house, alright! I admit it! It’s a simple, low-calorie, and rest assured, a healthy recipe that adds tons of flavor to salads, serves as a quick snack with tortilla chips and goes with any and allkinds of meat that you throw on the grill this season!
I ate pico by the buckets on our honeymoon, is that even a surprise now? And years and years later, I still remember the way it tasted. We stayed at an all-inclusive resort, and they made pico fresh with the most delicious ripe tomatoes. So needless to say, I was piling it high on my eggs, loading it up in my shrimp tacos, and for dinner, you got it, more pico de gallo on the side, please!
My favorite thing to make come April is all the things for Cinco de Mayo. And since I shared blender salsa the other day, I figured it was time for Pico. Living in Texas certainly has it’s perks, like having full access to the best Tex-Mex food. That meansI get to try all the things and then come back here and share them with you! This is without a doubt the best job perk.
In previous years, I’ve shared how to make elotes (grilled corn with all the things), Mexican street corn salad, Mexican shrimp co*cktail stuffed avocados (a personal faveee), street tacos, easy refried beans, shrimp enchiladas in cheesy sauce, avocado corn and rice salad and the list goes on and on,
What I’m trying to say is that if you haven’t planned your Cinco de Mayo menu, rest assured I’m going to be bombarding you with a few more Cinco de Mayo recipes before the big day!
What is pico de gallo?
Depending on where you are in the world, pico de gallo is also referred to as salsa fresca. It’s a blend of fresh tomatoes and a few select ingredients. Pico de Gallo tastes great on homemade tacos and burritos, but you can also serve it with tortilla chips.
What is the difference between pico de gallo and salsa?
Pico de gallo or salsa fresca uses fresh ingredients as the name suggests. Salsa can also be made with fresh tomatoes, but some salsas are made with canned tomatoes and some with canned fire-roasted tomatoes (and sometimes the onions and peppers are roasted too.) The ingredients in pico de gallo are the starting point of salsa, but salsa often contains fresh garlic and spices, which Pico does not. Pico de Gallo is made by chopping onions, tomatoes, and peppers finely whereas most salsas are made in a blender or food processor.
Ingredients to make homemade pico de gallo:
- Tomatoes
- Onions
- Jalapeños
- Cilantro
- Lime juice
- Salt
How to make the best pico de gallo:
I have a special trick to share with you if you want to make the best restaurant-style Pico de Gallo. Start by mincing the onions finely and allowing them to sit in the lime juice while you chop the remainder of your ingredients. I find this small little step helps take away the harsh bite from the onion and makes it much more pleasant to eat in a gathering!
Ways to use homemade salsa fresca:
You can pretty much use Pico de Gallo on anything you like! I love it with homemade taquitos, but also with my chicken or beef fajitas, served simply with chips for a dip trio, along with my homemade avocado dip+ blender salsa. You can also serve it with my chicken carnitas, or street corn chicken tacos. Plus, my homemade Pico de Gallo can be used anywhere you see fit!
Yield: ~ 2½ cups
5-Ingredient Pico de Gallo
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Learn how to make a quick 5-ingredient Pico de Gallo! This recipe calls for easy ingredients, and Pico de Gallo can be used on tacos, fajitas, or served straight with your favorite tortilla chips!
Ingredients
- 5-6 Roma tomatoes, chopped (about 1 ¼ pounds)
- ½ cup onions, finely minced (or more to taste)
- 1 -2 minced jalapeños, seeds and ribs removed
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped (use stems too!)
- 2 - 3 tablespoons lime juice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (plus more as desired)
Instructions
- Add onions and jalapeños to a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of lime juice and salt, and stir to combine, let sit for 5 minutes while you chop your tomatoes. Add the tomatoes and cilantro. Taste and adjust with additional salt or lime juice as desired. Allow the Pico de Gallo to sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes (or refrigerate for 2 hours, covered) and then serve with tortilla chips or on top of your favorite foods!
- Leftover pico de gallo can be kept covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Notes
- I like to remove the seeds from my tomatoes, however, this is entirely optional.
Have you made this recipe?
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FAQs
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.
