Pico de Gallo
A bright, chunky Mexican salsa of diced tomato, red onion, jalapeño and fresh coriander — zesty, crunchy and ready in under an hour.
Pico de Gallo is the no-fuss, fresh salsa of Mexico — crunchy, tangy and impossibly moreish. It’s basically a salad that doubles as a dip: perfect for chips, tacos or a bright lift for grilled fish. Make it with very ripe tomatoes and give it a short chill so the lime and salt pull the flavours together. Quick to make and even quicker to disappear.
Ingredients
- 400 g ripe tomatoes — best beefsteak or vine-ripened; remove excess seeds and juice
- 100 g red onion — finely diced
- 1 fresh jalapeño — seeds removed for milder, leave seeds for heat; serrano can be used for more kick
- 15 g fresh coriander — leaves and tender stalks, roughly chopped
- 1 lime — juice only
- 1 garlic clove — optional, very finely minced
- 5 ml sea salt — adjust to taste
- 0 ml black pepper — freshly ground
Instructions
Core the tomatoes and cut them in half. Using a teaspoon, scoop out seeds and watery pulp into the sink — this prevents a soggy salsa. Then finely dice the tomato flesh to roughly 5 mm pieces.
Peel and finely dice the red onion into pieces similar in size to the tomatoes. Place the diced onion in a medium mixing bowl.
Trim the stalk from the fresh jalapeño, slice open and remove seeds if you want it milder, then finely chop. If using the garlic clove, very finely mince it. Add chopped jalapeño and garlic to the bowl with the onion.
Add the diced tomatoes and roughly chopped fresh coriander to the bowl. Squeeze in the juice of the lime, sprinkle over the sea salt and black pepper, then fold everything together gently but thoroughly with a spoon.
Cover the bowl and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to let the flavours marry. This resting step brightens the dish and softens the onion's bite.
Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt or lime if needed. Serve chilled or at room temperature with tortilla chips, grilled fish, tacos or as a fresh side.
Tips
- Use firm but ripe tomatoes — very soft tomatoes are harder to dice and make the salsa too watery.
- Remove seeds and excess juice from tomatoes to keep the pico chunky and prevent sogginess.
- Make up to 6 hours ahead and keep chilled; beyond that tomatoes will start to break down.
- If you prefer a milder hit, remove all jalapeño seeds and white pith; for more heat use a serrano instead.
- For an extra pop, finely dice a small piece of cucumber or a splash (5 ml) of extra virgin olive oil when serving.
Substitutions
ripe tomatoes → plum (Roma) tomatoes, 400 g
Stays closefresh jalapeño → serrano chilli, 1
Noticeably differentfresh coriander → flat-leaf parsley, 15 g
Noticeably differentlime → lemon, 1
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 38
- Calories
- 1 g
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 0 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 575 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
How long will pico de gallo keep in the fridge?
Stored in an airtight container it keeps well for 2–3 days. After that tomatoes start to break down and become watery.
Can I make pico without onions?
Yes — replace the red onion with 50 g finely diced cucumber for crunch, or soak the onion in cold water for 10 minutes to reduce bite.
Why is my pico watery?
Likely from excess tomato seeds and juice. Scoop them out before dicing, and use firmer tomatoes to reduce liquid.
Can I blitz this in a blender?
You can, but it becomes a smooth salsa rather than pico’s chunky texture. Pulse briefly if you must, then drain excess liquid.
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