Pico de gallo is a fresh Mexican salsa made from finely chopped tomato, onion, chilli, coriander and lime. It's is best used with tacos, grilled meats, eggs, rice bowls or simply served with corn chips for dipping.
Pico de Gallo
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Category
Dinner
Servings
1.5 cups
Prep time
5 minutes
Pico de gallo is a fresh Mexican salsa made from finely chopped tomato, onion, chilli, coriander and lime. It’s best served with tacos, grilled meats, eggs, rice bowls or simply with corn chips for dipping.
I make pico de gallo and put it on everything. Honestly, it’s such a great side dish. I put it on tacos, burritos, grilled meats and fish, with salads, on top of an egg on toast, in a rice bowl and just with some corn chips.
It’s the kind of recipe I’d make when we went camping: minimal ingredients, barely any prep, and it works as a side with almost anything. Five minutes from start to table.
Ingredient Notes
Roma tomatoes: Roma (plum) tomatoes are the best choice here as they have less water content and more flesh than regular tomatoes. Ripe but firm is what you want. Very soft or overripe tomatoes will make the salsa watery. If you can’t find Roma, any ripe tomato works but scoop out the seeds and excess juice before dicing. Dice them as finely as you can for the best texture.
jalapeño: The standard chilli for pico de gallo. Deseed it for a milder result, or leave the seeds in if you want more heat. Serrano chillies are a good substitute and slightly hotter than jalapeños. Long green chillies also work but are considerably milder, so you may want to use more to get the same level of heat.
Coriander: Fresh coriander is what gives pico de gallo its brightness. Use the leaves and the fine stems, which have plenty of flavour. Don’t use dried coriander as it tastes completely different. If you’re cooking for someone who dislikes coriander, flat-leaf parsley works as a substitute though the flavour will be noticeably different.
Equipment
- Medium bowl
- Sharp knife and chopping board
Ingredients
-
½ white onion
-
2 Roma (plum) tomatoes
-
1 jalapeno chilli
-
1 tbsp coriander
- juice of 1 lime
- sea salt, to season
Directions
Finely dice the onion, tomatoes and chilli. If you want it less spicy, deseed your chillies. Finely chop the coriander.
In a medium bowl, combine the onion, tomatoes, jalapeno and coriander. Stir through the lime juice and season with salt to taste.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate until needed.
Recipe notes
Chef Tips
Dice finely and evenly
Use a sharp knife and take your time getting everything diced small and consistently. You want each mouthful to have all the flavours at once. Rough uneven cuts mean big chunks of raw onion or tomato that dominate the bite rather than blending together.
Rest it before serving
The salsa is good straight away but improves after 15-30 minutes in the fridge. The lime juice and salt draw liquid out of the tomatoes and onion and everything comes together properly. If it has been sitting for a while and looks watery, drain off the excess liquid before serving.
Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It will become more liquid the longer it sits as the salt continues to draw moisture from the tomatoes. Drain any excess liquid before serving.
FAQs
Can I make this ahead of time? Yes. Make it up to a day ahead and store covered in the fridge. It’s even better after a couple of hours as the flavours have time to develop. Drain any excess liquid that has pooled before serving, especially if using it as a dip.
What can I swap the coriander for? If you or someone you’re cooking for doesn’t like coriander, flat-leaf parsley is the closest substitute. It gives a similar fresh, herby quality without the divisive flavour. The salsa will taste different but still works well.