How long can pico de gallo last in a jar? ›
How do you store pico de gallo? Pico De Gallo is best consumed the same day it is made but can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
What is the difference between fresh salsa and pico de gallo? ›
It's All About Texture and Freshness
Depending on the recipe, the ingredients for salsa and pico de gallo can be nearly identical. What sets these two condiments apart is their texture and whether the ingredients are cooked or uncooked.
How do you make pico de gallo less watery? ›
Use the tomato flesh, not the seeds and juices.
You don't want your pico to be too watery, so make sure to remove the seeds from the tomatoes as you dice them. I like to use tomatoes on the vine in my pico.
Does pico de gallo contain vinegar? ›
Combine tomatoes, cilantro, red onion, cilantro, jalapeños, lime juice, salt, pepper, and garlic in a large mixing bowl. Pour in vinegar and vegetable oil, and gently mix to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
How do you thicken pico de gallo? ›
I mix the juice extracted by salting the tomatoes with a little bit of xanthan gum to slightly thicken it before reintroducing some of the liquid back into the sauce. This gives you the best of both worlds: a saucy Pico de Gallo that's not watery.
How to tell if pico de gallo is bad? ›
Signs that the pico de gallo has passed its prime include a sour smell, discoloration, or a slimy texture. The presence of these signs indicates that the product should be discarded. For optimal taste and safety, it is often advised to consume fresh pico de gallo within 3 days after opening.
How to make pico last longer? ›
How to store pico de gallo. Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store your pico de gallo in the fridge. While it can last up to 4 days, it's best to enjoy it within 1-2 days. This is because salt will draw out a lot of the moisture from the veggies.
Should you refrigerate pico de gallo? ›
Serve as a dip, or with a slotted spoon or large serving fork to avoid transferring too much watery tomato juice with your pico. Pico de gallo keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days.
What does pico de gallo mean in Spanish to english? ›
What is Pico de Gallo? Translated in Spanish, pico de gallo literally means “beak of rooster.” Some believe this is because it was originally eaten by pinching between the thumb and finger, making the shape of a rooster's beak. Pico de gallo, however, has nothing to do with roosters, or birds in general.
Pico de gallo is generally considered healthier since it isn't cooked so the raw nutrients in the sauce aren't altered. However, salsa has a lot of the same nutrition, just partially processed.
Why does my Pico taste bitter? ›
Make sure not to zest into the pith as this can cause the pico de gallo to become bitter. Sweet cherry tomatoes give this fast pico de gallo an excellent balance of flavors!
How do you make pico de gallo less bitter? ›
Experiment with sugar, honey or applesauce. Assuming that's all fresh raw ingredient, don't blend it, chunk it. You have almost all the ingredients for a classic pico di gallo there - which isn't traditionally blended, it's left in small cubes/chunks.
Should you drain tomatoes for pico de gallo? ›
Season tomatoes with 1 teaspoon (4g) salt and toss to combine. Transfer to a fine-mesh strainer or colander set in a bowl and allow to drain for 20 to 30 minutes. Discard liquid. Combine drained tomatoes with onion, chiles, cilantro, and lime juice.
What does pico de gallo do to your body? ›
With so many vegetables as its ingredients, it's not hard to believe pico de gallo is also full of health benefits. Armed with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, the onions and garlic in the sauce may prevent the hardening of your arteries, fight bacteria and protect against heart disease.
What does pico de gallo come from? ›
To be an authentic Pico de Gallo, the salsa must include fresh ingredients: diced tomatoes, onion, Mexican green peppers (try serrano or jalapeno), cilantro, and lime juice. Pico de Gallo also contains less liquid than traditional salsa and it's never blended and always made with diced and chopped ingredients.
What is salsa made of? ›
Salsa, in Spanish, simply means "sauce" and can take a variety of forms. Pico de gallo (a.k.a. salsa fresca) is a type of salsa made with chopped fresh tomatoes and onions, cilantro, fresh chiles, lime juice, and salt.
What is a fruity addition to pico de gallo? ›
You can use almost any kind of fruit: papaya, mango, canteloupe, pineapple, watermelon, cucumber, coconut, or whatever you like.
