Classic Pico de Gallo
A bright, crunchy fresh salsa of ripe roma tomatoes, sharp white onion, fiery jalapeño, cilantro and lime. Salting and draining the tomatoes keeps it scoopable rather than watery.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- —
- Wait
- 30 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Makes
- About 3 cups (8 servings of ⅓ cup)
Steps
Before you start
- Choose firm, fully red roma tomatoes that give slightly when pressed; underripe ones taste bland and watery tomatoes turn mushy.
- Use a very sharp knife so the tomatoes are cut cleanly rather than crushed.
- Wear gloves or wash your hands well with soap after handling the jalapeño, and avoid touching your eyes.
- Plan for a 30-minute rest: 15 minutes to drain the tomatoes, then 15 minutes for the flavors to meld.
Prep the tomatoes
- Rinse and dry the tomatoes.
- Cut out the stem core, halve each tomato lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds and wet gel with a spoon or your thumb.
- Cut the flesh into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Pieces are uniform and the tomato pieces look meaty, with little loose gel.
Tip: Cutting with a sharp knife in a sawing motion keeps the diced pieces intact.
Salt and drain
- Place the diced tomatoes in a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl.
- Toss with ½ tsp (3 g) of the kosher salt and let drain for 15 minutes, gently shaking the sieve once or twice.
- Discard the liquid.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: About 2–3 tablespoons of liquid have collected in the bowl and the tomatoes look slightly glossy.
Tip: Don't press on the tomatoes; that will crush them.
Chop the onion
- While the tomatoes drain, finely chop the white onion into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces and put it in a small bowl.
- Rinse under cold water in a sieve for 20 seconds, then shake dry.
- This softens the sharp raw bite.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Onion pieces are the same size as the tomato and no longer smell harshly pungent.
Tip: Skip the rinse if you like a sharper onion flavor.
Mince the chile
- Remove the jalapeño stem, halve it lengthwise, and scrape out the seeds and white ribs with a spoon for mild heat (leave some in for more heat).
- Mince very finely, about ⅛ inch (3 mm).
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Pieces are tiny and evenly sized so no one bite is overly hot.
Tip: Wash your hands and knife with soap right after; the capsaicin lingers.
Chop the cilantro
- Pile the cilantro leaves and tender stems together and chop roughly.
- Don't mince into a paste, which bruises the herb and turns it dark.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Pieces are about ⅛–¼ inch (3–6 mm) and still bright green.
Tip: Dry the cilantro well after washing; wet leaves turn slimy.
Combine
- Transfer the drained tomatoes to a medium bowl.
- Add the onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice and the remaining ¼ tsp (1 g) salt.
- Toss gently with a spoon until everything is evenly coated.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Ingredients are evenly distributed and lightly glistening with lime juice.
Tip: Fold gently; stirring hard breaks down the tomatoes.
Rest and season
- Let the pico stand at room temperature for 15 minutes so the flavors blend.
- Taste with a chip, then add more salt a pinch at a time, or a squeeze of lime, until it tastes bright, savory and lightly spicy.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Tastes balanced: tangy, salty and fresh, with a gentle heat that builds.
Tip: Taste with a chip, since the salt level of chips changes how seasoned the pico seems.
Good to know
Tips
- Uniform ¼-inch dice makes every scoop balanced and gives the classic texture.
- Seeding and draining the tomatoes is the key step for a salsa that doesn't turn watery in the bowl.
- Adjust the heat by how much of the jalapeño's seeds and white ribs you keep.
- Serve with warm tortilla chips, or spoon over tacos, grilled chicken, fish or eggs.
Make ahead
"Make up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerate covered. For best texture, prep all the components but add the cilantro and lime juice, and drain off any pooled liquid, just before serving."
Storage & reheating
"Room temperature: up to 2 hours for serving. Refrigerator: airtight container up to 3 days (texture softens after day 1; drain off liquid and refresh with a squeeze of lime before serving). Freezer: not recommended because the tomatoes turn mushy. Serve cold or at room temperature."
Substitutions
- white onion → red onion. Slightly sweeter and milder; the color will bleed a little into the salsa.
- jalapeño → serrano chile. Hotter; use about half and mince very finely.
- fresh lime juice → fresh lemon juice. Gives a softer, less aromatic acidity; use the same amount.
- ripe roma tomatoes → vine-ripened tomatoes. Juicier, so seed them thoroughly and drain for 20–25 minutes.
