Traditional Pico de Garo

Pico de Garo: Fresh and Easiest Salsa

Pico de Garo is one of the easiest Mexican salsas you’ve ever made! All you need is a cutting board, a knife and 5 simple ingredients! Spoon it over everything, including grilled steaks, tacos, nachos, tortilla chips, and even fish. Most salsas are blended, cooked or roasted in a smooth sauce, but the real Pico de Garo is different. This is a fresh, chunky salsa made from diced ingredients, fresh, without blending or cooking. If you love this kind of fresh and creepy food, you should also try my mango salsa or peach salsa.

What is Pico de Garo?

Pico de Garo (also known as Salsa Fresca or Salsa Cruda) is a freshly cooked Mexican salsa made from simple, freshly chopped ingredients. Unlike most salsas that are usually blended, Pico de Garo is thick and crisp. It’s all about freshness – nothing cooked. It usually serves as a topping or side serving tacos, burritos, grilled meat, or simply tortilla chips.

Interesting fact: “Pico de Gallo” literally means “rooster beak” in Spanish. Its exact origin is unknown, but the name may arise from the way salsa was traditionally eaten. Originally, people would pinch salsa between their thumb and index finger. Alternatively, the name could refer to the bold and spicy “bite” of salsa. Either way, today it is known and loved simply as a fresh and lively Mexican salsa.

How to Make Pico de Garo in 4 Simple Steps

Wash the tomatoes, cut into halves, scoop the seeds, and dice into small pieces. Peel the red onions, dice, baby the jalapeño and finely chop the coriander. Mix all the chopped ingredients in a bowl (tomatoes, red onions, jalapeño, cilantro), squeeze the lime juice and mix well. Cover for at least 20 minutes to blend the flavors, then cool, then season and season with salt and pepper. Serve with tortilla chips!

The best tomatoes for Pico de Garo

Three words: firm, ripe, water. This is my number one choice:

Roma Tomatoes: My go-to – they are meat meat with few seeds and few juices. Glove Tomatoes (Standard Round Tomatoes): I like them because they have a lower seed to meat ratio than larger varieties like beef steak. This helps prevent the salsa from getting watery as it sits in the lime juice and keeps the tomato harder. Cherry or Grape Tomato: Perfect for sweeter flavors and hard textures. Slice them in small pieces. Heirloom Tomato: Flavored and colorful, but often very juicy, so scoop up the seeds and use with care. Tomatoes to avoid: Skip ripe, mushy or very watery tomatoes (such as beef steaks and out-of-season greenhouse types). They tend to be bland, too juicy and can water your Pico de Garo. Tip: Always sow tomatoes to avoid watery pico regardless of the type you use.

Variations

Heat control: For spicy pico de gallo, retain the jalapeño seeds and membranes or add something else. You can also use spicy peppers like Serrano or Habanero. A good alternative to similar heat levels is Fresno Chile. Onion wrapping: If you prefer a smooth onion flavor, you can soak the chopped onion in cold water for 5 minutes. Coriander Alternative: If you don’t like coriander, you can reduce the amount or omit it. Alternatively, add fresh chopped parsley or green onions (leek). Added adobo seasoning (½ tsp) – A spice blend used throughout Latin America and combining flavors of garlic, onion, cumin and oregano. You should be able to find it in the international section of a well-stocked supermarket.

How to serve Pico de Garo

There are countless ways to serve Pico de Garo – it’s not just Mexican food. I love grilled chicken, steak, shrimp, or even fish. It’s the perfect companion for many of my popular recipes:

Mexican street corn pasta salad tomato and black beans shrimp with ground beef beef beef bowl

Storage Tips

Refrigerate: Store in a fridge airtight container for up to 3 days. Tomatoes release more juice and tender over time, making them ideal within the first 24 hours. Drain as needed: If it appears watery before serving leftovers, stir immediately to drain any excess liquid.