Classic Fresh Pico De Gallo Recipe

As recipe developers and food writers, we love trying new foods and experimenting in the kitchen. That means we end up with lots of different cuisines in our homes at any one time. We regularly sample lots of foods and discover our household favorites, and ultimately end up creating a hodgepodge of regional food mashups.

While you may not be expecting it, one staple condiment in our kitchens is pico de Gallo. This mild Mexican salsa is a combination of onion, cilantro, tomato, jalapeño, and lime juice. It has the ability to brighten up any dish, whether it is typical Mexican fare, like burritos and tacos, or other foods like scrambled eggs, baked potatoes, or grilled chicken.

Recipe developer and registered dietitian nutritionist, Kristen Carli, MS, RD, brings us this recipe for a classic fresh version of pico de Gallo that is best served with tortilla chips or on some decked-out nachos.

To make this classic fresh pico de Gallo, you can start by gathering your ingredients. For this recipe, you will need white onion, Roma tomatoes, cilantro, a jalapeño, and lime juice.

Get out that cutting board, because there are quite a few things to dice up. Dice the white onion, Roma tomatoes, and jalapeño into a very fine dice. It's worth the tedious precision here — no one wants big chunks of onion in their pico de Gallo. At this time, you can also chop your cilantro.

Pull out a medium-sized bowl and add the diced onion, diced tomatoes, diced jalapeño, and chopped cilantro to this bowl. If you like your pico de Gallo spicier, feel free to add more jalapeño or even hotter chili peppers at this time.

Next, slice into two limes and squeeze the juice over the salsa. The lime juice will brighten up the flavors in this pico de Gallo. Using a wooden spoon, stir the ingredients together until they are well-combined. Serve immediately with tortilla chips, or store in an airtight container in the fridge to chill and allow the flavors to meld together.