Pico de Gallo is loaded with fresh tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, and lime juice. Learn the secret to the best Mexican Pico de Gallo – it’s a simple tip that makes it taste authentic.
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Helpful Reader Review
“A Mexican friend came over to teach me how to make carnitas. I made this to go along with them, and she said it was great.” – Emily ★★★★★
“The only Pico de Gallo recipe I use! It’s not only delicious but it’s also quick & easy!!” – Ann Marie ★★★★★
Pico de Gallo Recipe
Pico de Gallo is a popular Mexican salsa. It is also known as “Salsa Fresca,” or “Salsa Cruda.” It is traditionally made with equal parts tomatoes and onion, with fresh cilantro and a generous squeeze of lime juice. I add jalapeno for a spicy kick but you can leave it out for a milder pico.
You can easily adjust this recipe to suit your preference; add more tomatoes for sweetness or another jalapeno pepper or even serrano peppers if you love fiery salsa. We’ve even tried adding peaches for a peach salsa, which turned out really well.
I love making the most of summer fruits and veggies with loaded salsas like Mango Salsa, our popular Cowboy Caviar and of course Homemade Salsa! This Pico de Gallo recipe is our favorite way to use up garden ripe tomatoes, but it’s just as delicious with store-bought Roma tomatoes in the cooler months.
What’s the Best Onion for Pico?
Just as with Guacamole, white onion is the most authentic choice for making pico de Gallo because it’s crisp and sharp and less sweet than other varieties. A yellow onion or red onion will also work if that is what you have on hand.
How to Make Pico de Gallo
There’s no cooking involved with this salsa recipe, so even the least skilled cook would be hard-pressed to mess this one up:
- DICE up your ingredients and place them in a glass or non-reactive bowl,
- SQUEEZE in the fresh lime juice, then season with salt and pepper
- STIR to combine.
Pro Tip:
Use gloves or a ziploc bag to cover your hands when seeding and handling hot peppers.
The Secret to the Best Pico de Gallo
Have you ever wondered how to make your Pico de Gallo taste restaurant quality and more authentic? This family secret comes from Blanca Villasenor who also shared her authentic Ceviche recipe. The key to a traditional pico de gallo is in letting it rest. Combine all of the ingredients, cover and refrigerate for a day. The tomatoes will juice up and the flavors will meld in the fridge so every bite is flavor-packed.
Variations for Pico de Gallo
You can easily bulk up and change the flavor profile of pico salsa by dicing in one of these fresh fruits or vegetables. I’d love to know about your creative add-ins.
- Bell Pepper
- Corn
- Avocado
- Cucumber
- Mango
- Peaches for a peach salsa
Serve Pico de Gallo With
Salsa Fresca is often served as a topping for Mexican food, from breakfast to enchiladas, tacos, nachos, and more. It is so versatile! It’s also perfect as an appetizer with tortilla chips. We love pico with:
- Breakfast Burritos or Breakfast Tacos
- Mexican Chicken Casserole
- Chicken Tacos or Beef Tacos
- Tostadas
- Mexican Beef and Rice Skillet
- Beef Burritos
- Chicken Fajitas
- Carnitas
- Taco Salad
Pico de Gallo is seriously irresistible, and our love for this wonderfully fresh salsa runs deep. My only complaint is that it disappears too quickly, so I highly recommend making a double or triple batch.
Authentic Pico de Gallo
Ingredients
- 1 lb Roma tomatoes, (3-4 medium), or garden tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 medium white onion, (1 cup chopped), or yellow onion or red onion
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely minced (optional)
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
- 2 Tbsp lime juice, from 1 lime
- 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, diced tomatoes, onion, jalapeno pepper and chopped cilantro.
- Stir in 2 Tbsp lime juice and lightly season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper, or season to taste. Enjoy right away or cover and refrigerate overnight.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Favorite Summer Appetizers
- Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Avocado Shrimp Bites
- Crisp Zucchini Bites
- Roasted Salsa
- Spicy Guacamole
- Fresh Spring Rolls
Went to make this recipe, then realized I didn’t have a lime. Made it anyways. It was still great. Can’t wait to make it again with the lime juice. Love how I can control the heat. Thanks
Good to know that you still liked it without lime. I hope you’ll love the recipes that you will try!
This my exact recipe I’ve been using for years with rave reviews. I have found roma tomatoe are firmer and i use green onions. Im a garlic fan so i add garlic salt. You are right, there is no substitute for fresh squeezed lime.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Bob! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
The only Pico de Gallo recipe I use! It’s not only delicious but it’s also quick & easy!!
Thank you Natasha!!😁
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you loved it, Ann Marie!
I made this for the first time a few weeks ago and my husband absolutely loves it. He keeps asking me to make it over and over again.
Nice to know that, Mitzi. Thanks a lot for sharing!
