Fresh Pico de Gallo

by Sabrina Snyder

Last Update:

49 Comments

4.88 from 8 votes
3 servings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Marinating Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
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This Pico de Gallo is a healthy, naturally fat free salsa that’s perfect to top all of your favorite Mexican meals with. Try making it today!

When it comes to the perfect Mexican dish, the Toppings can make or break it, and there’s no need to worry with this freshly made salsa! For more homemade salsas, try Guapo’s Famous Fresh Pico de Gallo and Restaurant Style Salsa.

pico de gallo on a plate with taco and chips
Recipe Snapshot

Why You’ll Love This Salsa?

  • It’s naturally fat free so you can enjoy this all you want!
  • Easy to make with only 6 fresh ingredients.

Sabrina’s Pico de Gallo Recipe

I could rattle off many reasons why this salsa is great, but nothing will be more convincing than trying it yourself. I almost never make Mexican food in this house without serving it on the side. I especially love making it in the summertime when tomatoes are in their peak ripeness. I promise you will love it!

Recipe Card

Dinner, then Dessert

Fresh Pico de Gallo Recipe

This Pico de Gallo is a healthy, naturally fat free salsa that's perfect to top all of your favorite Mexican meals with. Try making it today!
Yield 3 servings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine Mexican
Author Sabrina Snyder
pico de gallo on a plate with taco and chips
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Ingredients
 

  • 10 plum tomatoes , cut in 1-inch chunks
  • 1 medium red onion , diced finely
  • 2 jalapenos , halved, seeded, and finely sliced
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves , chopped
  • 4 limes
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

  • Add the tomatoes, red onion, jalapenos, and cilantro to a large bowl. Toss.
  • Add the zest of one lime and the juice of all four.
  • Add kosher salt to taste, in ¼ teaspoon increments.
  • Mix between each addition so you can taste for salt.
  • Let sit for 20-30 minutes if you can. Do not refrigerate, the tomatoes will become mealy

Nutrition

Calories: 83kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 791mg | Potassium: 686mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 2227IU | Vitamin C: 70mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 1mg

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Sabrina’s Tips

For the best lime flavor, make sure to use freshly squeezed limes into your salsa. If you are using bottles lime, the flavor may come out flat and not have the fresh zesty taste. Roll your lime on the counter with your hand to help break down the interior. Cut your lime in half and squeeze with your hand or use a handheld juicer.

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About this Recipe

Pico de Gallo salad made with fresh tomatoes, red onions, jalapenos, cilantro and lime juice. You would expect it to be spicy, but the flavors work perfectly and this dish stands out as a delicious side to a great Mexican meal. Go ahead and add some cheese to your tacos because this salad has no fat! You could eat the whole bowl completely guilt free!

Can this be made ahead of time?

Yes, this recipe can be made in advance. After mixing the ingredients together in a large bowl, cover in plastic wrap and store in the fridge. It can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days before the tomatoes become a little soggy. I would recommend letting it sit in the fridge for 2-3 hours before serving to let the flavors blend together for better flavor.

Pairing Suggestions

When indulging in a filling rich main dish, I like to pair it with lighter sides made with fresh veggies. This recipe fits the bill perfectly! Try a main course like Beef Enchiladas or a Steak Burrito. Pair with other light sides like Mexican Corn Salad and Chipotle Lime Chips & Guacamole. Top it all off with the salsa and everyone will be asking for this meal again and again!

How to Store

  • Serve: This salsa is best served up fresh and chilled, so you shouldn’t leave it out for longer than abut 2 hours.
  • Store: You can keep Pico de Gallo stored in the fridge for 2-3 days before it starts to get a mushy. Make sure to keep it wrapped up in plastic wrap or in an airtight container.
  • Freeze: I wouldn’t recommend freezing this Pico recipe because the tomatoes won’t keep their texture when they defrost.

Ideas to Serve

One of the best things about Mexican food is loading it up with toppings like sour cream, cheese, and guacamole. If you’re serving a large crowd, this recipe is great to add to a taco or Nacho bar. I would suggest making a double batch since this salsa is sure to go fast!

Frequent Questions

What does “Pico de Gallo” mean?

For those who aren’t all that familiar with Spanish, “Pico de Gallo” literally means “the rooster’s beak.” This adorable nickname is thought by some food historians to have come from the fact that it was originally eaten by hand between the thumb and fore finger kind of like a chicken’s beak.

