Pico de Gallo

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 1 1/2 lb (680 g) ripe Roma tomatoes, about 6 medium
• 1 tsp kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
• 1/2 medium white onion, finely diced (about 3/4 cup)
• 1–2 jalapeños, seeded and minced
• 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice, plus more to taste

How to make pico de gallo

1. Step 1.

   Halve the tomatoes lengthwise and scoop out the watery seed pockets with a spoon or your finger. Cut the flesh into 1/4-inch dice.

2. Step 2.

   Toss the diced tomatoes with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl. Let drain for 15–20 minutes, tossing once. Discard the liquid or save it for another use.

3. Step 3.

   Meanwhile, put the diced onion in a small bowl of cold water for 10 minutes to soften its bite, then drain well and pat dry.

4. Step 4.

   Combine the drained tomatoes, onion, jalapeño and cilantro in a bowl.

5. Step 5.

   Add the lime juice and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and toss gently.

6. Step 6.

   Taste on a chip and adjust with more salt, lime juice or jalapeño. Serve within a few hours for the crispest texture.

Pico de gallo, also called salsa fresca, is a chopped salsa rather than a blended one. Each ingredient should stay distinct, so a chip picks up a little of everything. That makes the knife work and the handling of moisture more important than in almost any other salsa.

Pick tomatoes by feel, then remove the seeds

Roma tomatoes are the usual choice because they have thick walls and fewer seeds, and they are reasonably consistent year-round. In summer, any ripe, flavorful tomato works. Choose tomatoes that are deep red and give slightly when pressed. Pale, hard tomatoes make a crunchy, flavorless pico no matter how well it is seasoned.

Scooping out the seeds and the jelly around them removes most of the liquid that would otherwise pool in the bowl. The seeds carry flavor too, so if your tomatoes are especially good and you plan to serve the salsa right away, you can leave some in.

The salting step

Salt draws juice out of cut tomatoes. Left in the bowl, that juice collects at the bottom within half an hour and makes the pico soggy. Salting the diced tomatoes in a strainer first moves that process ahead of serving. After 15 to 20 minutes, the tomatoes are firmer and more concentrated in flavor, and the finished pico stays scoopable much longer.

The drained liquid is lightly salted tomato water. It is worth saving for a Bloody Mary, a vinaigrette or a pot of rice.

Cut everything to the same small size

Aim for tomato pieces about 1/4 inch and onion a little smaller. Even cuts make the salsa easier to scoop and ensure a bite of raw onion never overwhelms a chip. A sharp knife matters with tomatoes: a dull blade crushes them and releases more juice.

White onion is traditional and has a clean, sharp flavor. A short soak in cold water takes the harshest edge off without making it bland. Red onion also works and looks attractive, but it is milder and slightly sweeter.

Controlling the heat

Most of a jalapeño’s heat is in the pale ribs and seeds. Remove them for a mild pico, or leave some in for more heat. Peppers vary a lot, so add one minced jalapeño first, taste on a chip and then decide whether to add more. For noticeably more heat, use a serrano, which is the other classic choice.

Cilantro and lime

Chop the cilantro finely, including the tender upper stems, which have plenty of flavor. Add lime juice and the final salt just before serving if you are making the base ahead. Both draw more liquid from the vegetables over time.

Making it ahead and storing it

Pico de gallo is best within a few hours. For a party, dice and drain the tomatoes and chop the onion and jalapeño up to 4 hours ahead. Keep them covered in the refrigerator, then add the cilantro, lime and salt shortly before serving.

Leftovers keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. The tomatoes soften and more liquid collects each day, so drain it off before serving. Softened pico is still good spooned over eggs, tacos or grilled chicken. It does not freeze well.

What to serve it with

Tortilla chips are the obvious choice, but pico de gallo also works as a fresh counterpoint to rich, warm dips like queso. It is a good topping for tacos, nachos, burrito bowls and quesadillas, and it can be folded into guacamole at the last minute.