Mild, bright, chunky and flavorful, Pico de Gallo (also known as Salsa Fresca) is a delightful recipe you should try immediately. Perfect for serving with your favorite Mexican meals or eating straight from the bowl with tortilla chips, this yummy salsa is currently our go-to seasonal favorite.
Recipe Snapshot
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cook time: Not specified
- Total time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2
- Category: Appetizer, Side Dish
- Cuisine: Mexican, World
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)
Method
Prep & Assemble
- Finely chop the onion, garlic and the peppers or chillies. Transfer to a bowl.
- Next finely chop the tomatoes and add to bowl with the aromatics.
- Chop coriander leaves (cilantro) - you need about 3 tablespoons. Add to the same bowl.
- Add lemon juice and salt as needed.
- Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil. Mix thoroughly.
- Serve Pico de Gallo as a dip with tortilla chips, or use as a topping for burritos, quesadillas, chimichangas, or nachos. Add to any Mexican inspired plate for an extra pop of fresh flavor.
Make Ahead & Storage
- This batch gets over as soon as you make it. If you have doubled or tripled the recipe, I suggest to add salt and mix just before you serve the Salsa Fresca or Pico de Gallo.
- Meanwhile mix all the ingredients without salt and refrigerate until you are ready to serve.
- The Salsa Fresca keeps well for about a day when refrigerated.
Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note
Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.