Easy Homemade Mexican Pico de Gallo Recipe for Tacos
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Dive into our vibrant Pico de Gallo Recipe for Tacos, where freshness meets flavor!
This easy recipe is a must-try for anyone who adores Mexican food and is ideal for sprucing up taco night. With just a handful of fresh ingredients, you can whip up this traditional salsa in no time!
While you may prefer to skip to the recipe card, we recommend reading through the blog post to avoid missing valuable tips and substitution suggestions and to ensure you have the necessary ingredients, equipment, and understanding of the steps and timings.
There’s something truly delightful about making your own salsa, especially when it’s as easy and rewarding as this Pico de Gallo. It is often called salsa fresca, salsa cruda, or salsa bandera.
Pico de Gallo brings the crisp, fresh flavors of Mexican cuisine to your table, making it the perfect complement to fish tacos, burrito bowls, or simply as a scrumptious appetizer with homemade tortilla chips.
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Pico de Gallo Recipe for Tacos
Authentic pico de gallo is made with just a handful of ingredients—ripe red tomatoes, raw onion, chili peppers, cilantro, and lime juice.
However, like many Mexican recipes, regional variations occur. Some people use red onion instead of white, others will use serrano pepper instead of jalapeno (or not use chili at all), and some will add other ingredients like cucumber.
But what is pico de gallo? Well, It’s a type of salsa specifically served raw, making it a great appetizer served simply with tortilla chips.
It’s quick to make, but the secret to a great pico is letting the flavors meld together overnight. If you can’t wait that long, try giving it at least 15-60 minutes. It’s worth the wait!
As you know, we love Mexican food here at The Purple Pumpkin Blog! We have several more fresh salsa recipes for you to try: Watermelon and Cantaloupe Melon Pico de Gallo, Sweet and Spicy Peach Salsa, Spicy Mango Salsa, Garden Fresh Tomatillo Salsa Verde, Pico de Gallo with Mini Sweet Peppers, and Mexican Bean Salsa.
This pico recipe is perfect for tacos and it features on our Street Taco Charcuterie Board (coming soon!) with Tacos Al Pastor, Mexican Chicken Adobo, and Taco Carne Asada.
How To Make Good Pico de Gallo!
To print out the quick and easy pico de gallo recipe card, scroll to the bottom of this post. For all the tips, keep reading!
Number of Servings: 8
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: n/a | Chilling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Step 1 – Gather Your Ingredients
This recipe’s ingredients and tools are conveniently linked to online retailers like Amazon, Amazon Fresh, Instacart, and Walmart.
- Fresh Produce – Roma Tomatoes (Plum Tomatoes), White Onions, Cilantro (Fresh Coriander), Jalapeños, Limes
- Pantry – Salt, Black Pepper
- Garlic Powder
The complete list of ingredients with measurements is on the recipe card at the end of this post.
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Step 2 – Kitchen Tools
The complete list of ingredients with measurements is on the recipe card at the end of this post. The Purple Pumpkin Blog uses both cups and weighted measurements in its recipes, making American cups and kitchen food scales valuable tools for trying all the recipes. We provide US customary, imperial, and metric measurements. Still, it’s important to note that while you can combine cup measurements with weighted measures, never mix US customary/imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.) with metric (kilograms, grams, liters, etc.).
Next Steps…
- Step 3—Chop: Finely dice the fresh tomatoes, onion, and cilantro. Deseed and finely chop the jalapeños. TIP! Wear gloves when deseeding the jalapeño pepper
- Step 4—Season: Place the chopped vegetables into a mixing bowl and add the lime juice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine.
- Step 5—Chill: Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.
- Step 6—Serve: Remove from fridge when ready to serve with tacos, tortilla chips, or your favorite Mexican and Tex-Mex recipes. Enjoy!
Storing Leftovers & Freezing
- Storing Leftovers:
- Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for 1-3 days.
- Freezing Instructions:
- Not suitable.
- With all leftovers, ensure the food looks and smells okay before consuming.
- You can always consult the Food Standards Agency in your country for the most up-to-date advice on storing and freezing foods: Food Standards Agency (UK) | Food Safety (USA).
Why Is It Called Pico De Gallo?
Mexicans call it “pico de gallo,” which translates to “rooster’s beak,” due to its traditional method of eating. The diced ingredients resemble the pecking motion of a rooster when picked up with the fingers, mimicking a rooster’s beak. It doesn’t have anything to do with chickens!
Read more on Wikipedia
Printable Best Pico de Gallo Recipe Card
The printable recipe card is below—please leave a star rating and quick review to share your experience with others!
Pico de Gallo for Tacos
Ingredients
- 8 Roma tomatoes
- 2 medium white onion
- 16 stems cilantro
- 4 jalapeño peppers
- 2 limes juiced
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
Instructions
- Finely dice the tomatoes, onion, and cilantro. Deseed and finely chop the jalapeños.
- Place the chopped vegetables into a mixing bowl. Add lime juice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine.
- Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving. Taste and adjust seasonings as required.
- Remove from the fridge when ready to serve with tortilla chips, tacos, or your favorite Mexican and Tex-Mex recipes. Enjoy!
Notes
- Wear food-grade gloves when deseeding and chopping the salsa.
- Cut the vegetables into bigger pieces for a chunky salsa.
- For best results, use the freshest ingredients and chill the fresh tomato salsa overnight. Give the pico a good stir before serving with your favorite dishes.
SUGGESTED PRODUCTS
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.
Dinner Party Menu Suggestions
You’ve made the side dish, but what about the rest of the courses?
Here are additional recipes to create a menu for a dinner party or special meal:
- Appetizer: Crispy Taco Cheese Cups
- Soup: Tex-Mex Chicken Soup with Black Beans
- Salad: Mexican Chopped Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing
- Main Dish: Instant Pot Pork Carnitas (Mexican Pulled Pork)
- Beverage: Spicy Peach Margaritas
- Dessert: Tres Leches Cupcakes