Homemade Pico de Gallo Recipe
Fresh tomatoes chopped then tossed with onion, cilantro, jalapeño and lime juice is the secret to the best Pico de Gallo recipe. The simplest and best way to enjoy fresh produce. This easy dip is bright, juicy and irresistible.
Pico de Gallo
Last night, I found myself with a giant heaping pile of nachos in front of me for dinner. It was hot, sticky and I was wearing a long-sleeved black shirt. (The shirt was really soft though….it didn’t help.) I didn’t feel like cooking and my sister wanted to go out, we had Landon in tow so we needed to find a place suitable for a tired, cranky boy who just spent most of the day on the beach. But refused to take a nap. Even though he desperately needed one.
And that’s how I found myself with a mountain of nachos in front of me. The plan was to share it with my sister but once it came out from the kitchen…it was no longer as desirable as it sounded when I ordered it. It was just too.much.stuff. We picked at it and hardly made a dent. I should have taken a picture to show you the ridiculousness of these nachos and posted it on Instagram but I get lazy when it’s hot.
What I really needed was waiting for me right at home. Simple and juicy, The best Pico de Gallo Salsa is everything summer is about. I’m a tomato snob so this is my favorite time of year. When tomatoes shine all on their own and don’t need to be roasted, toasted or smashed to make them taste good.
What is Pico de Gallo?
It’s the time of year when you can slice into a slightly chilled tomato and then salivate because the juices just pour out all over the cutting board. When you can just sprinkle lightly with a bit of sea salt or balsamic vinegar or both….and then enjoy the taste of sunshine dancing on your tastebuds.
When tomatoes are ripe from the vine (or you can find some REALLY amazing tomatoes at the store), it’s the best time to make this Salsa Fresca recipe.
Pico de Gallo is simply a fresh tomato salsa. The name, Pico de Gallo, means “beak of rooster.” That’s all I got….I don’t even know what to think of that but it’s still really tasty!
The ingredients in Pico de Gallo are simple with chopped tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, cilantro, salt and lime juice tossed together in a bowl. It’s a little different than restaurant style salsas in that it’s not pureed in a blender. It’s fresh, light and sooo easy to make. It’s common in Mexican cuisine and we love to top these easy Chicken breasts with a big heaping spoonful to add some extra flavor during the week.
How to Make It
This easy salsa recipe is an “everyone into the bowl” type of deal. Simply add the tomatoes, onions, jalapeno (or a traditional serrano pepper), lime juice, cilantro and salt.
If you have the time…..let your salsa sit just a bit to allow all the flavors to mingle and get happy.
Also, lime juice is a wonderful thing….just take this little test. Make this Fresh Tomato Salsa….and then stop right before you toss in the lime zest and juice. Take a bite, and then stir in the juice and zest. Take another bite. And then another….and another. You’ll know what I’m talking about.
Those tomatoes taste amazing on their own but a little hit of acid in the form of fruity lime juice will elevate them to a superior level. It’s a wonderful thing.
With that BIG GAME right around the corner, you need to have this recipe at the ready. This easy Pico de Gallo requires no cooking and is ready to eat in just 5 minutes. That’s right. You could be eating in less time it takes to order a heaping pile of nachos.
What To Serve It With
Serve with my Grilled Fajita Nachos (less gluttonous than a mountain of diner nachos) and this Spicy Pineapple Guacamole. That’s a total touchdown in my book. Or just serve it with a pile of homemade Tortilla Chips….they’re crazy easy to make.
We also love it with these easy Sheet Pan Beef Nachos and a big bowl of homemade guacamole. Add a Margarita to the mix and you have a real party situation brewing.
More Easy Dip Recipes
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Get the Recipe: Fresh Tomato Salsa
Ingredients
- 3 large plum tomatoes, diced
- 3/4 cup diced vidalia onion
- 2 jalapeños, seeded and minced
- 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- zest and juice of one lime
- kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, toss together the tomatoes, onion, jalapeños, cilantro, zest and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
9 Comments on “Homemade Pico de Gallo Recipe”
Hi, I like to now if you have a gathering of 70 people then how many of the ingrediants do you need to make the salsa like how many onion, how many tomatoes and how many jalapeños.
I would just multiply the ingredients by 7 since the recipe could easily feed about 10 people 1 serving.
Love everything you do! Unbelievable photo’s and commentary. Please keep it up. Your are among the best.
Thank you!
I am a salsa fanatic. Plain and simple. I will try any salsa you put in front of me. But I always love fresh chunky salsa, like yours, the most. So thanks for another excuse to eat salsa, because I mean I’ve got to try yours. Right. 😉
I love a really good tomato, too!! This fresh salsa looks amazing!
Thanks so much, Julie! It’s so simple but I just love it in the summer.
Yummy, I’d love some of this right now! Nice choice to use Vidalia!
Thanks so much! I’m a huge Vidalia fan.