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A traditional bright, fresh Mexican salsa bursting with fresh flavor from ripe tomatoes to the heat of jalapeños and tang of fresh lime.
Why You Should Make This Recipe
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love a big basket of tortilla chips and a bright fresh salsa. And there are hundreds of different types of salsas and ways to make them. This Pico de Gallo recipe is easy, straightforward, and focuses on the freshness of these ingredients.
What’s the Difference Between Pico de Gallo and Salsa?
Pico de Gallo is what’s referred to as a “fresh salsa”. It’s thicker in texture with a little extra liquid or juice where salsas are usually a thinner consistency and have more liquid mixed with the tomatoes, onions, and jalapeños. Pico is always made fresh and with the freshest ingredients.
Ingredients
- Tomatoes – I prefer to use Roma or Plum tomatoes because of their thicker firm skin.
- Red Pepper Flakes – this ingredient is optional. I like pico to have extra heat beyond the jalapeños so I use a bit of red pepper flakes.
- Lime – this recipe uses both the zest and the juice from the lime.
Let’s Make Fresh Homemade Pico de Gallo
- Slice the tomatoes, lengthwise into quarters, remove and discard seeds and core.
- Dice tomatoes and onions into small equally sized pieces and place them in a medium-sized bowl.
- Slice the jalapeno, remove the ribs and seeds and dice into small pieces, add them to the bowl.
- Dice cilantro and add it to the bowl.
- Add lime juice, lime zest, red pepper flakes (if you want it hot), and salt and pepper.
- Toss all ingredients, cover with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
Krazy Kitchen Mom Tips
- Be sure to dice all of the ingredients in small and similar sizes. You want to get all of the flavors in one scoop on each chip.
- I recommend omitting the red pepper flakes until you have tasted the final salsa. If you want more heat, add the red pepper flakes.
- This salsa is best when it’s made and served fresh, but you can make it a day ahead of time. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- I highly recommend wearing latex or kitchen gloves when cutting jalapenos.
- While I prefer to hand-chop the ingredients, this recipe can be made in a food processor by lightly pulsing the ingredients until small bite-sized pieces.
More KKM Mexican-Inspired Recipes
- Baked Turkey Empanadas – one of my most popular recipes
- Elote – Mexican Street Corn Casserole
- Huevos Rancheros Breakfast Tostadas
- Pink Grapefruit Margarita
Fresh Homemade Pico de Gallo
A traditional bright, fresh Mexican salsa bursting with fresh flavor from ripe tomatoes to the heat of jalapeños and tang of fresh lime.
Ingredients
- 1/2 large white onion
- 4 Roma tomatoes
- 2 medium jalapenos
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 lime – juice and zest
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional for extra heat
Instructions
- Slice the tomatoes, lengthwise into quarters, remove and discard seeds and core.
- Dice tomatoes and onions into small equally sized pieces and place them in a medium-sized bowl.
- Slice the jalapeno, remove the ribs and seeds and dice into small pieces, add them to the bowl.
- Dice cilantro and add it to the bowl.
- Add lime juice, lime zest, red pepper flakes (if you want it hot), and salt and pepper.
- Toss all ingredients, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or serve immediately.
Notes
Krazy Kitchen Mom Tips
- Be sure to dice all of the ingredients in small and similar sizes. You want to get all of the flavors in one scoop on each chip.
- I recommend omitting the red pepper flakes until you have tasted the final salsa. If you want more heat, add the red pepper flakes.
- This salsa is best when it’s made and served fresh, but you can make it a day ahead of time. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- I highly recommend wearing latex or kitchen gloves when cutting jalapenos.
- While I prefer to hand-chop the ingredients, this recipe can be made in a food processor by lightly pulsing the ingredients until small bite-sized pieces.
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