Pico de Gallo

4.83 from 17 votes
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This homemade pico de gallo recipe is a healthy dip that combines fresh juicy tomatoes, onions, cilantro, spicy jalapeno peppers, lime juice, and a pinch of salt. Serve with crunchy tortilla chips or as a tasty topping for tacos, chicken, beef, pork, and seafood.

Easy to follow guide on how to make pico de gallo at home.

Pico de gallo, or salsa fresca, is a light and healthy tomato dip that adds excitement and fast flavor to any Mexican meal. It’s all about selecting the highest quality tomatoes, vegetables, herbs, and spices to make the taste shine. To ensure a balance of flavor, combining the right ratio of simple ingredients is key.

The tomatoes are the star of the recipe, so I always use fresh, vine-ripened varieties when possible. Chop the tomatoes and onions into uniform sizes for a chunky texture. Minced jalapenos give a kick of spicy heat, while lime juice adds a fruit acidity to meld all of the flavors together.

What is pico de gallo?

Pico de gallo is a type of homemade salsa. It’s a combination of chopped tomatoes, white onions, jalapeno pepper, cilantro, freshly squeezed lime juice, and a pinch of salt. It’s a healthy condiment to serve as a dip or appetizer for topping other types of Mexican food.

Pico de gallo ingredients

Pico de gallo ingredients needed for this recipe all laid out on a cutting board.

All of the ingredients can be substituted with different types of tomatoes (ie. plum tomatoes or cherry tomatoes), onions, spicy pepper, and even lemons instead of limes. My top choices are vine-ripened or Roma tomatoes because they have a sweet fruity flesh and robust texture that doesn’t become mealy.

White onions give a direct punch of pungency, but purple onions can be used for color. Jalapenos or serrano peppers bring the heat, but you can use other types of chilis depending on your spice tolerance. Feel free to add bell peppers or diced avocado to switch things up.

How to make pico de gallo

A bowl with two lime wedges on top of diced tomatoes and peppers.
  • Chop tomatoes, onions, cilantro leaves, and jalapeno peppers.
  • Combine all of the ingredients together with the lime juice and salt.
  • Taste and season with more salt, pepper, and lime.

What is the proper ratio of pico de gallo?

  • 3 cups of diced fresh tomatoes
  • 1 cup of diced red onions
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • ¼ cup lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons minced hot peppers

Make sure to dice the tomatoes to ¼-inch size and the onions to ⅛-inch. This ensures that the flavors of the tomatoes will dominate, and the strong sulfurous notes from the onions stay subtle and balanced. Adjust the amount of peppers to your desired spice level. A little bit of salt will subtly enhance the flavor.

What is the difference between salsa and pico de gallo?

Standard salsa recipes tend to have a thinner, more pourable consistency since it’s made in a food processor or blender. Salsa is also prepared with tomatoes that are fresh (often times peeled) or canned.

Pico de gallo is chunkier tomato salsa in texture, using hand-chopped tomatoes, onions, and peppers. Only fresh, unpeeled tomatoes are used.

Colorful fresh pico de gallo in a white bowl with tortilla chips.

Is it good for you?

Each serving has fresh and colorful fruits and vegetables, making it low-calorie. Tomatoes are the main ingredient and have numerous nutritional benefits. In particular, they deliver the phytonutrient lycopene, which is concentrated in the skin, giving it its red color. Tomatoes are also a good source of insoluble fiber, potassium, folate, vitamins C and K.

Can you make it the night before?

Yes! Pico de gallo can be made the day before and still taste fresh. It actually gives the tomatoes and onion more time to marinate with the herbs, peppers, and lime juice for even more flavor. Stored in an airtight container, the tomato dip lasts for up to 5 days for the best eating quality.

What to serve this with

More Mexican recipes

Person dipping a tortilla chip into a bowl of pico de gallo.

Recipe Science

Buy locally grown tomatoes for the best flavor

Often times tomatoes are picked when they are immature and not fully ripened to withstand transportation. To turn those green tomatoes their characteristic red color, they are treated with ethylene gas, a ripening agent naturally found in fruit like apples and bananas. This results in a product that is not as sweet and less flavorful. If possible, buy locally grown tomatoes for the best taste.

Pico de Gallo

My pico de gallo recipe is fresh, flavorful, and the perfect addition to any Mexican-inspired meal. Plus, it's so easy to make and can be customized to your preferred level of spice.
4.83 from 17 votes
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Course Condiment
Cuisine Mexican

Ingredients 
 

  • 2 pounds ripe tomatoes, seeds removed, ¼" dice
  • 1 cup diced white onion, ⅛" dice
  • ½ cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons minced jalapenos, stem and seeds removed
  • ¼ cup lime juice
  • teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions 

  • Mix the Ingredients – In a large bowl, combine diced tomatoes, onion, cilantro, jalapenos, lime juice, and salt. Stir to combine.
  • Adjust the Flavor – Taste and season with more salt, lime juice, or jalapenos as desired.

Recipe Video

YouTube video

Equipment

Notes

  • Recipe Yield: 3 ½ cups

Nutrition Facts

Serves: 8 servings
Calories 30kcal (2%)Carbohydrates 6g (2%)Protein 1g (2%)Sodium 42mg (2%)Potassium 306mg (9%)Fiber 1g (4%)Sugar 3g (3%)Vitamin A 945IU (19%)Vitamin C 19.3mg (23%)Calcium 16mg (2%)Iron 0.3mg (2%)

Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.

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Jessica Gavin

I'm a culinary school graduate, cookbook author, and a mom who loves croissants! My passion is creating recipes and sharing the science behind cooking to help you gain confidence in the kitchen.

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