This Easy Pico de Gallo Recipe can be made in just a few minutes using fresh tomatoes, onion, peppers, garlic, cilantro, lime and lemon. It adds the perfect amount of flavor and kick to any dish!
This recipe is a family favorite and we’ve been making it for years! If you like spicy or foods with a little kick to them, you’ll love this recipe and it’s so easy to make!
The funny this is, this recipe has been on my blog since 2013 but the images were AWFUL so I decided to update my post and redirected the old recipe to this recipe instead. Seriously, look how bad my old photos were here.
Crazy, right?
So, now that this recipe looks more appetizing you should know, it’s the perfect pairing to Cinco de Mayo and with it being just a few days away, I couldn’t have shared/updated this at a better time.
If you’re looking for more Mexican inspired dishes, make sure you also check out: Chicken Avocado Salsa, Easy Crockpot Chili, Bite Sized Tacos, and Simple Oven Tacos. Also give this Strawberry Salsa a try!
Back to this Pico de Gallo recipe – by the way, did you know the “de” in the name, is always lowercase? I had no idea until recently. There is a little fun fact for your day.
Before I share my super secret (it’s really not) tasty recipe with you, I wanted to share with you a few questions and answers I found while researching Pico de Gallo, after all, I wanted to get this information right…
Why is it called pico de gallo?
According to information I found online, when translated in Spanish, pico de gallo means “beak of rooster.”
Some believe this is because it was originally eaten by pinching between the thumb and finger (or two fingers), making the shape of a rooster’s beak while eating. (Source)
What are some good ways to make and prepare pico de gallo?
Well, you didn’t land here for any other reason, right? I have the best way to prepare Pico de Gallo by using my recipe.
However, there really is a few basic ingredients you need to make Pico de Gallo and then everything else, you can add-in or swap out depending on the taste you are trying to achieve.
The most basic ingredients you need are: tomatoes, onion, cilantro, lime and garlic.
You can then add different peppers for spiciness, other fruits/vegetables for taste, and even lemon to add a little more zest.
What do some people say Cilantro tastes like soap?
I’ll admit, I am one of those people, my husband, not so much.
Some people are genetically able to perceive cilantro as soap due to an olfactory-receptor gene that allows them to strongly smell and taste the soapy-flavored aldehydes in cilantro leaves.
While I am one of those people, I can eat cilantro as long as it’s mixed in something such as this recipe.
Okay, now that we’ve covered the bases so to speak, let’s get to my recipe…
To make Easy Pico de Gallo (that has a little kick to it) you’ll need:
- Roma Tomatoes
- Fresh Bunch of Cilantro
- Large White Onion (you can also use red onion)
- Lemon
- Limes
- Jalapeno Chili Pepper (adjust as needed)
- Habanero Chili Pepper (adjust as needed)
- Serrano Chili Pepper
- Garlic Salt (you can also use fresh garlic and regular salt)
Oh and if you haven’t already, get chips – lots of chips.
Tortilla chips are always a safe bet but I totally love these Food Should Taste Good Multigrain Chips. They have just the right amount of salt and are gluten-free. (They do also carry the organic kind at Costco)
Now, when making your salsa, you can finely chop your tomatoes, onion, cilantro and peppers. I like to medium chop mine.
What I mean is, I like my overall Pico de Gallo to be chunky but not too chunky that I only get a piece or two on a single chip.
That is No Bueno (not good in Spanish).
So, chop all your vegetables and place into a large bowl. Then squeeze your lemon and lime juice over the vegetables. The last thing to do is add your garlic salt (or salt) and toss all your ingredients.
You can then eat this dip right away or refrigerate for later (I like to enjoy mine really cold).
You can make this Pico de Gallo and use it as a topper in a variety of recipes including tacos, chili, and even nachos!
I promise you, this will be your next favorite Mexican food recipe and you don’t need to visit a Mexican restaurant to get your fix.
Easy Pico de Gallo Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 Roma Tomatoes
- Fresh Bunch of Cilantro
- 1 Large White Onion
- 2 Lemons
- 2 Limes
- 1 Jalapeno Chili Pepper adjust as needed
- 1 Habanero Chili Pepper adjust as needed
- 2 Serrano Chili Pepper
- Garlic Salt you can also use fresh garlic and regular salt, add to taste
Instructions
- Dice the Roma Tomatoes, Onion, Chili Peppers, and Cilantro.
- Combine ingredients in a large bowl and sprinkle with Garlic Salt.
- Cut Lemon and Limes into halves and squeeze juices over the other ingredients.
- Mix well and allow the salsa to chill for about an hour in the fridge.
- Serve up the Salsa in a cute Margarita Glass (if you prefer) and Enjoy!
Nutrition information is a rough estimate only; actual values will vary based on the exact ingredients used and amount of recipe prepared.