Pico de Gallo recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients in traditional pico de gallo? ›

Pico de gallo is so easy to make.

You will need only five ingredients (six if you count the salt): ripe red tomatoes, white onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime and salt. That's it!

Use the tomato flesh, not the seeds and juices.

You don't want your pico to be too watery, so make sure to remove the seeds from the tomatoes as you dice them. I like to use tomatoes on the vine in my pico. Roma tomatoes and plum tomatoes are good choices too, as they're less juicy than other varieties.

Salt! Tomatoes need salt to enhance their natural flavor so don't skip or you Pico de Gallo will taste bland. Play with amounts.

Combine tomatoes, cilantro, red onion, cilantro, jalapeños, lime juice, salt, pepper, and garlic in a large mixing bowl. Pour in vinegar and vegetable oil, and gently mix to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

How long does pico de gallo last? Fresh-made Pico de Gallo should be stored in an airtight container, and it will last up to 3 days in the fridge. Over time, the tomatoes and cilantro will get droopy and lose their freshness.

Make sure not to zest into the pith as this can cause the pico de gallo to become bitter. Sweet cherry tomatoes give this fast pico de gallo an excellent balance of flavors!

Salting and draining diced tomatoes improves their texture, flavor, and color. Opting for smaller varieties, like plum, cherry, or grape tomatoes, gives you more flavorful tomatoes in the off season.

I always try to wait at least an hour before serving to let the flavors marinade and blend. Serve your homemade pico de gallo with a slotted spoon or drain some of the liquid with a sieve. The tomatoes release a lot of juice and this helps to get rid of some of the extra liquid.

Pico de gallo shouldn't result in any adverse effects for most people, with the exception of those sensitive to FODMAPs. But because pico de gallo consists of acidic and spicy ingredients, it may induce heartburn for some people. It might even aggravate symptoms in people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Signs of Spoilage

Identifying when salsa or pico de gallo has gone bad relies on sensory evaluation. They should be discarded if: There is any foul odor, suggesting bacterial or fungal growth. The tomatoes become mushy and the color appears dull.

Can pico de gallo go bad? ›

Pico de Gallo is usually safe to eat within 3 to 5 days when stored properly in the refrigerator. You can use any good quality storage container to store the salsa. To make it last longer, you can core and de seed the tomato you're using for the recipe, and use fresh onion and other ingredients.

With so many vegetables as its ingredients, it's not hard to believe pico de gallo is also full of health benefits. Armed with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, the onions and garlic in the sauce may prevent the hardening of your arteries, fight bacteria and protect against heart disease.

Pico de Gallo won't keep very long in the fridge—probably 24 hours or so. After that, the sugars start to break down and it turns into a soupy mess. So it's best to make it the same day you'll want to serve it, though you certainly could do so several hours before.

Both pico and salsa use chopped vegetables as a base, but pico usually leaves them chopped, while salsa often blends them together or boils them to a different consistency.

Pico de Gallo is a fresh chopped mix of tomato, onion, jalapeño, lime, and cilantro while salsa is a cooked or uncooked blended version of the same ingredients with other variations. Salsa Verde is made with tomatillos instead of tomato.

It's All About Texture and Freshness

Depending on the recipe, the ingredients for salsa and pico de gallo can be nearly identical. What sets these two condiments apart is their texture and whether the ingredients are cooked or uncooked.

Translated in Spanish, pico de gallo literally means “beak of rooster.” Some believe this is because it was originally eaten by pinching between the thumb and finger, making the shape of a rooster's beak. Pico de gallo, however, has nothing to do with roosters, or birds in general.