Pico de gallo holds a special place in my heart. It is simple to make and I can devour it in a matter of minutes. Nothing says “summer” more than a fresh pico recipe, a staple of Mexican food.
The Essentials
Homemade pico de gallo only requires a handful of simple ingredients. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.
- Vine ripened tomatoes – Other options include roma tomatoes, sometimes known as plum tomatoes. You can also use canned, if you prefer. If if you go this route, I like to use fire roasted tomatoes and green chiles for a little more umph. Just make sure the seeds are removed.
- White onion
- Fresh cilantro
- Jalapeño pepper
- Fresh lime juice
Perfect Pairings
The best pico de Gallo tastes great on a variety of foods, but none more than warm and salty homemade tortilla chips. Also try in a salad, on top of grilled chicken, fish steak or even pork chops. Check out one of my absolute favorites, the Taco Burger with fries and Spicy Ketchup. Yum!
You can also put it on burritos, eggs in the morning, quesadillas, chicken fajitas, chicken tacos, carnitas or any other Mexican dish you can think of. I like to pair it with some fresh guacamole, a mango salsa or even queso dip.
5S Philosophy 👩🏻
- Salt – While I don’t add any salt to my pico de gallo, you certainly can! A pinch of salt helps to bring out the flavors of the other ingredients. I would suggest using sea salt or coarse kosher salt.
- Seasonings – Pico de gallo doesn’t traditionally have much seasoning beyond the simple ingredients, but you can certainly add some! A dash of cumin would be a nice touch.
- Swaps – Instead of white onion, try swapping it for red onion. In addition to or instead of the jalapeno pepper, you can swap it for serrano peppers instead. You can also add some avocado for a different texture.
- Senses – Fresh tomatoes, crisp cilantro, and zesty lime hit your senses with a burst of color and aroma. Each bite is a crunchy, tangy mix of cool and spicy—bright, bold, and refreshingly vibrant.
Pico de Gallo
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 vine ripened tomatoes chopped with seeds removed
- 1/2 white onion diced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro coarsely chopped
- 1 jalapeno chopped with seeds removed
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Combine the chopped and seeded 2 vine ripened tomatoes, chopped 1/2 white onion, 1/2 cup fresh cilantro coarsely chopped, seeded and minced 1 jalapeno and 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice in a mixing bowl and toss. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- If you've tried this recipe come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.
Nutrition
Storage and Freezing
Most salsas and sauces taste better when they have time to sit and marry, however with fresh pico, you don’t want to make it too far in advance because the liquid from the vegetables will start to drain and make it liquidy. It is also a sauce where you almost want to taste each individual ingredient instead of having them blend. A carnival of flavor and color.
I don’t like to let anything sit out for more than 2 hours, especially if it is hot and outside. With that said, there is nothing in this pico recipe that would go bad or rancid if it sits out for longer.
I doubt it will last this long, but if properly stored (covered with plastic wrap in an airtight container in the fridge) and refrigerated, it should last up to 5 days. Like mentioned above, the liquids will start to drain out, so it gets a little more liquidy and mushy.
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Homemade pico was the perfect companion to our tacos this week! yum!!!
This was so easy to make and it tastes amazing. I love that it uses just a few ingredients to keep it simple. Thank you for sharing!
Simple ingredients and simple to make, this easy Pico de Gallo is fantastic. Will be making this often.
This recipe is perfect, easy and looks very delicious. Will try this soon! Thanks for sharing
This pico was absolutely delicious! Fresh, tangy and incredibly satisfying! We tried it out for taco night last week and loved it!
Your pico de gallo is SO good – loved the cilantro with lime and the bit of jalapeno. Went perfect with our fajiltas and was so easy to make.
We love it! It’s a staple in our house on taco night! So easy to prepare!