Pico de Gallo is the world’s most popular salsa because it’s the simplest. You only need five ingredients to make this delicious salsa without any cooking or blending required. Onions, tomato, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime come together to pack a punch of flavor. Pico de gallo dresses up a taco or burrito bowl with a pop of color and taste. Make this pico de gallo to serve with chips or for your next taco night.
Taste as you go
The key to a good pico de gallo is tasting as you go. Ask yourself the following questions after each taste:
- Is there enough salt?
- Is there enough acid? (In this case, lime)
- Is there enough heat?
If you follow the recipe, you’ll end up with a delicious, fresh salsa, but you should always tailor recipes to your liking.
Turning up the heat
The best part about making your own salsa is that you get to decide how spicy it is. This recipe calls for one jalapeño, giving the salsa a mild to medium heat.
As of 2025, jalapeños in the United States have become less spicy due to farming practices, so one whole jalapeño won’t be too spicy. But if you don’t love spicy food, start with half a jalapeño and add more little by little as you taste.
For a spicier salsa, swap your jalapeño for a serrano pepper. Serranos are thinner and greener than jalapeños and can be found in the same section of the grocery store.
More modifications
As I mentioned, pico de gallo is the world’s simplest salsa, but this recipe can be made even simpler by omitting cilantro and even jalapeño. While leaving out these two ingredients will take some of the flavor away, it’s good to note if you’re dealing with a picky eater or if you don’t have all the ingredients on hand.
Pico de Gallo Salsa
Ingredients
- 3 medium Roma tomatoes
- 1/2 large white onion
- 1 lime
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 jalapeño about 2 tbsp chopped
- freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Dice 1/2 large white onion and 3 medium Roma tomatoes into small cubes and add to a medium bowl.
- Dice a 1 jalapeño into even smaller pieces (almost minced) and add to the same bowl.
- Chop up cilantro until you have 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and add it to the same bowl.
- Squeeze the juice of 1 lime into the bowl.
- Add 3/4 tsp salt and five good cranks of freshly ground pepper.
- Mix together and taste. Enjoy with tacos, chips, or by itself.
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