The garden is growing and I can’t wait to share this easy recipe with you. You will love this best pico de gallo recipe as an appetizer and side. It is so delicious and my favorite way to use fresh tomatoes from the garden!

The Mexican dish must-have

Growing up in Southern California, Mexican food has always been my favorite. I am literally one of those walking memes about “choosing between eating tacos everyday or being skinny, would you choose hard or soft shell tacos?” Obvi, hard shell is the answer, but I am serious about my tacos.

I have a friend in California that literally all we do is text each other taco memes all the time. I just love Mexican food, and when you eat it frequently, a good pico de gallo recipe is a must.

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I have been making this recipe for as long as I can remember. Over the years, many friends have asked for it and I have happily shared it. But many come back and say, “but it doesn’t taste like yours!” So the joke has become, “it must be my cooties added to the recipe” but it really isn’t. I will reveal my secret later, and you too, will be able to master this simple but great recipe.

What’s the difference between fresh salsa and pico?

You will find that the ingredients for salsa and pico de gallo can be nearly identical. What makes these two salsa worlds apart is the texture and whether the ingredients have been cooked or not. Since summer is a time of fresh bounty, lets bring on the pico!

My two favorite appetizers to serve together is this pico and my favorite bean dip recipe.

My homemade pico de gallo recipe

This simple recipe is made like a classic pico with one key ingredient. To me, it is what everyone loves about this recipe, and maybe it is the one thing that makes it a little bit non-traditional.

Decades ago, when everyone was making pico with very basic ingredients, only to add it to guacamole, I got the idea to make this recipe my own way. When done properly, it brings the best flavor to this fresh tomato salsa. Let’s go through the handful of ingredients you will need, and some simple tricks to making this the yummiest pico you will ever have.

Pico de gallo – #1 ingredient Tomato

All fresh pico de gallo starts with your favorite kind of tomatoes. You don’t need to be too picky about the ‘type’ of tomato, as many will work. But there are two important factors when choosing. First, you always want the freshest ingredients, so choosing ripe tomatoes is key and will definitely enhance your flavors. The second, is you must use fresh tomatoes, not canned. In this type of salsa, fresh is key because you need the stability of the fruit for that pico texture.

If it is not tomato growing season in my garden, I generally use ‘on-the-vine’ tomatoes. These are ripe red tomatoes that are easy to find in any grocery store. If purchased fully ripened with their bright red color, they are flavorful tomatoes for the base of this authentic pico de gallo.

For a small batch, use a ratio of 3 tomatoes to 1 avocado

I also sometimes use Roma tomatoes, also known as plum tomatoes. When I am in the height of summer, and find ripe tomatoes in my garden, I have even used some cherry tomatoes mixed in. But I would not recommend those for the entire recipe. They also taste much different from the garden versus the grocery store. It’s weird, I’m not sure why, but trust me.

Pico de gallo – #2 ingredient Onion

Next up is the onion. Hands down, my choice is the red onion. Not only do I find it more flavorful than the white onion, I love the color it adds to the pico. I know some people are sensitive to raw onions, so whenever I am making this for a crowd (other than family) I try to really finely cut the chopped onion. When making it for us, a rough chop works great for our personal consumption since we all love the flavor.

Pico de gallo – #3 ingredient Cilantro

Herbs make everything better, and in pico you need a healthy portion of chopped cilantro. This is not the herb to be shy with. It is also the one I use the most, but don’t grow often in my garden.

I generally use half of a bunch of fresh cilantro from the grocery store. When you see it in the bowl, you should have a generous amount in comparison to your tomato ratio or you simply will not have the natural flavors of all the ingredients melding properly. Don’t be shy with it.

Pico de gallo – #4 ingredient Lime

All good Mexican cuisine gets a generous squeeze of lime juice, and this is no exception. I use all the juice from one full, ripe lime. Make sure you press and roll your lime around to release the juices before cutting it. It will make it easier to squeeze every last drop out.

I also, many times, use a hand juicer or a spoon to burrow through the lime and extract all the juice. I think it is easier to just use the full fruit, versus having bottled juice. If you do not have a lime, and have to use pre-squeezed, the measurement comes out to a few tablespoons of lime juice.

Pico de gallo – #5 ingredient Jalapeno Pepper

This next ingredient is one not to be afraid of, and you really need it for flavor! A jalapeño pepper is a must for any traditional salsa, and you can control the heat. Omitting it is bypassing major flavor and you need it to comingle and activate all those fresh ingredients waiting in the bowl.

I like to roast mine. This just takes a few extra minutes, and looks like an unsafe method, but I personally have never had a problem. Proceed with caution if you choose to do it this way. I simply hold my pepper with tongs over the flame of my gas stove. You can also roast it on your grill outside, if you have other things grilling.

