This is an easy homemade salsa of Mexican origin that is often used as a dip for tortillas, tacos, or tamales. Pico de gallo is also called salsa fresca (which means ‘fresh sauce’) or salsa cruda (which means ‘raw sauce’). This easy homemade pico de gallo recipe can be at home in no time, all you need are the main ingredients which are tomatoes, white onion, serrano pepper, lime, salt, and cilantro.
Table of Contents
What is pico de gallo?
It is a Mexican salsa recipe that is made with a combination of different vegetables or fruits tossed with lime juice and salt; hot sauce or pepper may be added optionally.
Homemade Pico De Gallo Ingredients
- 5 Tomatoes
- 1 Serrano pepper
- 1 Onion
- 1 Lime
- 1/4 cup of Cilantro
- 1/2 tsp of Salt
How to make pico de gallo at home
Salsa cruda is a very simple salsa recipe, all you need to do is to cut the onions, serrano pepper, cilantro, and tomatoes into small chunks. Transfer the vegetables to a mixing bowl and squeeze in the lime juice. Season the salsa with some salt and stir to combine. Your homemade salsa cruda is ready. Very easy to make.
Variations
The tomato-based variety of salsa fresca is commonly called “salsa picada” which simply means ‘minced or chopped sauce‘.
There are many variations in different regions of Mexico. Some salsa fresca recipes refer to salads made using fruits or vegetables such as tomato, orange, papaya, tomatillo, mild chilis, avocado, cucumber, or jícama.
Nutrition and Calories
Salsa cruda is very healthy, it has fewer calories, about 20 calories per serving, and is loaded with vitamins A (15%) and C (19%) from the pepper and tomatoes, which are also good antioxidants. The total amount of fats in salsa fresca is just 3%. Sodium makes up 9% and potassium is about 6%. There are about 4 grams of carbs in this salsa cruda and this makes 4% of the nutritional content. Other nutrients are iron (6%), protein (2%), and calcium (1%).
Pico De Gallo Recipe - How to Make Pico De Gallo at Home
Ingredients
- 5 whole red tomatoes - the red color of the tomato is suggestive of the red color in the Mexican flag.
- 1 whole serrano pepper - the green color of the green chili is suggestive of the green color of the Mexican flag.
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro - the green color of the green cilantro is also suggestive of the green color in the Mexican flag.
- 1 whole white onion - the white color of the white onion is suggestive of the white color in the Mexican flag.
- 1 whole lime - the juice is squeezed over the salsa.
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Chop or mince the onions, tomatoes, serrano pepper, and cilantro.
- Bring all the chopped vegetables into a mixing bowl.
- Squeeze and drizzle the lime juice over the minced vegetables.
- Add salt and stir with a spatula or spoon. And your easy homemade pico de gallo is ready. You can use it as a dipping sauce for eating taco, tamale, or tortilla chips.
Video
Notes
FAQ
What is the difference between salsa and pico de gallo?
Pico de gallo is a type of salsa but has less liquid compared to most salsas with more liquid.
Is pico de gallo healthy?
Yes, it is very healthy as it consists of vegetables that have antioxidant properties and vitamins.
What is in pico de gallo?
Pico de gallo mainly consists of tomatoes, white onions, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and serrano pepper.
Do Mexicans call it pico de gallo?
In Mexico, it is normally called salsa Mexicana, which means ‘Mexican sauce‘. Because the colors of the red tomato, white onion, and green chili, and cilantro are reminiscent of the colors of the Mexican flag, it is also called salsa bandera, which means ‘flag sauce‘.