This easy Pico de Gallo recipe, also called Salsa Fresca, Salsa Bandera, or Salsa Cruda, is a popular Mexican salsa that’s super easy to make at home.
I’m sure you’ve had Pico de Gallo at every Mexican restaurant you’ve ever been to with a hot salty pile of tortilla chips. Maybe you’re like me and you’ve been making it at home for years but it never tasted as good as the restaurants. There was just always something missing…
I’ve finally perfected my homemade Pico de Gallo recipe and it tastes just like the authentic variety you’ll find at your neighborhood taco shop. You’ll only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this classic Mexican salsa!
What makes the best pico de gallo?
There are four things I’ve found to be key in making authentic Pico de Gallo at home! They are:
- Use serrano instead of jalapeño – the serrano peppers give the salsa a bit more heat and taste a little more robust than the milder jalapeño
- Chop everything really small – I go with small to medium dice on the veggies, you don’t want a super chunky salsa here, more like a relish
- Don’t skip the garlic – one clove for a large batch of Pico de Gallo does the trick. You’ll want to mince it very finely
- Let it sit overnight – the #1 most important thing! This gives the flavors time to really meld together
I love this traditional Pico de Gallo for scooping up with tortilla chips and adding to vegan fish tacos, burrito bowls, and other Mexican dishes.
Pico de Gallo Ingredient Notes
- Fresh tomatoes – The type of tomato you use makes a world of difference. I use on-the-vine tomatoes but you can also use Roma tomatoes or fresh plum tomatoes. Do not use cherry tomatoes or beefsteak tomatoes here. The best tomatoes are ones that have a deep red flesh, aren’t too hard or too soft (sort of like an avocado), and have been kept at room temperature as refrigerating tomatoes degrades their texture and dampens their flavor. While you can definitely use any tomato, ripe red tomatoes should fit this criterion for making a good Pico de Gallo.
- White onion – you can also use a sweet yellow onion but I do not recommend red onion.
- Garlic clove – no pre-minced garlic here, just a fresh clove.
- Fresh lime juice – always use fresh limes as the bottled variety is nowhere near the same.
- Fresh cilantro – the chopped cilantro needs to be very finely minced.
- Serrano peppers – I love the slightly more robust flavor of serranos over the more common jalapeño pepper.
- Sea salt
Pico de Gallo Ingredient Substitutions
You can easily swap out the tomatoes for any type of fruit since tomatoes are also a fruit! Here are some ideas:
- Mango
- Pineapple
- Kiwi
- Dragon Fruit
- Strawberry
Fruit salsa is super delicious, especially when tomatoes aren’t in season.
Storage Tips
Pico de Gallo will keep in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. It’s best on days 3-7.
Pro Tip
As the tomatoes release a lot of liquid as they sit, use a slotted spoon to serve the Pico de Gallo. Don’t toss the liquid, though! It’s great mixed into beans for a refried bean dip, stirred into soups, or tossed into a Bloody Mary! I’ve even drank it straight from the jar—it’s so good. #noshame.
Pico de Gallo
Ingredients
- 5 medium on-the-vine tomatoes seeded and finely diced
- 1 medium white onion finely diced
- ½ cup minced fresh cilantro
- 2 serrano peppers thinly sliced or minced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- Juice of 2 small limes
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt plus more to taste
Method
- Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and toss to combine. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve.5 medium on-the-vine tomatoes, 1 medium white onion, ½ cup minced fresh cilantro, 2 serrano peppers, 1 clove garlic, Juice of 2 small limes, ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
Nutrition information is provided as an estimate only and may vary depending on brands, substitutions, preparation methods, and portion sizes.
Did you make this recipe?
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