Pico de Gallo – fresh salsa with tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, lime juice and cilantro. Easy, authentic no-cook Mexican recipe!

This is a simple recipe for authentic Pico de Gallo – fresh tomato salsa – loaded with bold, delicious flavor.

With only a few fresh ingredients, this raw salsa is always a hit and tastes a bazillion times better than anything you’ll find in stores.

Why I love this recipe:

With fresh summer produce everywhere, it’s the perfect appetizer.
Vibrant flavors and a healthy option to heavier appetizers.
Takes any Mexican recipe to the next level.
It’s delicious — and you control the spice level.

What’s in Pico de Gallo?

For the best Pico de Gallo – and because we’re only using a handful of ingredients, use the freshest ingredients available to you.

ripe tomatoes
jalapeno pepper
white onion
vegetable oil
white vinegar
fresh lime juice from whole lime
sea salt
fresh cilantro

What is Pico de Gallo?

This is a classic recipe for a chunky salsa with tomatoes, jalapeno, onion, cilantro and a burst of lime juice.

What kind of tomatoes are best for Pico de Gallo?

If you’re lucky enough to have ripe, red tomatoes from your garden or local farm stand, that’s my first choice.

Any larger, easy-slicing tomatoes from the grocery store work well too, such as beef steak, Roma or plum tomatoes.

Avoid cherry or grape tomatoes. They have a place in other recipes – just not this one.

How to make Pico de Gallo:

Dice the tomatoes and onions into small pieces removing excess pulp from the tomatoes.

Seed and finely mince the jalapeno and finely chop the cilantro.

Add tomatoes and jalapeno to a medium bowl along with the olive oil, vinegar, lime juice and salt. NOTE: start with the juice from half of the lime, adding more to taste.

Gently stir chopped ingredients to combine then transfer to an airtight container (or cover with plastic wrap). Refrigerate several hours for best flavor (up to overnight).

Serve chilled or room temperature. Just add a bag of your favorite tortilla chips! For topping your favorite Mexican cuisine, use a slotted spoon to remove excess liquid.

What to serve with fresh salsa:

This light, healthy recipe makes a really delicious appetizer served up with tortilla chips.

It’s also a great addition to all your favorite Mexican dishes including any of the recipes below:

overhead view black plate quartered quesadillas with sliced avocado

What to do with leftover salsa:

Store leftover salsa in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days.

Drain excess liquid before serving.

Subs and variations to this recipe:

There are really only a couple of subs for this simple recipe:

White onion, yellow onion or even red onion can be used in this recipe.
Serrano peppers or even habanero pepper can be used instead of jalapenos for a spicier salsa.

Enjoy!

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