Pico De Gallo Recipe (Salsa Fresca)

Ingredients

• 1 cup/120 grams tomatoes – finely chopped
• 1 to 1½ teaspoon serrano pepper – finely chopped or 1 to 1½ teaspoon chopped jalapeño or green chillies
• ½ cup onions – finely chopped
• ¼ teaspoon garlic – finely chopped or minced, optional
• 3 tablespoons cilantro (coriander leaves) – chopped
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil – optional
• salt according to taste

Steps

Prep & Assemble

1. Finely chop the onion, the garlic if using it, and the peppers or chillies. Put them in a bowl.
2. Finely chop the tomatoes next and add them to the bowl of aromatics.
3. Chop the cilantro, or coriander leaves, to get about 3 tablespoons, then add it to the same bowl.
4. Season with lemon juice and as much salt as needed.
5. If using the extra virgin olive oil, drizzle it over the salsa. Mix everything thoroughly.
6. Offer the pico de gallo with tortilla chips for dipping, or use it to top burritos, quesadillas, chimichangas, or nachos. It can also add a burst of fresh flavor to any Mexican-inspired dish.

Make Ahead & Storage

1. The author says this batch gets eaten as soon as it’s made. For a doubled or tripled batch, the author suggests adding the salt and mixing just before serving the salsa fresca or pico de gallo.
2. In the meantime, mix the ingredients without the salt and refrigerate them until serving time.
3. Refrigerated salsa fresca keeps for about a day.