Mexico · 20 min · Vegan · Sauce & seasoning · For beginners
Pico de Gallo
For 4 servings · US units
Fresh, raw salsa of tomato, onion, jalapeño, cilantro and lime
Pico de gallo is all about what tastes good in summer: ripe tomatoes, crunchy onion, a little jalapeño heat and plenty of fresh cilantro, pulled together with lime juice and salt. Everything is chopped raw and simply tossed, with no cooking and no blending. Twenty minutes later you've got a bright, colorful bowl on the table that tastes like sunshine.
Ingredients
- 7 oztomatoesripe, ideally Roma; stem end removed, finely diced
- 1onionmedium, peeled and finely diced
- 1stem removed, seeded for less heat, finely dicedMedium-sized green chilli from Mexico, thick-fleshed and juicy, with a fresh, moderate heat.Substitute: Other fresh green chillies of medium heat work well, such as serrano, which is somewhat hotter, or sturdy green chillies from an Asian grocer used more sparingly. Mild Turkish long green peppers give a similar freshness but little heat.Read more
- 4 tbspfinely chopped, thin upper stems may be includedThe fresh leaves of the coriander plant, with a bright, citrusy and slightly peppery taste.Substitute: There is no true substitute. Flat-leaf parsley, perhaps with a little lime zest, adds colour and green freshness but not cilantro's distinctive citrusy note.Read more
- 2 tbsplime juicefreshly squeezed, about 1 lime
- ½ tspsaltkosher salt, adjust to taste
- 1 clovesgarlicminced (optional)
Method
- Rinse and trim the produceRinse the tomatoes, jalapeño and cilantro, peel the onion, and cut the stem ends off the tomatoes and the jalapeño.
- Decide on the heat levelHalve the jalapeño lengthwise and, for a milder salsa, cut out the seeds and white ribs; if you like it fierier, leave them in.
- Dice the vegetables evenlyDice the tomatoes, white onion and jalapeño into small, even pieces of about 1/4 inch (6 mm), so every spoonful gets a bit of everything.
- Chop cilantro and garlicFinely chop the cilantro, and go ahead and include the thin upper stems. If you're in the mood, finely mince a clove of garlic too.
- Season and toss togetherTip everything into a bowl, sprinkle with kosher salt, pour over the freshly squeezed lime juice and mix well.
- Taste and adjust seasoningTaste and adjust with more salt and lime juice until the salsa tastes fresh, salty and a little tart.
- Serve or refrigerateServe the pico de gallo right away, or cover it and keep it in the fridge.
Tips and variations
If you want to go easy on the heat, start with just half a jalapeño and add more after tasting. A clove of minced garlic gives the salsa a bit more punch. For a playful twist, try pickle de gallo: use just one tomato and mix in diced dill pickles, cucumber and red bell pepper along with a splash of pickle brine. Serving tip: cover the salsa and chill it for 15 minutes before serving, so the flavors have time to mingle and it's extra refreshing on a hot summer day.
Something not right?
This recipe was put together from independent sources and checked before publishing. Even so, a mistake can slip through — an amount that does not add up, a step that does not work as written. If you spot something, write to us: we will look into it and put it right.
