Classic Pico de Gallo

Sometimes it’s the simple things, like this Classic Pico de Gallo, that are the tastiest. This pico de gallo is fresh, juicy, bright, and great as a dip for chips or as a topping for your favorite Mexican-inspired dishes. Yes, you can buy pico de gallo at the store, but some things are just better homemade, and this is one of them! 

Keep this pico de gallo recipe in your back pocket and bring it out this Cinco de Mayo to eat with chips or your favorite tacos. Or save the recipe for Memorial Day weekend and enjoy it on top of grilled hot dogs. (Maybe with some guacamole too? Crushed tortilla chips for texture? We’re actually really liking this idea!)

How to Enjoy This Easy Pico de Gallo

We love classic pico de gallo because it’s so versatile. It adds freshness and acidity to a dish, so you can use it whenever you need to brighten something up. Here’s what we recommend using it on or with:

• Your favorite tortilla chips
• Tacos (like these avocado tacos)
• Nachos
• Loaded zucchini boats (like these ones)
• Hot dogs

Tips for Pro-Level Pico

• Salt and drain your tomatoes first. Toss the diced tomatoes with a little salt and put them in a strainer set over a bowl. The salt draws out some of the liquid from the tomatoes and makes the pico de gallo less watered down. 
• Fresh is best. Make sure to use the freshest ingredients possible. Pico de gallo is a raw salsa (salsa cruda), meaning the ingredients aren’t cooked. To keep it tasting fresh, we recommend using fresh tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, and lime juice (not the concentrated bottled stuff, if you can avoid it). 
• Cut your ingredients so they are roughly the same size. Using ingredients that are diced similarly gives classic pico de gallo a balanced flavor and texture profile. Plus, most people don’t want to bite into a gigantic chunk of onion when eating pico.
• Add seasoning to your liking. If you salt your tomatoes like we suggested, you may need less salt overall for your pico de gallo. However, the onions, jalapeños, and cilantro are best when seasoned too, so be sure to taste your pico and add a little salt if needed.
• Let it rest before eating. Letting the pico de gallo sit for 20 minutes or up to a few hours allows the flavors to mingle and blend together for even tastier results.

Ingredients in Classic Pico de Gallo

• Tomatoes – we recommend using Roma tomatoes because they’re firm and less juicy than other tomato varieties. Their not-too-sweet flavor also pairs well with the other ingredients. Use a serrated knife when dicing these tomatoes for best results.
• Onion – we like to use yellow onions here for medium heat and lots of crunchy texture. White or sweet onions would work too, but we don’t recommend using red onions because they’re a little hotter and spicier.
• Cilantro – cilantro gives this classic pico de gallo a slightly herby and floral flavor.
• Lime – use fresh ripe limes for this recipe. Concentrated lime juice is stronger and would make this pico too sour.
• Jalapeño – we love the mild heat that jalapeños give this fresh salsa. If you want more heat, you can keep the seeds and ribs in, or you can replace these with a slightly hotter pepper, like serranos. 
• Salt – be sure to taste and season your pico de gallo after it’s been sitting for a few minutes. The longer it sits, the more water will draw out from the tomatoes so you may need more salt for flavor if that happens.

How to Make Classic Pico de Gallo

Classic pico de gallo is super easy to make. First, dice your ingredients, making sure the tomatoes and onions are similar in size and the jalapeños are minced. Don’t worry about picking the cilantro leaves from the stems. The stems are fine to eat and have tons of flavor too. 

Once everything is diced, you can either add it all to a bowl, or you can follow our pro tips and salt and drain the tomatoes first. This makes the pico de gallo less watery and more flavorful as a result. 

Mix everything together, taste for seasoning, and enjoy with chips or as a topping for your favorite dish.