Classic Pico De Gallo

PSA: Homemade pico de gallo can basically solve everything. Looking for the easiest last-minute appetizer for your potluck party? Pico it. The freshest addition for your nachos spread? Add some pico de gallo. A fast, simple snack to munch on all week long? You know what I’m going to say—pico de gallo is always the answer. Bright and acidic with just a kick of heat, this classic Mexican condiment just might be the easiest dip to prepare (and devour) and tastes leagues better than anything you get at the store. All it takes to make is chopping your ingredients and tossing them together—that's it! In 15 minutes, you'll have an easy, satisfying app on your hands that will boost any and every meal it's served with.

What People Are Saying:
"Used this recipe for a Mexican cook out my husband and I had while camping. It was a hit! It made the tacos taste super authentic. Will def use this recipe again." - kaylatkachuk

"Delicious! This gets rave reviews every time I make it. So fresh." - hlynr

How To Make Classic Pico De Gallo

INGREDIENTS

• Plum Tomatoes: Also known as Roma tomatoes, plum tomatoes are one of my favorite tomatoes for pico de gallo. They’re smaller in size, on the firmer side, and won’t be too overly watery when combining with our other ingredients.
• White Onion: White onions are one of the most versatile onions on the block, and they are a standard addition to so many Mexican standards, pico de gallo being one of them—they add a bit of mild bite that doesn’t compete too much with the peppers.
• Spicy Peppers: I like to use either serrano chiles or a jalapeño in this recipe to add some heat to my pico de gallo. If you prefer more heat, go with the serrano chiles—they pack more of a punch than jalapeños. If you're looking to tame the heat, I suggest seeding your chiles to tone things down. Taste your hot chiles before adding to your salsa, and adjust the amount according to your spice preferences—you can always add more if needed.
• Cilantro: Love it or hate it (I love it), refreshing cilantro in a pico is non-negotiable and packs so much citrusy flavor to the square inch.
• Lime Juice: Freshly squeezed tart lime juice is how we’ll tie together all our fresh produce and herbs.
• Kosher Salt: If you’ve yet to jump on the kosher salt train, now’s the time to do it. Those larger kosher salt crystals will allow you to salt things more evenly and with more control than the smaller crystals of table salt.
  

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

The beauty of pico is you don’t even need any sort of fancy equipment (not even a food processor!) to make it. So once you’ve chopped all of your fresh ingredients (tomatoes, white onion, chiles, and cilantro), simply combine them all in a large bowl and mix with the lime juice and season with salt to taste.

Then all you have to do is grab your favorite tortilla chips and dig in!

The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• How should I use pico de gallo? While pico is delightful simply scooped onto a tortilla chip, I also love a bit spooned onto our nachos supreme, tossed into a salad (our vegan taco salad or Southwestern chopped salad would be great options), or added on top of your favorite tacos. Honestly, this snack is so refreshing, I won't blame you if you just eat it plain with a spoon.
• What's the difference between salsa and pico de gallo? Though pico de gallo and salsa share a lot of the same basic ingredients, where they differ is in their preparation. Pico is a mixture of freshly chopped, raw ingredients that come together simply by combining them in a bowl and stirring—consequently it’s usually a little chunkier. Salsa, on the other hand, has a thinner consistency, and usually has more liquid. It's created by blending all the ingredients together, usually in a food processor, and is much smoother than pico de gallo.
  

Storage & Make Ahead

If you have any leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Alternatively, you can make this side up to 5 days ahead of time and store in the fridge!