Can I use canned tomatoes?

I would not recommend canned tomatoes for this recipe. The fresh tomatoes are key to the flavor and texture of this salsa.

Why is my Pico de Gallo watery?

Tomatoes are naturally watery and release the excess liquid as they sit. Make sure to drain your tomatoes after cutting them to prevent your salsa from becoming too watery before serving.

Variations

  • Add ins: You can really add all sorts of veggies and spices to customize your appetizer. Try adding chopped red onion, roma tomatoes, plum tomatoes, corn, black beans, or slices of fresh avocado to the Pico de Gallo.
  • Peppers: Do you crave something a little spicier in your Pico de Gallo? Try chopping up some habanero or serrano peppers and mixing them in. Keep in mind that capsaicin, the chemical in peppers that makes your face feel like it’s melting, is activated by cold temperatures and citrus juice, so start small and work your way up.
  • Spices: Try mixing in a dash of cumin, garlic or onion salt, or some fresh lime juice into this salsa recipe to make it even more delicious.

More Salsa Recipes to Try

pico pin image

Photos used in previous posts:

Collage of prepared salad on plates with tacos
Collage of prepared tomato salad with tacos on plates
Soft taco alongside crispy chips and pico de gallo.

About the Author: Sabrina Snyder

Sabrina is a professionally trained Private Chef of over 10 years with ServSafe Manager certification in food safety. She creates all the recipes here on Dinner, then Dessert, fueled in no small part by her love for bacon.

Sabrina Snyder is a professionally trained personal and private chef of over 10 years who is the creator and developer of all the recipes on Dinner, then Dessert.

She is also the author of the cookbook Dinner, then Dessert – Satisfying Meals Using Only 3, 5 or 7 Ingredients, published by Harper Collins.

She started Dinner, then Dessert as a business in her office as a lunch service for her coworkers who admired her lunches before going to culinary school and becoming a full time personal chef and private chef.

As a personal chef Sabrina would cook for families one day a week and cook their entire week of dinners. All grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning was done along with instructions on reheating. As a private chef she cooked for private parties and cooked in family homes in the evenings for families on a nightly basis after working as a personal chef during the day.

Sabrina has been certified as a ServSafe Manager since 2007 and was a longstanding member of the USPCA Personal Chef Association including being on the board of the Washington DC Chapter of Chefs in the US Personal Chef Association when they won Chapter of the year.

As a member of the community of food website creators Sabrina Snyder has spoken at many conferences regarding her experiences as a food writer including the Indulge Food Conference, Everything Food Conference, Haven Food Conference and IACP Annual Food Professionals Conference.

Sabrina lives with her family in sunny California.

See more posts by Sabrina

Dinner, then Dessert, Inc. owns the copyright on all images and text and does not allow for its original recipes and pictures to be reproduced anywhere other than at this site unless authorization is given. Read my disclosure and copyright policy. This post may contain affiliate links.

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Comments

  3. I bet this tastes amazing! I love that it uses fresh ingredients. Anything adapted from The Pioneer Woman is worth trying! 🙂

    Reply

    1. I have to say I have had a lot of fails when I try blogger recipes, but I can’t think of one of hers that has failed me!

      Reply

  6. Oh my, I can see this being addictive for Mexican dinners at our house. Even though my Mexican cooking is pretty American, this would be great on the side.

    Reply

    1. This usually steals the show in our house which is why I make such a large portion! All 10 tomatoes get eaten in a hurry!

      Reply

  7. I adore a good salad of any variety. Pico de Gallo is definitely a favorite when I am having Mexican inspired dishes.

    Reply

  9. This looks so delicious and refreshing. My family would love it. I will have to try making it tomorrow. I am sure it will be a big hit.

    Reply

  10. This salad looks so delicious and easy to make. I will have to try making this on the weekend for my get together.

    Reply

  16. I have never made pico, but we love it, so I guess i should try! Seems super-simple and quick. Thanks for the recipe…

    Reply

  17. I just so happen to have a few tomatoes sitting on my counter that I need to use ASAP. Done! I love fresh pico de gallo–it’s so easy and so much better than store bought! Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply

  20. OH I wish I could eat Pico De Gallo! I would love it I am sure. My hubby orders it when we go to a restaurant and it smells so good! This looks like such a good recipe!

    Reply

  27. I love homemade pico do gallo, but it gives me wicked heartburn these days, so I have to eat it sparingly.

    Reply