Description
This fresh and vibrant Pico de Gallo Salsa is a classic Mexican condiment made from ripe tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, cilantro, and lime juice. Perfectly diced to maintain a traditional chunky texture, this salsa delivers a zesty, slightly spicy, and refreshing flavor that pairs wonderfully with tortilla chips or as a topping for your favorite Mexican dishes. Easy to prepare with fresh ingredients, it’s a healthy, no-cook recipe ready in just 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Produce
- 6-8 ripe tomatoes (roma or vine ripe, chopped to yield about 3 and 1/2 cups)
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 1-2 cloves garlic (smashed and minced, optional)
- 2 jalapeno peppers (chopped small, seeds and membranes removed for milder heat)
- 1/2 bunch cilantro (chopped, about 1/2 cup or to taste)
- 2 limes (zested and juiced)
Spices & Seasonings
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin (optional)
Serve With
- Tortilla chips
Instructions
- Dice Tomatoes: Chop your tomatoes into about a 1/2 inch dice to yield approximately 3 and 1/2 cups. For a traditional pico texture, maintain this size; smaller dice results in a more watery salsa.
- Chop Onion: Dice a medium onion into pieces slightly smaller than the tomato chunks for balanced texture.
- Prepare Garlic: Smash and mince 1-2 cloves of garlic, an optional ingredient that enhances flavor.
- Prep Jalapenos: Slice jalapenos in half and remove seeds and membranes for milder heat. Use gloves to avoid irritation. Dice jalapenos into small pieces.
- Chop Cilantro: Wash and chop cilantro leaves from about half the bunch finely; adjust quantity to your taste.
- Combine Ingredients: Add tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapenos, and cilantro to a medium mixing bowl.
- Zest Limes: Zest both limes directly into the bowl using a microplane or fine grater.
- Add Lime Juice: Squeeze the juice from both limes into the bowl.
- Season: Add 2 teaspoons of salt and optionally 1/2 teaspoon of cumin to the mixture.
- Mix Thoroughly: Stir all ingredients together evenly; adjust salt as necessary to taste.
- Serve or Chill: Toss gently and serve immediately with tortilla chips or chill for 1 hour to meld flavors before serving.
- Storage: Store leftover pico de gallo in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Expect some liquid separation; strain if desired, though flavor may lessen. Best served fresh.
Notes
- For spicier salsa, include jalapeno seeds or leave in some membrane.
- Smaller dice on tomatoes leads to a juicier, less chunky salsa texture.
- Garlic is optional but highly recommended for added depth of flavor.
- Fresh lime zest enhances brightness; do not substitute zest with lime juice alone.
- Best served the day it is made for optimal texture and flavor.
- Use gloves when handling jalapenos to avoid skin irritation.
- Adjust cilantro amount to suit personal taste preferences.
