Best Pico De Gallo Recipe {Fresh Tomato Salsa}

It’s a happy day because the Best Pico de Gallo recipe sits at your fingertips right now. Pico de Gallo is the classically simple, fresh tomato salsa that’s made with only a few ingredients and tastes amazing over tacos, burritos, enchiladas, salads, and…chips!

  • 5 from 1 vote
  • 21 comments
  • Jump to recipe
pico de gallo recipe fresh salsa recipe what is pico de gallo

Pico de Gallo Recipe

I might be the greediest Pico de Gallo eater anyone has ever met. When I go to Chipotle, I nicely beg for triple scoops of their mild fresh tomato salsa, which is essentially pico de gallo. Ditto goes for pretty much any Mexican style restaurant I step into – I can’t help but ask for extra pico de gallo to use on everything.

You all know that I’m unabashedly fond of food that’s easy to make, fresh and healthy-ish, and… it absolutely must win over the taste buds.

This restaurant style pico de gallo recipe fits the bill. It’s the easiest, most delicious way to make your favorite dishes explode with flavor. This classically simple salsa uses a handful of ingredients and is done in a handful of minutes.

If I could only eat just a handful of chips with this stuff…

pico de gallo recipe fresh salsa recipe what is pico de gallo

What is Pico de Gallo

Pico de Gallo is basically a pure and simple form of Mexican salsa that consists of 5 ingredients: fresh tomatoes, chopped cilantro, chopped onions, diced jalapeño (or serrano,) and freshly squeezed lime juice. It’s traditionally seasoned with just salt; sometimes an addition like chopped avocado can be added, but it’s delicious in its classic form.

The main difference between Pico de Gallo and other salsas like this blender version is that many salsas contain plenty of liquid. Pico de Gallo, on the other hand, is simply chopped and left chunky as-is.

How to make Pico de Gallo

Because there are only a few basic ingredients in pico de Gallo, you’ll want to be sure to use quality, super fresh ingredients.

Most recipes call for Roma tomatoes, but in the summer we highly recommend taking advantage of various sweet cherry tomatoes, ripe off the vine. If you’re lucky enough to either grow your own or nab them from a local farmers market, they truly offer the best flavor. They’re sweet, crisp, and bursting with irresistible tomato flavor.

We use sweet white onions in our pico de Gallo, as it’s the classic choice and offers a bit of sweetness to the mix. However, red onions are fine and they’ll provide a pop of pretty purple in your pico.

Not to be forgotten are the fresh green cilantro leaves and juicy limes. We use plenty of both in our pico de Gallo. If I make this for others, I just the leaves of cilantro. When it’s just for me, I love including chopped cilantro stems as well; I’m a total cilantro monster.

Oh, and a fresh jalapeño or two gives a nice kick to this fresh salsa. I always use gloves to remove the seeds, prior to dicing the peppers.

Pico de Gallo is a wash, chop, and mix kind of deal. It’s an easy, quick, and fail proof crowd pleaser.

What to serve with Pico de Gallo

This is the most fun part. Our favorite things to use Pico de Gallo on are:

You’ll Probably Really Like this, too:

Best Pico De Gallo Recipe {Fresh Tomato Salsa}

5 from 1 vote
Print Pin
It's a happy day because the Best Pico de Gallo recipe sits at your fingertips right now. Pico de Gallo is the classically simple, fresh tomato salsa that's made with only a few ingredients and tastes amazing over tacos, burritos, enchiladas, salads, and...chips!
Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 10 mins
Servings: 4 -5 cups

Ingredients  

  • 1 pint sweet cherry tomatoes, diced (drain if desired)
  • 1 small sweet white, or red onion, about 1 cup diced
  • 1 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves
  • 1 large lime, juiced
  • 1-2 fresh jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
  • 1 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, gently fold all ingredients together until well incorporated. Cover, chill, and serve within a couple of hours.

Notes

Feel free to add the zest of your lime, if desired.
Click here to add your own private notes.
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: Mexican

Did you make this?

Leave a comment below and tag @chewoutloud on Instagram

Scrumptious Salsas:

Mango Black Bean Salsa Dip– it’s zesty, slightly sweet, and unbelievably refreshing. You may never go back to “regular” salsa again.

Restaurant Style Salsa – ever wondered how restaurants make their salsas just-so? Here’s the secret.

Chunky Salsa with Corn – this super satisfying chunky salsa is perfection with tortilla chips or paired with your favorite Mexican meal.

