Recipe: Pico de Gallo (Patreon)

This article and recipe are a Super Frienji and Cookbook Club exclusive. Join the club to get the full build, trade notes with fellow kitchen obsessives, and hang with a community of cooks and food nerds swapping tips, stories, and cooking secrets.

Oh boy, pico de gallo! They sure don’t make it like this in Ohio—at least according to Weird Al in “Taco Grande.” But I’m here to tell you that’s not true. I’ve had some of the best tacos of my life in Ohio, pico and all.

“Pico de gallo” literally translates to “rooster beak,” supposedly because the finger motion used to pinch bits of it resembles a pecking rooster. Also known as salsa fresca or salsa mexicana (thanks to its red, white, and green palette), it’s as simple and perfect as it gets: chopped tomatoes, onions, chiles, cilantro, and lime. This version sticks close to tradition, with a few small upgrades for texture and balance—bright, fresh, and just the right amount of heat.

What I love about this recipe:

Simple ingredients—tomato, onion, chile, cilantro, lime—balanced for texture and brightness.

The seeds and gel stay in for full tomato flavor and natural juiciness.

Quick enough to make while your tacos finish browning.

Yield: About 3 cupsActive Time: 15 minutesTotal Time: 15 minutesNotes: Salting and draining the tomatoes for 20–30 minutes will intensify their flavor and firm their texture, but this step is optional.

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds (680 g) ripe Roma or plum tomatoes, diced ¼–½ inch (about 3 cups)

½ large red or white onion, finely diced (about ¾ cup)

1 to 2 serrano or jalapeño chiles, finely diced (seeds and membranes removed for less heat)

½ cup (15 g) finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems

1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lime juice (from 1 lime), plus more to taste

1 teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt, plus more as needed

Method

Dice the tomatoes.Halve each Roma tomato and remove the small core with the tip of your knife. Using a sharp blade, make a few lengthwise and crosswise cuts to create neat cubes. Don’t bother seeding them unless you prefer a drier salsa—the gel around the seeds holds plenty of bright tomato flavor.

Optional: For a denser, less juicy pico, toss the diced tomatoes with 1 teaspoon salt and let them drain in a fine-mesh strainer for 20–30 minutes before continuing.

Prep the onion and chiles.Finely dice half an onion. If you want a gentler bite, choose white onion or briefly rinse chopped onion under warm water. Trim the stems from the chiles, slice them lengthwise, remove the seeds and ribs if desired, then cut into fine dice. Serranos bring a sharper heat than jalapeños—use one to start, taste, then add more.

Chop the cilantro.Gather the cilantro so the stems point in one direction. Slice thinly across the stems, then give everything a quick rough chop so the pieces are small and tender.

Combine and season.In a mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, chiles, and cilantro. Add the lime juice and salt, and toss until everything is evenly mixed. Taste and adjust with more salt or lime as needed—the flavors should pop.

Serve or store.Serve immediately with chips, tacos, fajitas, grilled meats, or chilled seafood. Pico de gallo keeps up to 3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container; expect the onion flavor to intensify over time.

Tip: Stir in some chopped cooked shrimp and spoon it over tostadas for an instant coctel-style appetizer.