Perfect Pico de Gallo (Salsa Fresca) (2024)

Authentic Pico de Gallo is a fresh, chunky salsa recipe that is incredibly addictive. So fresh and flavorful, this salsa fresca takes just 10 minutes to make so get the chips ready! Make it a meal to remember with homemade tortillas and Mexican Rice!

Pico de gallo makes everything better! We make a batch, I kid you not, 2 times a week on average. The boys are always disappointed if I don’t have some in the fridge.

Ready to go in about 10 minutes, this simple salsa fresca is made with fresh, readily available ingredients and makes any meal better.

Best Pico de Gallo Recipe

If you want to add instant freshness and flavor to any dish, serve it alongside a bowl of pico de gallo. Made with just 6 ingredients, this simple pico de gallo recipe is bursting with bright, fresh flavor and is delicious with so many dishes.

Think outside the box – or chip bag – as the case may be. We love this pico served with scrambled eggs, omelettes and on top of our favorite grilled chicken made with this amazing chicken marinade.

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What Is Pico de Gallo?

Pico de gallo is a fresh salsa recipe made with simple, fresh ingredients. Nothing is cooked and preparation is easy and quick. It’s commonly referred to as salsa fresca – or fresh sauce.

It is also more chunky that typical salsas that are sometimes pureed for a smoother texture. In pico de gallo, you will find finely diced to chopped ingredients that are simply stirred together – no cooking or blending.

An appetizer, a condiment, a snack… So versatile and delicious!

More Easy Appetizer Recipes

This easy pico de gallo recipe is one of our favorite appetizers. We double or even triple the recipe when we have friends and family over. It goes quick! Here are some more of our favorite appetizers to enjoy:

1. Turkey Cranberry Pinwheels
2. Best Ever Charcuterie Board
3. Beet Hummus – Dip, Spread or Snack!
4. co*cktail Meatballs
5. The BEST Crab Melt

Pico de Gallo Ingredients

What’s in pico de gallo? Not a whole lot! Just six, simple ingredients are all you need. You can find the full, printable recipe in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.Let’s take a look:

• Roma tomatoes – select bright red,ripe tomatoes that are firm to the touch. The seeds will be removed and the tomatoes finely dice.d
• white onion – you can also use red onion or even green onions for a more mellow onion flavor.
• fresh cilantro – we are huge cilantro fans so we actually add even more than I have in the recipe card below. Start with about half of the cilantro and then add in more as you taste test.
• jalapeño pepper – depending on the size of the jalapeño, I use 1 or even a half of a pepper. You’ll want to finelydice it so no one gets a super spicy bite. Use more or less depending on how spicy you want the pico de gallo You can also use Serrano peppers in place of jalapeños.
• lime– I like my pico a little juice so I usually use 1 whole lime. I recommend starting with half a lime, juiced, and then add more as you like.
• kosher salt – too often salt is left out. Don’t be that person! The salt balances and enhances all of the flavors in this recipe and it’s the main ingredient that I taste test for.
• garlic – totally optional and not entirely traditional. Use one to two cloves finely diced or minced.

Garlic is a hot topic when it comes to pico de gallo ingredients. Whether or not you add it is entirely up to you. If it’s just our family, we frequently add in a single clove, minced or finely diced. If we have guests, we usually omit in case someone has sensitivity to raw garlic.

How To Make Authentic Pico de Gallo

Once you’ve made pico de gallo once, you’ll find yourself so thankful you have it in your repertoire. It’s so quick and easy and adds instant freshness and zest to any meal. You can find the full, printable recipe in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

1. Prep Ingredients. Take your time with this. The chunkier you like your salsa, the larger the pieces of tomato and onion. If you like it less chunky, take time to do a nice fine dice on the ingredients.
2. Combine Ingredients. Combine diced tomatoes, diced onions, chopped cilantro and diced jalapeno in a medium sized bowl. Add in the salt and lime juice and stir to combine.
3. Taste Test. Probably the most critical step. Taste test the pico de gallo and add more salt, lime juice or any other ingredient you feel it might be lacking. Depending on freshness of ingredients you may need more or less to get the perfect flavor. Just don’t forget to taste!
4. Chill or Enjoy. Refrigerate the salsa fresca until ready to serve. Flavors are best after about 30 minutes of refrigeration as it allows flavors to develop and meld. If you need it right away though, dig in! It’s delicoius immediately.

Trish’s Tips and Tricks

Want the best pico de gallo of your life? Follow these simple tips and tricks:

1. Remove the seeds and watery membranes from the tomatoes. I like to use just the firm flesh of the tomato. Watch the video to see THREE different ways to cut a tomato!
2. Pick the very best ingredients for the very best flavor. Select firm, fresh, ripe tomatoes, pick cilantro that isn’t wilting, etc. It makes a difference!
3. Refrigerate for better flavor but know that it gets juicer with time. We love it like this but serve the salsa fresca with a slotted spoon to eliminate soggy nachos 😉 This recipe is good for several days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Pico de Gallo FAQs

Variations To Try

• We love red (purple) onions in our pico de gallo for a fresh splash of color. Swap this in for the white onion and for an even milder onion flavor, try green onions.
• Replace tomatoes for fruit of your choice. Pineapple is especially delicious but we also love mango, strawberries and watermelon.
• Stir in 1 avocado, diced for an extra creamy, delicious flavor.

What To Serve With It

1. Breakfast Burritos
2. Chicken Enchilada Soup
3. Spicy Blackened Shrimp Skillet Nachos
4. Baked Beef Flautas
5. Homemade Tortillas
6. Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas
7. Homemade Flour Tortilla Chips
8. Pineapple Margarita – Classic or Frozen!

How To Make Pico de Gallo