Pico De Gallo

Pico de gallo is a classic Mexican chunky salsa dip recipe made with fresh ingredients like tomatoes, onions, cilantro, jalapeno, and lime. Use it as a dip with chips, tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, or salad.

Mexicans obviously enjoy their accompaniments! That's a key component of their food. They season and spice their dishes with salsa, mole, and hot sauce. It's all about the delightful kick! This article has an interesting recipe for pico de gallo dip.

Pico de gallo also refered as “salsa fresca” or “salsa cruda” is a delicious fresh Mexican salsa made from freshly chopped tomatoes, red onions, jalapeños, cilantro, lime juice, and salt.

It makes a great party appetizer with tortilla chips or is ideal for adding a blast of freshness to tacos, nachos, fries, or any dish that requires a little kick!  A great recipe for Cinco de Mayo.

However, some people think that pico de gallo and salsa recipes are one and the same thing. We are here to clear this myth. 

Pico de Gallo vs. Salsa

So, the fundamental distinction between pico de gallo and salsa is their texture. Pico de gallo is chunky and created from fresh ingredients such as tomatoes, onions, and cilantro. Salsa, on the other hand, can vary in texture, from smooth to chunky, and is frequently blended. Both are excellent, but pico de gallo has a refreshing, crisp bite!

Ingredients

• Tomatoes: Use fresh, ripened Roma or plum tomatoes for the best texture and flavor. Just make sure to scoop out the seeds. You may also use cherry, or grape tomatoes.
• Onion: You may use either red, white, or yellow onions. A traditional pico de gallo recipe uses white onion.
• Cilantro: Use fresh cilantro for the best flavor.
• Jalapeño pepper: Adjust the quantity depending on how spicy you like it. If you like it extra spicy, keep the seeds in it. You could also use Serrano peppers.
• Lime Juice: Use fresh squeezed lime juice, it brightens the flavor. If you don’t have lime, use lemon juice.
• Seasoning: Salt and freshly ground black pepper for seasoning.

How to Make Pico De Gallo

Chop all the ingredients. In a bowl, add diced tomatoes, onions, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper.

Stir everything together. You can wait for 10-15 minutes for all the flavors to blend. For more intense flavor, chill for up to 1-2 hours before serving. Serve it with tortilla chips.

Serving Suggestions

You can serve pico de gallo as a dip with tortilla chips or top it over tacos, fajitas, burritos, or salads.

How to Store?

• Make ahead: You can chop tomatoes, onions, jalapeno, and cilantro and store them together in a container. When you are ready to serve, combine with lime juice and salt, 10-15 minutes before serving.
• Refrigerator: Homemade pico de gallo tastes best when served fresh. However, you can store the leftovers in an air-tight glass container for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.

Tips & Notes

• Spiciness: You can adjust the spiciness according to your preference. To make it milk, remove the seeds and ribs of peppers. To make the dip spicy, leave out the seeds.
• Serve Immediately: For best results, serve the dip immediately after the preparation. The longer it sits, the salt will draw water from the tomatoes, leaving a watery salsa.
• Type of Tomatoes: Fresh, ripened Roma or plum tomatoes work great in this recipe. Even grape or cherry tomatoes work great well. Make sure to remove the seeds before dicing them. Canned tomatoes do not work well.

Variations

• Other fruits or veggies: You can replace the tomatoes with diced strawberries, avocadoes, mango, pineapple, watermelon, or sweet corn.
• Spices: You can add a pinch of cumin powder.
• Beans: You can also add some black beans for texture and nutrition.

More Mexican Recipes

• Cilantro Lime Rice
• Mexican Black Beans
• Guacamole
• Spicy Mexican Rice
• Vegetarian Chili
• Taco Pasta
• Quinoa Black Bean Salad
• Avocado Cilantro Dressing

More Dips & Sauce Recipes

• Avocado Cilantro Dip
• Sour Cream Dip
• Sriracha Mayo
• Greek Yogurt Dip
• Homemade Ranch Dressing
• Green Tomato Chutney
• Thai Peanut Sauce

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