Authentic Pico de Gallo (Salsa Fresca)

Authentic Pico de Gallo in White Ceramic Bowl

3.76 from 33 votes

Authentic Pico de Gallo (Salsa Fresca)

This easy to make homemade pico de gallo recipe is a delicious combination of Roma (plum) tomatoes, white onion, cilantro, serrano chile and a splash of lime juice that you will find on every Mexican table. A great vegetarian and vegan option.

Prep Time15

Total Time15

Course: Appetizer, Condiment, Salsa

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: fresh tomato salsa, pico de gallo, salsa bandera, salsa cruda, salsa fresca

Servings: servings

Calories: 21kcal

Author: Douglas Cullen

Equipment

Kitchen knife
Cutting board
Medium-sized serving bowl

Ingredients

4 plum tomatoes seeded and diced (Roma tomatoes)
½ cup white onion finely chopped (about ½ medium onion)
⅓ cup cilantro leaves finely chopped (about 12 sprigs)
2 serrano chiles seeded and finely chopped
1 tablespoon lime juice about the juice of 1 Mexican lime (see notes)
Sea salt to taste ½ to 1 tsp.

Instructions

Cut the tops off the tomatoes and slice them in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and pulp with a teaspoon.
Cut the tops off the serrano chiles, slice them in half lengthwise, and cut out the seeds and veins with the tip of a paring knife.
Remove the cilantro leaves and discard the stems.
Finely chop the chiles, cilantro leaves, and onion.
Chop the tomatoes into ¼" pieces.
Add all the ingredients to a bowl including the lime juice and salt. Gently mix until the ingredients are evenly dispersed.
For the best flavor, let the pico de gallo rest for about 15 minutes in the refrigerator so the flavors come together. Taste and adjust the salt. Serve lightly chilled or at room temperature.

Notes

Preparation Notes

Pico de gallo is best eaten fresh but will keep for one day in the refrigerator.
Presentation counts. It's such a simple dish, so make sure that the ingredients are chopped evenly.
The juice of one lime brightens the flavor of the pico de gallo. If you add too much lime it overpowers the flavor of the other ingredients. You want to maintain a nice balance between the flavors of all of the ingredients.
Choose the Mexican lime, also called the Key lime when making pico de gallo. It is the traditional lime for making Mexican food. Standard lime doesn't add the same bright flavor. Purdue University has some in-depth information on the Mexican Lime which is quite interesting if you want to geek out on limes.

Substitutions

You can substitute jalapeño peppers for the serranos. The taste will be similar but the salsa won't be as hot.
Many recipes call for red onion but white onion is traditional.

Nutrition