Get our free email series: 5 Easy Recipes in 30 Minutes or Less

Plus our newest recipes each week

Instagram
  • Share this post with a cookie lover! 🍪 These sugar cookies are HUGE and dangerously delicious! ✨ Save this post! Full recipe below! 👇 (For Printable Recipe Card and Notes: https://www.chewoutloud.com/best-big-soft-sugar-cookies/) Ingredients: 6 cups all purpose flour 3 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda ¾ teaspoon table salt 1 cup whole sour cream 2 cups granulated sugar 1 cup salted butter, slightly softened* 4 large eggs, room temperature 1 teaspoon almond extract For the Frosting: 1 cup salted butter, slightly softened* 3 cups confectioners' sugar ½ tsp almond extract ½ tsp vanilla extract ⅛ tsp salt 2 TB milk Instructions: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to combine. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed, beat the sour cream, sugar, butter, eggs, and almond extract until well combined. Using a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the sour cream mixture until fully combined. The dough will be somewhat sticky. Cover the bowl, and chill the dough in the fridge for an hour or until it is firm enough to roll out. Lightly flour a working surface. Divide the chilled dough into quarters, and roll out one quarter at a time, keeping the remaining dough in the fridge until ready to use. Roll each quarter to ¼ inch thickness, and use a cookie cutter 2-inch in diameter to cut out circles. Preheat the oven to 250F, and position the rack on the lower middle position. Arrange the cookie dough on parchment or silicone-lined baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between each cookie. Bake 8-10 minutes or until the cookies are a light golden-pale color. Do not overbake! Cool on the cookie sheet 10-15 minutes before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the butter for 3-4 minutes or until it is light and fluffy. Add the sugar, and continue to whisk until well combined. Add the almond extract, vanilla extract, and salt, and whisk on medium-high speed until fully incorporated. Add one tablespoon of milk at a time until the desired consistency is achieved. If desired, whisk in food coloring.
  • Ham lover? This recipe is a MUST TRY! ✨ Skip the store bought ham for the holidays this year, and make your own! 🎄 Save this post! Full recipe below! 👇 (For Printable Recipe Card and Notes: https://www.chewoutloud.com/honey-baked-ham/) Ingredients: 4-5 lbs ham, spiral-sliced, fully cooked 1 cup apple cider ¼ cup brown sugar, firmly packed ¼ cup whole grain mustard, prepared mustard jar with whole mustard seeds ¼ cup honey Instructions: Preheat: Heat oven to 350F with rack on lower position. Make Sauce: Mix together apple cider, brown sugar, mustard, and honey in a bowl. Mix well to fully incorporate basting sauce. Bake: Place ham in a 13×9 baking dish. Coat ham with a generous amount of sauce. Bake for 60-70 minutes, basting thoroughly every 15 minutes. Serve: To serve pre-cut slices of ham, arrange slices neatly on a serving dish and brush leftover sauce all over ham slices and serve. (If serving ham whole, be sure to have leftover sauce available for drizzling. The sauce is what makes this ham so great!) Follow @chewoutloud for more delicious recipes! #makeitdelicious #scrumptiouskitchen #bhgcelebrate #onthetable #dailyfoodpic #homemade #hereismyfood #whatsonmyplate #getinmybelly #foodblogfeed #lovefood #igfoodies #instafood #instayum #easyrecipes #foodblogeats #imsomartha #mywilliamsonoma #abmfoodie #whatweeat #makemore #f52grams #f52community #tohfoodie #eatsharerepeat #foodblogeats
  • Save this post for your Christmas parties! 🎄 Just 3 ingredients make these buttery, moist and insanely delicious cookies! ✨ Save this post! Full recipe below! 👇 (For Printable Recipe Card and Notes: https://www.chewoutloud.com/3-ingredient-buttery-shortbread-cookies/) Ingredients: 2 cups salted butter, cold and cut into pieces 1 cup light brown sugar, tightly packed 4 ½ cups all purpose flour, divided Optional: sprinkles to suit any occasion throughout the year Instructions: In the bowl of a stand mixer, add butter and brown sugar. Using paddle attachment on medium-high speed, mix until fluffy and light, several minutes. Add only 3 1/2 cups of the flour and mix on medium-low speed until combined. On a large board, sprinkle 1/2 cup flour to keep dough from sticking to the board. Use rubber spatula to transfer dough to the board. Knead dough by hand for 5 minutes, adding only as much of the remaining 1/2 cup flour as needed to make a soft dough, while continuing to knead by hand. The dough should end up soft and pliable, similar to play-dough, not sticky. Work in desired amount of sprinkles, if using. Important Note: You may not end up using all the flour, depending on how your dough feels; it's important to stop adding flour as soon as your dough feels like soft play dough. Divide dough into thirds, wrap tightly, and chill for at least 30 minutes or until firm enough to roll and cut shapes. Meanwhile, reheat oven to 325F, with rack on lower middle position. