Tomato And Jalapeño Salsa (Pico De Gallo)
Here’s how to make classic pico de gallo. This Mexican tomato and jalapeño is easy to prepare & perfect for nachos, burritos, quesadillas & lots more.
Pico de gallo is super easy to make and perfect with loads of different Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes like nachos, burritos, quesadillas and tacos. This tomato salsa is quick to prepare and is full of finely diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, fresh coriander, lime juice and olive oil. Plus some pickled jalapeños for sweetness & a subtle kick of spice.
I’ve tried to keep this pico de gallo recipe as authentic as possible. The only change that I made was using pickled jalapeños instead of raw chillies. This adds a milder level of heat to the salsa whilst adding a subtle amount of sweetness, to enhance the flavours from the tomatoes. You can add as much or as little chilli as you like, to suit your personal preference.
For more sides & sauce recipes, check out our collection of side dishes! Here you’ll find fries, homemade sauces, salads, pickles & lots more.
Ingredients For Pico De Gallo
- Tomatoes – Firm large tomatoes like plum or beef work best for this salsa. These will hold their shape in the salsa and as they’re larger, they’ll be a lot easier to dice. Smaller, softer tomatoes will be harder to dice finely and will turn soggy in the salsa.
- Shallot – I used a shallot for my salsa but you could use half a white or red onion instead, if you’d prefer.
- Garlic – A small amount of grated fresh garlic complements the flavours from the tomatoes without over powering them.
- Pickled Jalapeño – I like to use pickled chillies for my pico de gallo as they have a milder level of spice & add some sweetness to the salsa. Feel free to use fresh chilli instead (Jalapeño or Serrano peppers).
- Coriander (Cilantro) – A classic addition to pico de gallo. If you’re not a coriander fan, swap it out for fresh parsley, oregano or chives.
- Lime Juice – Added for acidity & flavour. You’ll need the juice of one lime for this recipe & feel free to add in the zest as well if you’d like.
- Olive Oil – Using a good quality olive adds the best flavour & turns the diced veg into a spoonable salsa sauce.
How To Make Tomato & Jalapeño Salsa
There’s no cooking involved when making a pico de gallo salsa, it’s all about the prep! It’s super quick & easy to make and is pretty much just a case of chopping up the veg & herbs then mixing them together with lime juice and olive oil.
- Dice Tomatoes
The first step is to dice the tomatoes. To do this, cut them into quarters, cut out and discard the seeds then finely dice the flesh. Using a sharp knife will make this step a lot easier! - Prep Shallot, Garlic, Jalapeños & Coriander
The other components of this salsa are a finely diced shallot, a grated garlic clove, finely chopped pickled jalapeño slices and some finely chopped coriander. - Mix With Oil
Once you’ve prepped all of the veg & herbs, add them into a mixing bowl then add in olive oil & fresh lime juice and stir to combine. - Season To Taste
To finish the salsa, season to taste with salt & pepper then let it stand for 15 minutes before serving. This will improve the flavour of your pico de gallo!
What To Serve Pico De Gallo With
As pico de gallo is a Mexican salsa, it of course goes incredibly well with Mexican & Tex-Mex dishes like nachos, burritos, quesadillas, tacos and tostadas. I used mine for a batch of my nacho mac and cheese! This style of tomato salsa would also work great with grilled veg, in salads or spooned over some pan fried fish or grilled shrimp.
Tips & Tricks
- For the best texture, use firm tomatoes like plum or beef tomatoes as they won’t go soggy.
- To avoid a watery salsa, remove the seeds from your tomatoes before dicing the flesh.
- If you’re not a fan of coriander (cilantro), swap it out for fresh parsley, chives or oregano instead.
- For a more refined salsa, dice & chop all of the ingredients finely. Using a sharp knife works best for this!
- Once mixed, let your salsa sit for 15 minutes before serving. This marinates the salsa, improving its flavour.
- Season your tomato salsa to taste with salt & pepper. If you’d like more heat, add more jalapeños in as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pico de gallo needs to be stored in the fridge and is best eaten within 3 days.
Firm, red tomatoes are best for salsa (like pico de gallo) as they will hold their shape & won’t turn soggy. Plum or beef tomatoes are the most popular choices.
Trimmed tomato seeds can be used to make stocks (veg or meat) or can be added to soup or tomato sauce during the cooking process.
More Sides & Sauces To Try
- Pineapple & Pickled Jalapeño Salsa
- Nacho Cheese Sauce
- Burnt Peach & Bourbon BBQ Sauce
- Honey Butter Buttermilk Cornbread
- Candied Jalapeños (Cowboy Candy)
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Tomato And Jalapeño Salsa (Pico De Gallo)
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Microplane/Grater
- Juicer
Ingredients
- 2 Beef Tomatoes (Or Large Plum Tomatoes)
- 1 Echalion Shallot
- 1 Garlic Clove
- 6 Pickled Jalapeño Slices
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp Finely Chopped Coriander
- 1 Lime (Juiced)
Instructions
- Cut the tomatoes in quarters then use a sharp knife to cut out the seeds. Discard the seeds or save them to make stock!
- Finely dice the tomato flesh then place into a small mixing bowl.
- Next, peel the shallot & garlic clove. Finely dice the shallot, grate the garlic and finely chop the pickled jalapeño slices.
- Add the chopped veg into the bowl with the diced tomato then add in the olive oil, chopped coriander & lime juice. Season with salt & pepper then stir to combine. Leave to marinate for at least 15 minutes before serving. This improves the flavour of the salsa!
