Homemade Pico de Gallo

Learn how to make homemade Pico de Gallo with this simple ingredient, super fresh, and easy recipe. Chopped tomatoes, cilantro, onion, jalapeño, fresh lime juice and kosher salt. Simple but so delicious! Serve as a topping to any Mexican inspired dinner, serve with tortilla chips as a dip, or on top of grilled chicken.

I always make Pico de Gallo when I serve these Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos, my Ground Turkey Taco Meat, or these quick & easy Chicken Flautas. 

Homemade Pico de Gallo Recipe

Making Pico de Gallo at home is so easy! Super fresh and bright ingredients like tomatoes, white onion, cilantro, jalapeno, and seasoned simply with fresh lime juice and kosher salt. 

I happen to be a big fan of classic pico de gallo with no extra stuff in it! Of course, you can adapt this recipe to what you want but just the simple version of Pico de Gallo is one of my very favorites. 

There are also so many ways to serve it too. Read below for all my tips and serving suggestions.

Ingredients Needed for Pico de Gallo

Here are the easy ingredients you will need to make Homemade Pico de Gallo. I also share some tips for each ingredient so that you can have success with this recipe.

• Chopped Roma Tomatoes – Roma tomatoes are preferred in this recipe, but you can use any tomato if wanted. I also like to take the seeds out & the extra tomato juices from the tomato before I chop it up. I like the fresh texture of just the tomato chunks and not the seeds in the pico de gallo. 
• Chopped Cilantro
• White Onion – White onion is the preferred onion but again, any onion can be used. Red onions are another popular one to use in this recipe. Or try a sweet onion instead. 
• Jalapeño – Use the entire jalapeño for more spice or just use half of it for a more mild flavor. Be sure and take the seeds out and that white membrane part (this will make it more mild). Of course, if you want it spicy then leave them in. 
• Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice – Use fresh lime juice and not the bottled stuff. The taste is so much better and it’s totally worth it. You will need about 2 limes for this, or just 1 large lime that has lots of juice in it. 
• Kosher Salt – I prefer kosher salt in this recipe but you can also use sea salt if wanted. These two salts just taste so much better, especially when paired with the fresh ingredients. 

How To Make It

Learn how to make this recipe at home in just two easy steps! Only a few fresh ingredients needed and it all mixes together in just one bowl. 

Step One : Chop the tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and jalapeño. 

Step Two : Combine all the ingredients into a medium-sized mixing bowl and stir together to combined well. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and let it refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. 

Tips For Success

Here are a few of my helpful tips that will make this recipe a success in your own kitchen!

• Vegetable Chopper : To make chopping the onion and tomatoes so easy, try using this vegetable chopper (aff. link). I have this exact one and it makes chopping everything the same size so easy! I think it’s important in this recipe, to try and chop each ingredient small, that way no one ends up with one huge chunk of onion with smaller bits of tomatoes for example. 
• Seeded Tomatoes : I love the texture of this pico de gallo when the tomatoes have been seeded and the extra ‘juices’ dumped out. You don’t have to do this, but I think it yields a better texture, because it does not have the wet tomato liquid or wet seeds in the mix. 
• Serve Chilled : This Homemade Pico de Gallo is so much better chilled. It needs to be chilled at least 2 hours before serving for the flavors to have time to develop together. 
• Use Fresh Lime Juice : Using fresh lime juice makes such a big difference! I use this citrus juicer (aff. link) when I need lemon or lime juice. It works like a charm!
• Kosher Salt : It may not seem like a big deal but using kosher salt in this recipe makes a difference! The bright flavor of the salt pairs nicely with the fresh veggies. Sea salt is another great option too. 

Pico de Gallo FAQs

• Servings Suggestions
  • There are so many ways to serve this! Here are some ideas and recipes.
  • Serve with tortilla chips and eat it as a chips & dip type appetizer.
  • Serve it as a ‘dipping sauce’ when you make Chicken Taquitos. 
  • Serve as a topping with tacos, Turkey Taco Burrito Bowls, or quesadillas. 
  • It makes a great topping for these Green Chili & Corn Chicken Enchiladas. 
  • If you have leftovers of it, serve it alongside this One Pot Taco Pasta. It makes such a nice and fresh topping for it!
• Can I Prepare It Ahead of Time?
  • The Pico de Gallo needs to sit in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving. So yes, you can make this recipe ahead of time. 
  • I would recommend not making it more than 8-12 hours before you will be serving it. The flavors will definitely develop better, but the tomatoes and everything else will get really soft, and lots of liquid will pool up in the bottom of the bowl. 
  • It’s best served and eaten the same day it’s made. 
• How To Store Leftovers
  • Any leftovers can be stored in an air-tight container, in the fridge, for up to 3 days. 
  • Liquid will pool up in the bottom of the bowl so be sure to either drain it slightly or give it a good stir to get everything mixed back together. 
  • I think it’s best eaten the same day you make it, but that’s just personal preference, as leftovers can be eaten up to 3 days afterwards. 
• Variation & Substitution Ideas
  • There are several ways that you can change up this recipe if wanted. 
  • Use a red onion or sweet onion instead of the white onion. 
  • You can omit the jalapeño entirely or only use half of it, depending on heat preference. For  a spicy dish be sure and leave the jalapeno seeds and white membrane when chopping. For less spice, take the jalapeño seeds out and the white membrane part. 
  • Add any seasonings you want! I happen to love the classic Pico de Gallo recipe that’s simply seasoned with kosher salt and fresh lime juice. You can always add fresh garlic, garlic powder, red cayenne pepper, or chili powder if wanted. 
  • Roma tomatoes are preferred in this recipe but any tomato can be used instead. Sometimes it’s much easier just to use the smaller grape or cherry tomatoes and chop those up. 

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