I live in NJ, an tomato season is very near over…… I’d like to make Pico de gallo and freeze some….. any clues/ hacks to share?? I’d like to freeze in small portions per say.
Hi Melissa! I haven’t tested freezing that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let us know how it turns out.
I add diced cucumber, finely chopped fresh garlic, seasoned rice vinegar, and a little oil oil. These flavors compliment any Hispanic dish and is great with chips alone.
That sounds wonderful, Ted. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Ted, I just copied your comment and added it to Natasha’s that I have saved!! This is my very first tI’ve making Pico de Gallo and I had just put mine into the fridge and then saw your comment so I had to take it back out and we added some cucumber and garlic. Tomorrow will be the taste test!!
I’ve been waiting for someone to add vinegar!! But adding cucumber too?! 🥰😋😋😋
sounds like a Greek version; serve with pita chips & hummus!
I’ve been looking for a good Pico De Gallo recipe, and once again you’ve nailed it! Thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Kelly!
Natasha, I put this dish together with some of my home grown jalapenos. Added a little extra lime juice and jalapeno, and basically seasoned it to my liking. I also removed seeds and juice of the tomato (so not as wet). My party guests loved it!
That’s great! Thank you for sharing that with me. So glad it was a hit! 🙂
I always remove the seeds and pith from Roma tomatoes. Otherwise it’s like soup 😊
The seeds (and skin actually) are not healthy either. Hence why Italians remove both for sauce. Cheers!
There are healthy flavonoids in the skin and are entirely edible.
Just finished making this Pico and it is delicious!! So much flavor and it hasn’t even had time to sit and get even better I’m sure! Will def be making again and again! Thank you for the recipe!
That’s wonderful, Cathy! So glad it was enjoyed. It definitely gets better if it sits for a little while. 🙂
Great recipe I like to add mango it complements the hot jalapeño pepper
Sounds like a great addition! 🙂
I used one large tomato on the vine, a green pepper, a 1/4 red onion (only kind I had) all chopped 1/8” cubed, about 1/4 cup of cilantro finely chopped and a half of a de-seeded jalapeño minced. We like our Pico chopped small so it fits nicely on our chips and especially the “Frito Scoops”!! I then squeezed a small lime and added just a 1/8tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. I also had a 2” piece of an English cucumber to bulk up the recipe.
I wish I had more tomatoes because we ran out of Pico! It was sooo good!
I’m still craving this Pico de Gallo so tomorrow I’ll be buying enough of everything to make a humongous bowl full! Hahaha!
Hello Diane, so great to hear that you loved the result of this recipe. Thank you for trying and for sharing that with us!
I make this all the time, my additions are green and red or orange bell peppers, a bit of apple cider vinegar and garlic. It doesn’t last long in the house!
Yum! Those sound like great additions. Thanks for sharing, Michelle. 🙂
Can you use dried cilantro in this recipe? I couldn’t find fresh cilantro.
Hi Carol! Fresh cilantro provides the most flavor, but yes, you can. 🙂 I hope you love the recipe.
Best Pico De Gallo recipe ever!! Thank you so much for sharing. I just bought enough veggies to make a double batch this time.
We love this Pico de Gallo! So glad you enjoyed it as well.
I made this today! I absolutely love it. I found it to be the perfect level of spice and just absolutely tasty.
Thank you
That’s great! You’re very welcome. Thank you for the feedback.
So easy to make. I have not been fond of cilantro until I made it in this recipe. The combination of flavors is amazing. Made it for my topping on the Beef Taco recipe. This is definitely on repeat!
That’s great! So glad you enjoyed it, Elizabeth.
Do you remove the seeds from the tomatoes and just use the flesh? Or the whole tomato?
Hi Jill, we used the full tomoato!
Hi Natasha, I am using this recipe for a foods class and need to know approximately how many cups are in each serving. Do you have an estimate? Looks Delicious!
Hi Emily, I do not have this exact measurement but my guess would be about 4 cups if you include all the ingredients. (1 lb of diced tomatoes according to google is about 2.5 cups, plus the 1 cup of onion and all the other ingredients). I hope that helps.
I’m out of lime, what can I substitute for the lime juice?
Lime juice works the best but if you have lemon juice, that may work.
Super love this recipe 😋 I have made several times now. I highly recommend it 👌 👍
Glad to hear that you love this recipe!
Love the recipe. Made it twice. Second time, I did something which might seem like heresy – I quickly drained, not completely, in a colander as the salsa goes on shrimp tacos – first time, just a bit too watery and taco seemed soaked – second time, perfect! Thank you.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Madeliene! I’m glad it all worked out and you loved it!
I put the diced tomatoes in a salad spinner. It worked great!
but the juice is soooo delicious! drain if you wish, but drain into a cup so you can drink it!