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Pico de gallo is so easy to make yourself and more delicious and fresh than anything you’ll find on a grocery shelf. With juicy tomatoes, tangy onion, kicky jalapeño, and zippy fresh cilantro—plus that magical mix of lime and salt, of course—this classic combo rounds out any Mexican feast in style.
Pico de gallo might be the most classic salsa, and if you’re interested in making more basics from scratch, it is the perfect place to start. It has a simple ingredient list and requires no special techniques. It has massive flavor and goes with absolutely everything. And you will love being able to adjust the seasoning to your own taste.
You’re just a little chopping and a quick stir away from the best salsa ever! This will upgrade your Tex-Mex and Mexican meals forever more.
To make more at home, try my easy guacamole and 5-minute blender salsa recipes next.
Why You’ll Love Homemade Pico de Gallo
- Like all great fresh salsas, it’s absolutely irresistible!
- Simple yet impressive to make yourself
- Delicious with chips or veggies—hello game-day or after-school snack!
- Adds freshness and color to your favorite tacos or enchiladas
- Easy to add more spice, citrus, or salt to taste
- Undeniably more fresh than anything store-bought
Ingredient Notes
Pico de Gallo without Cilantro?
Cilantro is a classic ingredient of this salsa, but some people literally cannot stand the taste of this fresh herb. If that’s you, leave out the cilantro and consider adding extra lime zest, a pinch of cumin, or a splash of red wine vinegar to mimic the citrus tang.
Fresh from Start to Finish
In any recipe, especially a simple one, success begins with the ingredients. No surprise here—the best results come from the most fresh and high-quality inputs.
Tomatoes are the superstar of pico de gallo, and especially easy to grab in the summer when farms and backyard gardens have them in spades. The rest of the year, Roma tomatoes are pretty easy to find and work well because they are substantial, not too watery, and have good flavor. Any variety sold on-the-vine is also a good bet.
Scoop and Chop
My top tip for making pico de gallo is to scoop out the seeds and water from the inside of the tomatoes. This makes the finished salsa much less watery and keeps the best taste and texture much longer.
To do this quickly and easily, first chop each tomato into large quarters, then slice off the square edge from the inside of each quarter. Use a small spoon—a grapefruit spoon works especially well—to quickly scoop out and discard the seeds and juice. Chop the rest of the tomato into small pieces.
You will also want to dice the onion, jalapeño, and cilantro finely. Toss, combine, and never hesitate to add more of anything—especially lime juice and salt—to taste.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
- To Make Ahead: You can make pico de gallo several hours to one day ahead for top quality. In fact, it’s ideal to make it 2-3 hours before serving, so the flavors can mingle. If you want to prep more than one day ahead, chop and store all of the ingredients separately until ready to combine.
- To Store: Although the tomatoes will start breaking down, pico de gallo generally remains OK for up to 3-5 days in the refrigerator. As noted above, the best way I have found to extend its life is to remove all of the seeds and watery insides from the tomatoes when making the pico; this helps a lot!
Pico de Gallo Pairings
Obviously this makes a great snack with chips or topping with tacos. Some of our top-tier pairings are pico de gallo with these recipes:
- Sheet Pan Chipotle Lime Shrimp Fajitas
- Spicy Black Bean Tacos
- Jalapeno Lime Fish Tacos
- Oven-Baked Chicken Black Bean Taquitos
- Crispy Chickpea Tacos with Sunset Slaw
- Easy Ground Chicken Tacos
More Easy Salsa Recipes
Once you get hooked on making your own salsas and dips, it’s fun to experiment with new combos! Try these recipes for mango avocado, pineapple, and black bean salsa next.
Homemade Pico de Gallo
Ingredients
- 4 medium tomatoes, Romas or on-the-vine varieties work well year-round
- 1 small onion, red, yellow, or sweet
- 1/2 small jalapeño pepper, ribs and seeds removed
- 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- juice of 1 lime, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Quarter the tomatoes, scoop out and discard the seeds and liquid, then chop into small pieces. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.4 medium tomatoes
- Finely chop the onion, jalapeño, and cilantro leaves. Add these to the tomatoes.1 small onion, 1/2 small jalapeño pepper, 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- Sprinkle on the lime juice and salt. Stir well to combine, then sample and add more of anything to taste. (More heat=more jalapeño; more tang=more lime juice; more overall flavor=more salt.)juice of 1 lime, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Store tightly-covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- Tomatoes: Roma or on-the-vine tomatoes are reliably plump and juicy year-round.
- Onion: Experiment with red, yellow, or sweet onion to find your favorite. Given the choice, I opt for red onion’s bright color and mild flavor.
- Heat: About half of a medium-sized jalapeño pepper, with the ribs and seeds removed, is enough to give this some pop without major heat. Add more or less to taste. If you want more heat and are out of jalapeño, add a pinch of chili powder or cumin.
- Cilantro: If you have the gene that makes you hate cilantro, just leave it out. Consider adding extra lime zest, a pinch of cumin, or a splash of red wine vinegar to mimic the citrus tang.
- Make Ahead: You can make pico de gallo several hours to one day ahead for top quality. In fact, it’s ideal to make it 2-3 hours before serving, so the flavors can mingle. If you want to prep more than one day ahead, chop and store all of the ingredients separately until ready to combine.
- Storage: Although the tomatoes will start breaking down, pico de gallo generally remains OK for up to 3-5 days in the refrigerator. As noted within the recipe, the best way I have found to extend its life is to remove all of the seeds and watery insides from the tomatoes when making the pico.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally published on February 21, 2018 and has been updated with new photos and more specific tips and tricks.
Aww my mouth is truly watering 🥺 Looks so good! I have to make it tonight to treat myself well xD
I made this for our 4th of July barbecue. I’m originally from Texas. This recipe is similar to the one I grew up with. We added garlic powder and lemon pepper. It’s delicious. Double the recipe.
That’s terrific, so happy to hear it was a hit, and those additions sound delicious! Thank you for leaving this helpful review!
i can’t do onions if i leave them out should i adjust the other ingredients?
No need to adjust the other ingredients but you might consider adding cucumber or something else just for a little crunch. It will taste different but still delish!
That looks so delicious and a perfect gameday eats for me. We love Pica-De-Gallo and I’m pinning your recipe to try soon.
Fresh pico de gallo has to be one of my all time favorite things because it’s so refreshing and makes just about ANYTHING better!