Pico De Gallo is a type of chunky fresh salsa that’s simple to throw together and is ready in just a few minutes. With just a little chopping and a few minutes of your time, you’ll have an amazingly flavorful salsa to add tons of flavor to your meals. This Pico De Gallo recipe is a great appetizer that you can serve with tortilla chips, or use it to liven up the flavor of easy dinners like taco soup recipe, homemade burrito bowls, tacos, or rice and beans.
PICO DE GALLO
Like this recipe? Pin it to your APPETIZERS pinboard!
Follow Real Housemoms on Pinterest
Hey everyone, I’m Jazmin! I share quick and easy recipes on my blog Savor & Savvy, and I’m so excited to share one of my all-time favorite recipes here with you today.
If you’re a fan of Chipotle’s fresh tomato salsa, you’ll love this recipe because they’re the same style of salsa. I’m a salsa lover, so I always enjoy getting Chipotle’s fresh salsa in my burrito bowls, and I love making my own version at home.
What is Pico de Gallo?
This is always the main question people have about Pico De Gallo! It’s actually a type of fresh salsa, so it is technically still a salsa… it just might be a little different to the “traditional style” salsa you’re used to. Here are a few key differences.
- Texture – Pico De Gallo is chunkier than traditional salsa
- Consistency – Pico De Gallo has less liquid
- Preparation – While some other salsas are cooked, Pico De Gallo is served raw. Other names for Pico De Gallo are Salsa Cruda and Salsa Fresca, which translate to raw salsa and fresh salsa. And if you can believe it, the pico de gallo translation is Rooster’s Beak. It was originally eaten by pinching pieces together between the thumb and forefinger. Crazy, right?!
How Do You Keep Pico De Gallo from Getting Watery?
It’s all in the tomatoes… or more accurately, in how you prepare them! When making homemade Pico De Gallo, I prefer to core and remove the seeds from the tomatoes to keep the salsa from getting soupy. The salt will continue to draw out the natural juices from the tomatoes, so you’ll always end up with a juicier Pico De Gallo than when you started. If you were to keep the juiciest parts of the tomatoes, add lime juice and add the salt which will draw out even more juices, you’ll end up with a much more watery salsa than intended. It’ll still be delicious and enjoyable, just not quite the right consistency.
You may notice that there is no spicy element to this fresh salsa. That’s because I personally can’t handle even a little heat, so I always make mild salsas. Traditionally, you’ll want to use jalapeño or serrano pepper to provide the extra kick of heat salsas are known for, and if spiciness is your thing, feel free to add in some heat as needed! It’s all about making the best pico de gallo recipe for your tastes.
How to Make Pico De Gallo
- There’s not much to it! Start with cored tomatoes, then chop them up along with onion and cilantro.
- Mix your chopped ingredients together with all other remaining ingredients in a large bowl.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve and enjoy!
I love having a bowl of this Pico de Gallo served up alongside 7 Layer Dip at our parties. They’re the perfect compliment to each other and crowd favorite for any occasion!
Try these tasty salsas next!
- Fresh Pineapple Salsa
- Mango Black Bean Salsa
- Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
- Restaurant Style Salsa
- Fruit Salsa
- Easy Blender Salsa
- More appetizer recipes…
Tools used to make this Pico de Gallo recipe
Knives: A good set of kitchen knives is essential for any cook. This set is the best one I’ve owned so far and it comes with a knife block, steak knives, and an array of larger knives perfect for all your slicing, chopping, and cutting needs.
Cutting Board: A good-sized cutting board is a must for home cooks. This board is thick & sturdy and makes recipe prep a breeze.
Mixing Bowl: These mixing bowls are perfect for mixing and serving. I love the varied sizes so I always have to right size bowl for all my mixing needs.
- 2 cups Roma Tomatoes cored, deseeded
- ½ cup Red Onion
- ½ cup Cilantro
- 2 teaspoons Garlic minced
- 2 Limes juiced
- Sea Salt to taste
- Black Pepper to taste
- Chop tomatoes, red onion, and cilantro. Place in a large bowl.
- Add minced garlic & lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix well until all ingredients are evenly combined.
Leave a Reply