Pico de Gallo

Pico de gallo is that chunky, liquid-less salsa you’ll find in most Mexican taco stands and restaurants, especially in Baja, Mexico. Baja is where I solidified my love for pico de gallo and discovered how satisfying it is with salty chips and an ice cold Mexican beer.

I normally make roasted tomato salsa; that smoky flavor is hard to beat. But a fresh, straight-forward pico de gallo will enhance – not compete – with other flavors which is why I like to use it to top most of my Mexican dishes. It’s also quick, uses common ingredients and there’s no need to dirty up my food processor like I do with my other salsa recipes.

Pico de gallo vs salsa

Pico de gallo is basically a salsa that uses fresh, raw, chopped ingredients. Traditional salsa often uses ingredients that have been cooked and it’s typically blended into more of a sauce. They’re both delicious but they have different textures. There are countless versions of salsa but pico de gallo uses the same basic ingredients almost everywhere.

Ingredients

• tomato
• white onion
• jalapeño
• cilantro
• garlic
• fresh lime juice
• coarse salt & freshly ground black pepper

How to make pico de gallo

Simply chop some fresh tomatoes, white onion, and cilantro. Mince fresh garlic and jalapeño, add some freshly-squeezed lime juice and gently stir it all together. Season with salt and pepper, then refrigerate it for a few hours so all of the flavors come together.

Uses for pico de gallo

Scooping it up with some salty tortilla chips is a fantastic way to enjoy it! Here are some more ways to use it, too:

• As a topping for tacos, nachos, or any other Mexican dish
• Stir some into cottage cheese for a savory snack (trust me on this one)
• Add it to a baked potato along with a Mexican-blend shredded cheese
• Put some on top of mac and cheese with some avocado (Panera use to have this on their menu – it’s delicious)
• Mix it into mashed avocado for a quick guacamole
• Stir it into rice for an easy side dish
• Add it to grilled or roasted vegetables
• Use it as a topping for your eggs in the morning

Continue to Content

Pico de Gallo

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 8 minutes

Additional Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 8 minutes

This easy pico de gallo is perfect for an easy, fresh summer appetizer with salty chips.

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Ingredients

• 3 medium tomatoes (or 5 plum tomatoes), diced
• 1/4 cup white onion, diced
• 1/2 jalapeño, seeded and minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1–2 garlic cloves, minced
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 1/2 tsp coarse salt
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Mix all the ingredients together. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours to allow flavors to meld (optional but recommended).

Serve with salty tortilla chips or use as a topping for tacos, burritos, or your favorite Mexican dish.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 72Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 334mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 2gSugar: 11gProtein: 2g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.

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Kristy Bernardo

Kristy Bernardo is the recipe creator behind The Wicked Noodle. She's a five-time cookbook author, has taught cooking classes to both kids and adults, and has been creating recipes for nationwide brands since 2009. She learned most of her cooking skills from her mom and grandmother, then honed those skills at boot camp at the Culinary Institute of America.

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