Homemade Pico De Gallo

Pico de gallo, or salsa fresca, is a fresh salsa recipe made with tomatoes, onions, peppers, lime, and cilantro. It's a classic Mexican recipe served with tortilla chips or as a topping for entrees.

What does pico de gallo mean?

Pico de gallo is a fresh salsa also known as salsa fresca. This classic Mexican salsa goes by many names but is commonly made with fresh tomatoes, spicy peppers, onions, cilantro, and lime.

Other names include salsa picada, salsa cruda, and my personal favorite, salsa bandera (or flag sauce) because the colors, red, white, and green, resemble the Mexican flag.

Why we love this recipe

Fresh salsa is an essential item for Mexican food or Tex Mex recipes. It's easy to make. In fact, it's as simple as chopping fresh ingredients and tossing them together. It's especially great during summer when tomatoes are in season, so they're fleshy, gorgeous red, and sweet. You can make pico de gallo any season of the year with certain tomato varieties.

What are the best tomatoes for salsa fresca?

I often use roma tomatoes for pico de gallo because they hold their shape and won't become mushy. They're firm, the seeds are easily removed, and are available any season of the year. Vine-ripened tomatoes are also a great choice because they're a deep red color, slightly sweet, and available all year at the grocery store.

Pico de gallo ingredients

tomatoes - romas and vine-ripened tomatoes are top picks for fresh salsa because they're available all year.

red onion - The bright and spicy flavor of red onion goes perfectly with the tomatoes, but any onion will work.

cilantro - This is a must in Mexican cooking, and adds a flavor that no other herb has.

jalapeno or Serrano [epper - Remove the seeds to avoid having too much heat in your final dish. Jalapeño is going to be the milder option, while Serrano is usually spicier. Choose your own adventure!

fresh lime - We're using lime zest and lime juice for authentic flavor. Use a citrus juicer to get every drop of lime juice. If you don't have one, twist a fork in the lime to loosen everything up.

garlic - an optional (but recommended) ingredient. I like to grate mine on a Microplane so the texture blends right in.

salt and pepper - add as much or as little as you like.

How to make pico de gallo

This salsa fresca recipe is really as simple as chopping fresh ingredients and mixing everything together.

You need a sharp knife, a zester, a cutting board, and a bowl to toss everything together. You won't believe how easy this recipe is and how quickly it comes together!

Salsa fresca vs pico de gallo

We sometimes use the term salsa to describe any loose mixture of tomatoes and peppers that we use in Mexican food, and that's ok! But actually, salsa is the Mexican word for "sauce" and generally describes a thinner, maybe blended, or maybe cooked salsa. Pico de gallo is a very specific recipe as I'm sharing here that is served fresh ... and is also called salsa fresca as we mentioned earlier.

How to store fresh salsa

Since pico de gallo is made with fresh ingredients, it should always be refrigerated in an airtight container for optimal freshness. You can store fresh salsa up to 5 days and each day creates more and more flavor. Of course, it never lasts that long in my house because we can't keep our hands off of it.

Can you freeze pico de gallo?

Technically, yes you can freeze pico de gallo, but I don't recommend it because the fresh produce becomes watery and mushy once it has thawed. It's not like cooked salsa or my blender salsa which actually can be frozen for several months.

Pico de gallo serving ideas

Fresh salsa is a popular topping for just about any Mexican food. These are my favorite ways to use it:

• over Loaded Steak Nachos, Taco Pasta, or Taco Bowls
• use as an essential layer in everyone's favorite 7 layer dip appetizer
• scooped over Chicken Tacos or Chicken Burrito Bowls
• topped over a bed of lettuce and other vegetables for a healthy and delicious salad
• scooped over Cilantro Lime Brown Rice
• as a topping for Refried Black Beans
• with a giant bowl of tortilla chips and homemade guacamole
• Totchos Tater Tot Nachos are delicious with fresh salsa

More salsa recipes

• Mango Salsa Recipe
• Homemade Salsa Recipe
• Peach Salsa
• Black Bean and Corn Salsa