Get fresh pico de gallo on the table with just five ingredient! All you need is ripe tomatoes, white onion, jalapeño peppers, cilantro, and lime juice to make a perfect topping or garnish.
What is Pico De Gallo?
Pico de gallo, also called salsa Mexicana, because it has all the colors of the Mexican flag: green, white, and red. It’s also one of the most popular salsas in and outside of Mexico, paired with tacos, grilled chicken, or fried fish.
Key Ingredients
- Tomatoes: Good salsa begins with fresh tomatoes. I use Roma tomatoes since they have less liquid than other varieties.
- Onion: Use white onions for the best flavor.
- Jalapeño: When preparing salsa to feed a crowd, jalapeños are my chile of choice since they are not as spicy as others. If you enjoy jalapeños but crave more heat, leave the seeds and membrane intact. If you are sensitive to spice, I recommend using half of the jalapeño.
- Cilantro: The highly debated herb flavors the salsa, but leave it out if it’s not your thing.
- Lime: Include freshly squeezed lime juice for acidity.
- Spices: Season the salsa with salt and pepper.
Additions and Substitutions
- Customize pico de gallo by adding fruit like mangos and pineapple, or use other chiles such as habanero or serrano peppers.
How to Make Pico De Gallo
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Dice the tomatoes and transfer them to a mixing bowl.
Step 2: Slice the jalapeños in half and remove the seeds by holding the stem and scooping them out with a spoon. Then, cut off the stem and finely dice the peppers. Add them to the tomatoes with chopped onion and cilantro.
Step 3: Season with lime juice, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine.
If you enjoy this dip, try one of these salsa recipes!
Serving Suggestions
- Corn Tortilla Chips, Crackers, Pita Chips
- Ground Beef Tacos, Carne Asada Tacos, Fajitas, Cheese and Onion Enchiladas, Quesadillas, Burrito Bowls, Carne en su Jugo
- Blackened Mahi Mahi, Sesame Salmon Bowl, Blackened Mahi Mahi Tacos
- Scrambled Eggs, Omelet
- Vegan Mexican Rice, Cilantro-Lime Rice
What To Do With Leftovers
- Storage: Store pico de gallo in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is pico de gallo made of?
Classic ingredients for the traditional Mexican side include classic tomatoes, onions, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper.
Pico de gallo vs. salsa?
Pico de gallo is a salsa made with chopped ingredients flavored with lime juice, salt, and pepper. Pico de gallo tends to have less liquid than other varieties of salsa. While some salsas have a similar consistency, salsa ranges from chunky, like our chunky salsa, to smooth salsa verde.
More Mexican Recipes:
Pico De Gallo
- 4 Roma tomatoes, diced
- ½ medium white onion, diced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, stems and seeds removed, finely diced
- ½ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- lime juice, 1-2 limes
- kosher salt, to taste
- coarse black pepper, to taste
- Dice the tomatoes and transfer them to a mixing bowl.
- Slice the jalapeños in half and remove the seeds by holding the stem and scooping them out with a spoon. Then, cut off the stem and finely dice the peppers. Add them to the tomatoes with chopped onion and cilantro.
- Season with lime juice, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine.
Calee Cortes
Sunday 6th of March 2022
Solid pico!! So easy and delicious!
Tressa - Jamil Ghar Team
Sunday 6th of March 2022
We think so too! Thank you for taking the time to comment.