Get fresh pico de gallo on the table with just five ingredient! All you need is ripe tomatoes, white onion, jalapeños, cilantro, and the juice of lime to make the perfect topping or garnish.
Pico de gallo, also called salsa Mexicano, is one of the most popular salsas in and outside of Mexico. It boasts the colors of the Mexican flag, green, white, and red, and is commonly served with tacos, grilled chicken, and fish.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 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 love this recipe, try one of these tasty dips and salsas!
Serving Suggestions
- Tortilla Chips, Crackers, Pita Chips
- Ground Beef Tacos, Carne Asada Tacos, Fajitas, Cheese and Onion Enchiladas, Quesadillas, Burrito Bowls
- Blackened Mahi Mahi, Sesame Salmon Bowl
- Scrambled Eggs, Omelet
- Vegan Mexican Rice, Cilantro Lime Rice
What to do with the Leftovers
- Storage – Pico de gallo will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 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 white onion, diced
- 1 jalapeño, stems and seeds removed, finely diced
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- 2 teaspoons lime juice, 1-2 limes
- kosher salt, to taste
- black pepper, coarse ground, 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.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
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.