Pico De Gallo
This pico de gallo is the fresh, chunky tomato salsa you can make whenever you want something bright on the table in under 20 minutes. It takes six simple ingredients, a sharp knife, and zero cooking. Ripe Roma tomatoes, crunchy white onion, spicy jalapeño, grassy cilantro, and fresh lime juice are all it takes — the real trick is in how you cut everything and how you season it.
Equipment
- Sharp chef's knife for clean, even dicing
- Large cutting board with plenty of room to work
- Glass mixing bowl that will not stain or hold onto odors
- Citrus juicer to get every drop of lime juice
- Fine-mesh strainer for draining extra tomato liquid
- Airtight glass storage container for leftovers
- Disposable food prep gloves for handling jalapeños (optional)
- Small spoon for scooping out tomato seeds
- Measuring spoons
- Rubber spatula for gently folding the ingredients together
Ingredients
- 6 medium Roma tomatoes about 1 1/2 pounds or 680g, cored and seeded
- 1/2 medium white onion about 1/2 cup or 75g, finely diced
- 1 jalapeños 1 to 2 peppers, seeds and ribs removed, finely minced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro about 15g, leaves and tender stems, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice from 1 to 2 limes, about 30ml
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- Restaurant-style tortilla chips for serving
Instructions
- Rinse the tomatoes, jalapeños, cilantro, and limes under cool running water and dry them well. Set your cutting board on a damp paper towel so it does not slide, and place the mixing bowl, knife, spoon, juicer, and gloves within easy reach.
- Cut each tomato in half lengthwise, cut out the hard core, and scoop out the seeds and watery gel with a small spoon. Lay each half cut side down, slice into 1/4 inch strips, then turn and cut crosswise into 1/4 inch cubes. Let the diced tomatoes drain in a fine mesh strainer for about 5 minutes, then add them to the mixing bowl.
- Peel the onion, keep the root end intact, and place it flat side down. Slice vertically into thin strips, then cut across to make a fine 1/4 inch dice. Rinse the diced onion under cold water for about 30 seconds, pat dry, and add it to the bowl with the tomatoes.
- Put on disposable gloves, slice off the stems, and cut each jalapeño in half lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds and white ribs with a small spoon, slice the halves into thin strips, then mince into tiny rice-sized pieces. Start with 1 jalapeño for mild to medium heat and add the second only if you like it spicy, then stir into the bowl.
- Gather the cilantro into a tight bunch and trim off the thick, woody bottom stems. Slice through the leaves and tender stems, rocking the blade back and forth until finely chopped. Measure out 1/2 cup and add it to the bowl, avoiding over-chopping so the cilantro does not bruise and turn dark.
- Roll the limes firmly on the counter, cut them in half, and squeeze with a citrus juicer until you have 2 tablespoons of juice. Pour the lime juice over the vegetables, sprinkle in the kosher salt, and gently fold everything together with a rubber spatula without mashing the tomatoes. Taste and add more salt or lime juice if needed.
- Cover the bowl and let the pico de gallo rest at room temperature for 30 minutes so the flavors can blend, or chill it in the refrigerator for the same amount of time if you prefer it cold. Stir gently, taste once more, and adjust the salt, lime juice, or jalapeño until bright and balanced.
- Transfer the pico de gallo to a serving bowl and set it out with a big basket of tortilla chips. Use a slotted spoon when serving to leave extra juices behind, and store any leftovers in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator right after the meal.
Notes
- Choose Roma tomatoes: They are meaty and less watery than round slicing tomatoes, so they hold their shape in the salsa.
- Always seed the tomatoes: The seeds and gel are what make pico watery, so scoop them out before dicing.
- Cut everything to the same size: A uniform 1/4 inch dice gives you a perfect mix of flavors in every scoop.
- Rinse the onion: A quick cold water rinse removes the harsh sulfur bite and keeps the onion crisp.
- Use fresh lime juice: Bottled juice tastes flat and slightly bitter next to freshly squeezed limes.
- Season at the end: Salt draws moisture out of tomatoes, so add it once everything is mixed, then taste again after resting.
- Control the heat: Most of the spice lives in the seeds and white ribs, so leave a few in if you want extra kick, or use only half a pepper for a milder pico.
- Do not skip the rest time: Thirty minutes lets the lime, salt, and aromatics melt into the tomatoes.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and drain off any extra liquid before serving. Pico does not freeze well because the tomatoes turn soft and watery once thawed.
- Make ahead: You can prep it up to 3 hours before serving, or chop the ingredients a day ahead and mix the lime juice and salt in just before serving.
- Variations: Try mango, pineapple, avocado, garlic, corn and black bean, chili lime, or red onion variations for a fresh twist.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 16kcalCarbohydrates: 3.6gProtein: 0.8gFat: 0.2gSodium: 148mgFiber: 1.1gSugar: 2.3gVitamin C: 15mg
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