An easy pico de gallo recipe that makes a great dip, topping for grilled meats, and nacho accoutrement with readily available ingredients.
pico de gallo ingredients
- Tomato
- Onion
- Jalapeno
- Cilantro
- Lime
- Salt
how to make pico de gallo
Assembly of homemade pico de gallo is easy - chop the tomatoes and onions, dice the jalapeños and cilantro, and combine with fresh lime juice and a hit of salt.
The real magic happens when you let it all sit together and those flavors meld together. I usually make my pico the night before I want to enjoy it.
Bonus of making it ahead: it's one less thing to make the night of eating!
pico de gallo vs salsa
So what exactly is the difference between pico de gallo and salsa?
For starters, pico de gallo is a TYPE of salsa. It's also known as salsa fresca, salsa mexicana, and salsa picada.
If you are used to salsa being the stuff at the local Tex-Mex restaurant that is a thin, liquid-y type of dip, then pico is going to be a much different beast.
The texture of pico de gallo is chunky, with a very light liquid of lime juice and juices from the other ingredients coating it. There's a much more bright flavor than a Tex Mex picante style salsa.
Recipes that go great with homemade pico de gallo
- Cilantro Lime Chicken Breasts
- Homemade Guacamole
- Hidden Veggie Taco Meat
Easy Pico De Gallo
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped onion about 1 onion. I like either red or white onions for this recipe.
- 1 jalapeño diced (remove the seeds and ribs for a milder flavor)
- ¼ cup lime juice juice of two limes
- ½ teaspoon salt more to taste
- 4 large tomatoes chopped
- ½ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and cover. Let rest for at least 30 minutes, but ideally overnight, and serve.
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