Spicy Pico de Gallo

This spicy pico de gallo is a classic fresh salsa made with tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime juice. It’s ready in minutes and works just as well with tortilla chips as it does piled onto tacos or nachos. Take a minute to salt and drain the tomatoes first, and you’ll skip the usual “why is this so watery?” comments and instead end up with something bright, spicy, and actually scoopable.

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We make this on repeat during the summer, usually alongside ceviche and a round of margaritas. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it always seems to disappear faster than anything else on the table.

5 Tips for the Best Pico de Gallo

Here are five quick tips for getting the best pico de gallo.

• Use ripe red tomatoes. Roma tomatoes have the best flavor for pico de gallo since they are less watery, but any ripe red tomato will do. Before chopping the tomatoes, core and remove the seeds. Grape or cherry tomatoes can also be used. Just chop them into small pieces.
• Diced, not chopped. Dice everything very finely to get all the flavors in every bite.
• Let it sit. Making it 10 to 20 minutes in advance will give the ingredients more time to marinate together to get the best flavor. Stir just before serving.
• Don’t forget the salt. Salting the tomatoes and letting them sit in a strainer will drain out additional water.

How to Make Spicy Pico de Gallo

Here are the quick, step-by-step instructions with visuals; you can find the full instructions, including the exact ingredients, in the recipe card below.

Pro-tip: Taste and adjust right before serving. Tomatoes can vary, so a small pinch of salt or a squeeze of lime at the end can make the whole thing pop.

1. Salt and Drain the Tomatoes: Remove excess water from the pico de gallo. Season tomatoes with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and toss to combine. Then transfer the tomatoes to a fine-mesh strainer or colander set over a bowl and let them drain for 20 to 30 minutes. Discard liquid.

2. Combine Ingredients: Combine drained tomatoes with onion, diced jalapeno, cilantro, and lime juice. Toss to combine and season with additional salt if necessary.

What to Serve with Pico de Gallo

Pico de gallo is incredibly versatile. Think of it as your fresh, zesty sidekick that makes every dish better! Spoon it over our cola-marinated beef fajitas, add it to enchiladas, or serve it as a bright, fresh dip with homemade tortilla chips. But don’t stop there. This fresh salsa brightens up everything from grilled proteins to eggs for breakfast.

When entertaining, set out a bowl of pico de gallo alongside grilled guacamole and chips. Add some Tex-Mex queso and green chile salsa to create the ultimate dip spread!

Mexican and Tex-Mex Favorites: Layer it into our green chile chicken quesadilla, hatch chile chicken enchiladas, or chicken salad tostadas. It’s a classic garnish for carne asada street tacos.

Beyond Tacos and Burritos: Try pico de gallo on carne asada nachos, a Hatch green chile cheeseburger, breakfast quesadillas, or migas, or even a turkey taco stuffed in a sweet potato.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: Spicy pico de gallo can be prepared up to 2 hours before serving. For best results, refrigerate the chopped ingredients, but wait to add salt and lime juice until just before serving to prevent the tomatoes from releasing excess liquid.

How to Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The tomatoes will continue to release liquid, and the vegetables will soften over time, but the pico de gallo will remain safe to eat. We do not recommend freezing pico de gallo.