Up north at our cottage, I have a solid surface electric stove. When I make it up there, I turn the burner on and just lay my pepper directly on the stove surface to roast, rotating it around while it sizzles and pops. Works like a charm every time.

If you don’t want any heat from your peppers, remove all the seeds! I usually leave just a few. Chop the roasted pepper into a fine dice. Also, you don’t have to roast the pepper if you don’t want to. Feel free to simply dice it up and toss it in. I sometimes don’t roast it if I am in a hurry, but I do prefer the added flavor when I do.

If my guys want more heat, they add some tabasco sauce. But I keep it mild because the grandkids love to gobble this up!

Pico de gallo – most important ingredient Avocado

This is where my pico recipe gets a little different. But it is also the thing that makes it the best. If you are a hater of avocado, that just makes me sad because I love it so much! I find it to be pure happiness and the best fruit out there. I could talk all day about my love for avocado, but let’s just stick to the recipe today and obsess later.

Avocados are tricky. It is always best to buy them hard, which is how they come off the tree and are mostly found in the store. Either that, or totally ruined. It is rare to find the perfect avocado at the grocery, as you kind of need to keep an eye on them and when you know they are perfect, they must go in the fridge immediately to slow their ripening process.

Also, if you put them in a bowl with apples, they will ripen quicker as the gases from the apples aid in the ripening process. I love to get a bag of avocados from Costco, and set them out on the counter in a bowl. It’s fun to know that a pico or guacamole party is on the horizon!

I also cut mine while still inside the skin. I slice through the soft fruit without cutting the outer skin, and then scoop out the diced chunks right into the bowl. My favorite type are Haas avocados. They have a nice rough, blackish skin when ripe.

Pico de gallo – secret simple ingredient

This is the one secret ingredient that most fresh vegetables and some fruits need to have, kosher salt. Yes, the kind of salt does make a difference. There is a huge disparity between coarse kosher salt and standard table salt. There is no comparison. I’m not sure I even have any table salt left in my house, as its only use for me was back when I used to make my kids homemade Playdoh.

Coarse kosher salt brings out the flavors in foods, especially in this favored recipe. It is the difference between having an amazing and flavorful finished product and not! I add a generous amount, about 2 teaspoons, along with fresh cracked black pepper. Again, freshly cracking makes a difference versus some already pre-ground. Every kitchen should have a good pepper mill.

What’s missing from my pico recipe?

What you won’t find in my pico recipe is green onions or fresh garlic. To me, they simply don’t belong in pico. I am not a garlic hater, in fact, I love garlic! But it does not belong in this fresh pico de gallo.

The recipe card

Best Pico de Gallo

Ingredients

5 ripe medium red tomatoes, chopped
half a red onion, diced
half a bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped
1 lime
1 jalapeno pepper, roasted and finely diced with seeds removed as desired
2 ripe avocados, cubed
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Chop the tomatoes and place in a large bowl.
Add chopped onion.
Add chopped cilantro, making sure you have a healthy amount.
Roll and juice one lime. Add to bowl.
Roast (if desired) a jalapeno pepper. Remove seeds as desired. Finely chop and add to mixture.
Cut avocados and add to the bowl. Mix well to incorporate the creaminess of the avocados into the other ingredients.
Season with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.
Serve immediately with chips or over grilled meats.

Notes

The jalapeno pepper does not need to be roasted, but it does add flavor.

Serving suggestions

There are so many ways to eat this delicious pico de gallo, but mostly is quickly, and with some tortilla chips! Occasionally we will fry our own chips from corn tortillas. But once you make this, you will want to get right at it, so just rip open your favorite bag of ready-made chips!

It is also great served over fresh grilled meats, chicken and fish. You probably won’t have any, but if you end up with leftovers, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The next day, I usually pour off excess juice from the tomatoes, hit it with a bit more salt, and finish it up!

Tips for success

If I can just repeat myself, the most important factor for this recipe is to buy ripe fresh tomatoes and perfect avocados! When you are mixing it up in a large bowl, do many turns and really get the ingredients incorporated. You want the edges of that ripe avocado to add a creaminess to all the juices going on in the bowl. This will not happen if your avocados are not ripe enough. Use them right before they begin to get too mushy.

Homemade salsa recipe

Although this is my most used salsa recipe, I have others that I love to make throughout the year. I can’t wait to share more with you, as these simple ingredients are easy to blend together for a delicious accompaniment to your meals.

When it is mango season, I love to make a mango salsa that goes so well with my favorite salmon tacos. I also have a traditional red salsa recipe that I have canned many times in the past as well. Summer is the time for fresh salsa recipes and they are so easy to make! Stay tuned for more. Follow me on the socials below to keep in touch.

Tell me in the comments, what is your favorite type of salsa? Are you a lover or a hater (oh the horror) of avocado?

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Best Pico de Gallo Recipe as an Appetizer and Side