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats; set aside. Roll one-third of the dough out to about 1/2 inch thickness – lightly flour board if needed. Either cut into 3×1 rectangular strips, triangles, or use cookie cutters (I like 1-2" cookie cutters, but feel free to use your favorites). Place each cookie 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Poke cookies with fork on top for a design, if not using sprinkles. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. For smaller cookies, bake closer to 15 minutes; bake longer for larger shapes. Repeat with the remaining dough, working in batches so dough stays chilled and workable. Cool completely on wire rack before serving.
  • TAG a friend to try this tender, easy, and delicious Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash recipe. Yes, it is a few days before Christmas but fall dishes never end in our home.🍂✨❤️🍂 Save this post: Ingredients List 👇🏼 1 butternut squash, large, peeled/seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes 3 TB olive oil 2 TB brown sugar, tightly packed 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper Instructions: Preheat oven to 425F with rack on upper middle position. Line baking sheet with heavy duty foil. In a large bowl, toss the squash with remaining ingredients until thoroughly coated. Transfer to foil-lined baking sheet, in a single layer, without overcrowding the pieces. Roast about 40 minutes, rotating pan midway during baking. When edges are browned and cubes are fork-tender, remove from oven immediately. You may want to start checking squash around 35 minutes, just to ensure that they don’t become overcooked. (For printable recipe cards and notes, click on today's story.... or simply google "chewoutloud roasted butternut squash") ✨For more delicious recipes FOLLOW 👉"@chewoutloud" #butternutsquash #butternutsquashrecipes #healthyfood #healthyeating #healthyrecipes #eatwell #fromscratch #recipeoftheday #easydinner #easyrecipes #dinnerideas #tasty #delicious #cooking #homecooking #cookingtime #fallrecipes #huffposttaste #buzzfeast #eater #foodblogger #feedfeed #todayfood #nytcooking #cookinglight #f52grams #foodblogfeed #thefeedfeed
  • Save this post for your next Christmas party! This cranberry prosecco recipe is warm, cozy and full of Christmas flavor! 🎄✨ Save this post! Full recipe below! 👇 (For Printable Recipe Card and Notes: https://www.chewoutloud.com/sparkling-cranberry-prosecco-cocktail/) Ingredients: 5 oz cold Prosecco 2 TB Grand Marnier 2 TB cold sweetened cranberry juice or juice blend Optional: lime wedges and cranberries for garnish Instructions: Combine Prosecco, Grand Marnier, and cranberry juice in a champagne flute or cocktail glass of your choice. Add a splash of lime if desired. Garnish as desired with lime wedges and cranberries. Stir gently and serve. Follow @chewoutloud for more delicious recipes! ✨ #drinkrecipe #drinkrecipes #cocktail #drinkphotography #foodandwine #drinks #cocktailrecipes #cocktailsofinstagram #drinkstagram #foodblogfeed #drinkoftheday #cocktailtime #cocktailsdaily #mixologyguide #Christmascocktail #Christmasrecipe #Christmasdrink
  • Are you a cookie lover? These Buttery Jam Thumbprint Cookies are here and ready to make your hearts happy ❤️ These cookies have been crowned “The Most Pinned Holiday Cookie,” as featured on Good Morning America and ABC News. ✨ Save this post: Ingredients List 👇 1 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened* and sliced 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar, plus 1/4 cup more for dusting 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 1 tsp almond extract ½ tsp table salt 2 cups all purpose flour ½ cup real fruit preserves* (For printable recipe cards and notes, click on today's story.... or simply google "chewoutloud jam thumbprint cookies") ✨For more delicious recipes FOLLOW 👉"@chewoutloud" #cookies #thumbprintcookies #dessert #sweets #delicious #baking #bakinglove #eatwell #fromscratch #recipeoftheday #easyrecipes #tasty #delicious #huffposttaste #buzzfeast #eater #foodblogger #feedfeed #todayfood #f52grams #foodblogfeed #thefeedfeed