Homemade pico de gallo is so easy to make at home with fresh ingredients like tomatoes, cilantro, jalapeno, onion, garlic and lime. This recipe is perfectly balanced and so delicious, it goes great with just about everything! Better than store bought, learn how to make this easy salsa fresca for your next gathering!
My family and I love pico de gallo with tortilla chips, and we also use this fresh salsa to top off our turkey tacos, air fryer taquitos, and sheet pan nachos! You can easily make it kid friendly by omitting the jalapenos (though my little one loves kimchi so he doesn’t mind a little kick of heat!).
Start with fresh ingredients – and sharpen up those knife skills – as you have more control over the size and consistency of each ingredient when you hand chop vs using a blender. When everything is mixed together, the flavors meld to create a perfect harmony of acid, aromatics, herbs and heat.
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Ingredients & Notes
Tomatoes – I like to use firm Roma tomatoes which are mild and juicy with lower water content. The firm texture holds up well when mixed with all of the ingredients!
Jalapeno – Make sure to gut and seed before chopping for a cleaner dip.
Cilantro – Gives a fresh and citrusy flavor profile.
Onion – Add a bit of sharpness to the dip, I don’t like to overpower it with too much.
Garlic – I love garlic, it adds just a hint of extra flavor.
Lime – Brightens up the fresh salsa with a bit of acid.
Kosher salt – Helps bring all of the flavors together.
Instructions
Hand chop all the ingredients and mix it all together in a serving bowl.
Here I have chopped the ingredients and placed them in order from biggest to smallest to show the size of how I like each ingredients. To me, it makes a difference in taste and texture as you don’t want big chunks of onion or jalapenos to overpower your perfect bite!
Stir the ingredients, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to let the flavors come together.
Serve with some tortilla chips and enjoy!
Pro Tips
- Removing the seeds and membranes of the jalapeno will give the salsa a milder taste.
- Cut the ingredients in consistently small diced sizes, so you’ll have better flavor and the onion and jalapeño won’t overpower your bites.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my pico de gallo watery?
The dip may be watery depending on the types of tomatoes are used. Roma has less water content so are best for pico de gallo. The salt will draw out water from the tomatoes and onions, so when it sits too long, water will accumulate in the bowl. You can easily drain this before serving.
How many days is homemade pico de gallo good for?
Homemade pico is best eaten immediately, but will last for up to two days covered in the fridge.
This is not recommended as it changes the texture and will come out super watery when defrosted.
More dip recipes to try
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Fresh Homemade Pico de Gallo
Ingredients
- 2 cups roma tomatoes, chopped about 2-3 tomatoes
- ½ cup white onion, finely chopped
- ½ cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped
- 1 diced jalapeno, seeded and gutted
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Instructions
- In a medium serving bowl, add the chopped tomatoes, chopped onion, cilantro, garlic, jalapeno, kosher salt and lime juice.
- Stir to combine.
- Place the bowl in the refrigerator and let the flavors set for 30 minutes.
- Taste and add additional salt or lime to taste.
- Serve with tortilla chips or use as a topping.
Notes
- The dip may be watery depending on the types of tomatoes used. Roma has less water content so are best for pico de gallo. The salt will draw out water from the tomatoes and onions, so when it sits too long, water will accumulate in the bowl. You can easily drain this before serving.
- Removing the seeds and membranes of the jalapeno will give the salsa a milder taste.
- Homemade pico is best eaten immediately, but will last for up to two days covered in the fridge.
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