This easy pico de gallo recipe is the perfect topping for tacos and burritos and makes a great dip for tortilla chips! Salsa fresca takes just minutes to make and tastes so much better than the store bought kind.

You can never go wrong with a fresh and colorful dip like cowboy caviar or this fabulous tomato based pico de gallo.

Pico de Gallo Recipe | Homemade Salsa Recipe | Salsa Fresca Recipe #salsa #salsafresca #picodegallo #snack #appetizer #dinneratthezoo Pico de Gallo Recipe | Homemade Salsa Recipe | Salsa Fresca Recipe #salsa #salsafresca #picodegallo #snack #appetizer #dinneratthezoo

A bowl of pico de gallo with a tortilla chip in it.

I happen to love salsa, it’s the ultimate low calorie condiment! It’s awesome on pork tacos, or perfect on a piece of grilled chicken. You can even make peach salsa or a sweet fruit salsa for a fresh and delicious take on the classic. This pico de gallo recipe is a classic that never gets old. It’s fresh, flavorful and oh so easy to make. It also tastes WAY better than any pre-packaged salsa you’ll find at the grocery store. Serve your salsa with chips alongside other summery favorites like Hawaiian chicken for a meal that will get rave reviews.

A bowl of homemade pico de gallo surrounded by tortilla chips.

What is pico de gallo?

Pico de gallo is also known as salsa fresca or salsa cruda. It’s a fresh condiment made with tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro and lime juice. It differs from standard salsa in that it’s thicker and chunkier in texture and does not contain any extra liquid.

Diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeno and cilantro in a bowl.

Did you know that a lot of the fresh packed salsas at the grocery store contain preservatives and stabilizers? It’s true. This pico de gallo is simple and fresh ingredients combined together to make an awesome dip or Mexican food condiment. This is a very simple recipe, which means it only tastes as good as the ingredients themselves. Look for the ripest tomatoes you can find for this pico de gallo for the best results.

A hand with a chip taking a scoop of pico de gallo from a bowl.

How do you make pico de gallo?

The hardest part about this recipe is the time it takes to chop up the veggies! You’ll want to try to cut everything into small, uniform pieces so that the salsa fresca is easy to scoop up with chips. I used red onion here instead of the traditional white onion because it’s sweeter and doesn’t have the harsh flavor that can sometimes come along with other types of onion. The tomatoes and onions are combined with jalapeno, garlic, cilantro, lime juice and salt. Mix it all together and you’ll be ready to go!

Tomatoes, cilantro, onion and jalapeno mixed together in a glass bowl.

Tips for pico de gallo

  • Fresh salsa tastes best if it you let it sit for at least 20 minutes before you plan to serve it so that the flavors can come together.
  • This recipe is written for a mild pico de gallo; when you remove the seeds and ribs of the jalapeno as instructed, it loses most of its heat. If you prefer a spicy pico de gallo, you can keep some of the ribs and seeds to get your desired heat level.
  • Make sure you dice all of your ingredients finely so that it’s easy to scoop up the salsa with chips. If the tomato pieces are too big, they can fall off the chips.
  • Salsa fresca tastes best when served at room temperature. When you refrigerate tomatoes, they can sometimes take on a mealy texture, so I recommend serving your salsa right away.
  • If you need to make your pico de gallo in advance, you can make it up to 4 hours before you plan to serve it.

A heaping bowl of this easy and homemade pico de gallo salsa recipe.

Is pico de gallo good for you?

Pico de gallo is a great choice for a healthy diet. It’s loaded with fresh veggies and is low in calories, fat free, low sodium and low carb. I often use pico de gallo ass a low calorie substitute for dressing on a taco salad, or serve it as a topping for lean proteins.

Once you try homemade pico de gallo, you’ll never want to go back to the store bought stuff!

Ways to use pico de gallo

Pico de Gallo Video

5 from 16 votes

Pico de Gallo Recipe

AuthorSara Welch
A bowl of pico de gallo with a tortilla chip in it.
This easy pico de gallo recipe is the perfect topping for tacos and burritos and makes a great dip for tortilla chips!
Time
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 minute
Total Time11 minutes
Course Appetizers
Cuisine Mexican
Serves 4

Ingredients 

  • 1 1/2 cups diced roma tomatoes cored and seeded
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
  • 1 jalapeno seeds and ribs removed, then minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/3 cup chopped cilantro leaves
  • the juice of one lime
  • salt to taste

Instructions 

  • Place all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 27kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 132mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 595IU | Vitamin C: 12.1mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.1mg

This post was originally published on October 16, 2017 and was updated on May 26, 2019 with new content.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I loved the flavor of this Pico de Gallo! I brought to a family cookout and it was eaten so fast!

  2. 5 stars
    Such a colorful and flavorful recipe! Served it with chips for my niece’s graduation party and it was a hit!

  3. 5 stars
    Once you made your own salsa, you simply can never go back to store bought version. Yours look super refreshing and is just perfect for some healthy snacking.

  4. 5 stars
    You just can’t beat homemade salsa, and your pico de gallo looks so fresh and delicious. I could put this on everything.