Pico de Gallo

5 from 8 votes
13 Comments

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This Pico de Gallo is definitely my go-to pico recipe. Diced tomatoes and onions with just the right amount of jalapeño. Your mouth will be thanking you. 

A small bowl of pico de gallo
Featured with this Recipe
  1. Ingredients in Our Easy Pico De Gallo Recipe
  2. Tricks of the Trade
  3. Pico vs. Salsa
  4. Frequently Asked Questions
  5. Serve it on the Side
  6. How to Make Pico De Gallo
  7. Pico de Gallo Recipe

When it comes to favorite pico recipes, this one is definitely my favorite. Not only does it taste amazing, it has never failed me. It always comes out perfect and I LOVE how fresh it is! This is the pico I use every time I make any of our Copycat Cafe Rio recipes. It is great as a dip for tortilla chips or as a topping for burritos, nachos, or quesadillas!

Ingredients in Our Easy Pico De Gallo Recipe

  • Vine-Ripened Tomatoes
  • Kosher Salt
  • White Onion
  • Garlic
  • Fresh Cilantro
  • Jalapeno
  • Fresh Lime Juice
  • Green Tabasco Sauce

Tricks of the Trade

  • Be sure to use a really sharp knife when dicing your tomatoes and onions so you can dice them really small. In my opinion, the smaller the chop, the better!
  • To make this pico de gallo extra delicious, some mashed avocado (or even diced avocado) to make guacamole! Stir it in gently because you don’t want to mash your tomatoes.
  • Other optional add ins include: pineapple, mango, corn, red onion, black beans, red bell pepper, or serrano peppers.

Pico vs. Salsa

The biggest difference between pico de gallo and salsa is that pico is fresh and uncooked. Pico de gallo is sometimes referred to as “salsa fresco.” Another difference between the two is that salsa is generally thinner in its consistency with more liquid, pico is chunky. Each ingredient really gets its on moment to shine in this dish. And when you take a bite, they all mingle together in harmony, while each chunk takes a solo moment as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where did the term pico de gallo originate?

This salsa dates back to the Aztec age. People believe the term, which means “beak of the rooster” in Spanish, comes from the fact that people would eat it with their thumb and pointer finger like a rooster’s beak.

How do I store leftovers?

Store leftover pico in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Read Next:75+ Best Mexican Recipes

Serve it on the Side

As we mentioned, this is the best pico de gallo recipe for all kinds of Mexican dishes, such as in the Cafe Rio/Costa Vida recipes. You can also try it on the side of our Shredded Beef Taquitos for some added zip. It works well with our Easy Chicken Tacos too. And these Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas are always hit.

How to Make Pico De Gallo

Pico de Gallo

5 from 8 votes
This Pico de Gallo (aka Salsa Fresca) is definitely my go-to pico de gallo recipe. Diced tomatoes and onions with just the right amount of jalapeño.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Mexican/Spanish
Servings 8

Ingredients

  • 5 tomatoes vine-ripened, finely diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt or to taste
  • 1 onion finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 bunch cilantro finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chopped jalapeño (fresh or canned)
  • 1/2 lime juiced
  • 5 shakes green Tabasco sauce

Instructions

  • In a medium-sized bowl, toss diced tomatoes with Kosher salt until salt is evenly distributed.
  • Add remaining ingredients and stir together well.
  • If you decide to refrigerate the pico to allow flavors to combine, be sure to let it get to room temperature before serving (trust me, it is better at room temp).

Notes

  • Be sure to use a really sharp knife when dicing your tomatoes and onions so you can dice them really small. In my opinion, the smaller the chop, the better!
  • To make this pico de gallo extra delicious, some mashed avocado (or even diced avocado) to make guacamole! Stir it in gently because you don’t want to mash your tomatoes.
  • Other optional add ins include: pineapple, mango, corn, red onion, black beans, red bell pepper, or serrano peppers.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 24kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 141mgPotassium: 221mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 748IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 14mgIron: 1mg

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About the author

Erica Walker

Erica lives in Boise, Idaho with her husband, Jared, an attorney, and her three beautiful girls. Beyond the world of recipes, she loves adventuring with everything from kayaking, to cruising, to snowboarding and taking the family along for the thrill ride.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    You can’t beat homemade pico and this one is so delicious! We made a more mild version for the kiddos and added more jalapeño to the adult version. Everyone loved it!

  2. 5 stars
    I’d never made pico before but this was so easy! Everyone in my family loved it. We’ll never have Taco Tuesday again without making this recipe! 🙂

  3. 5 stars
    This pico de gallo is so easy! We made it last week and we’re making it again for Taco Tuesday tomorrow! The lime juice makes it so good!

  4. 5 stars
    I’ve made this numerous times and love it. Find myself craving it!! Love having the ability to make it since I no longer have a Cafe Rio near me.

  5. How many cups does this recipe make? I need to make about 30 cups for a fundraiser dinner and am not sure how many times to double this recipe.

  6. I love your Cafe Rio Tortilla soup recipe and thought I would take a look at this recipe. Cafe Rio has both PIco and Salsa Fesca – they are not the same thing, this looks more like the PIco de Gallo. The salsa fresca is to die for, hot and not chunky. If you haven’t tried it you should! It is something you have to ask for at our Cafe Rio. And if by chance you make your recipe I would love to try it!

    Thank you for all the amazing recipes!
    Jen

    1. Yes, this is definitely not the fresca, it is the pico – if you do get the fresca as described above let me know – would love to make at home!