Fresh, vibrant and full of flavor; there is nothing quite like Pico de Gallo. With only a few simple ingredients, you’re own your way to Pico de Gallo paradise.
I honestly can’t recall the first time I tried Pico de Gallo. I grew up eating Mexican food so much that it is such an integral part of the food that I crave from my childhood onwards.
I still have a lot to learn about Mexican cooking and the beauty of the variety of dishes, but what I have learned along the way, I absolutely love.
Pico de Gallo is almost like a salad to me. If it’s placed in a bowl, I can dig right in with a spoon or a fork. But truly, it is so full of fresh ingredients that it not only pairs well with tortilla chips (no shame in tortilla chip dipping) but also it tastes really great on top of grilled chicken or fish. Yum.
Here’s the recipe:
Pico de Gallo (aka Salsa Fresca)
- 3 tomatoes
- 1 red onion
- 1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 T lime juice
- salt & pepper (to taste)
- 1 Serrano, habanaro or jalapeno (if spicy salsa is your sort of thing. For me, it’s not so I omitted the peppers)
Preparation:
Finely chop the tomatoes and onions and place them in a bowl.
Add the cilantro and stir.
Drizzle over the lime juice and season with salt and pepper.
Serve immediately or pop it in the fridge for later.*
*From my experience, I find my Pico de Gallo to be better the next day or even two days later. At this point, the onions have mellowed out a bit more and all of the ingredients have “marinated” together and become well acquainted with each other.