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Recipes

Pico de Gallo

May 5, 2014

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Fresh, easy, and healthy too! This Pico de Gallo recipe is perfect for snacking or as a side with your favorite Mexican dishes! | LoveGrowsWild.com

What’s your favorite food holiday? Do you love the Thanksgiving turkey or the sugar cookie cut-outs at Christmas time? If you ask me, my favorite food holiday by far is Cinco de Mayo! What could be better than a day full of tacos, guacamole, and margaritas? The answer, my friends, is nothing!

I love all kinds of delicious Mexican recipes, and I’m surprised I haven’t shared more here on the blog before. I guess there’s no better time than Cinco de Mayo, right? I went back and forth on what special dish I wanted to show you today, and in the end I decided to do a recipe that I use with almost ANY Mexican dish I make… Pico de Gallo! This delicious mixture of fresh vegetables is perfect for snacking with tortilla chips and also makes a great topping for your favorite Mexican meals like tacos, enchiladas, and more!

Fresh, easy, and healthy too! This Pico de Gallo recipe is perfect for snacking or as a side with your favorite Mexican dishes! | LoveGrowsWild.com


Have you ever made Pico de Gallo before? I love mixing up a big batch especially in the summertime when I have lots of fresh produce to use from my garden. Tomatoes, onion, jalapenos, fresh cilantro, limes, and salt is all you need!

Fresh, easy, and healthy too! This Pico de Gallo recipe is perfect for snacking or as a side with your favorite Mexican dishes! | LoveGrowsWild.com

I find that everyone likes their Pico de Gallo a little different…

Some people like lots of onion, some people hate the onion.
Some want it super spicy, while others prefer a more mild heat.
Do you love cilantro or despise it?

That’s what is great about this recipe. Once you learn the basics, it’s easy to customize all the ingredients to your liking for the BEST Pico de Gallo according to your own taste buds!

I’m definitely a wimp when it comes to super spicy foods, so I prefer my Pico de Gallo to be more on the mild side. I use a whole jalapeno pepper in this recipe, but I remove all the seeds and membranes from inside the pepper which reduces the heat quite a bit.

Here’s how you do it:
Cut the top off the pepper and slice it down the middle lengthwise. Scrape out all the seeds and membranes and discard them. TIP: Wash your hands VERY well after dealing with hot peppers! You do NOT want to rub your eyes after touching these babies. And yes, I speak from experience on this one. Give those fingers a good scrub and be sure to get underneath your fingernails too!

Like spicy but not TOO spicy? Learn how to de-seed jalapenos for the perfect mild heat in your recipes! | LoveGrowsWild.com


You can dice your vegetables as large or small as you like, but here’s how I like mine…

A small dice on the tomatoes. (Think about what you’d be able to scoop up on a tortilla chip.) The onions about half that size. (Because no one wants to eat giant chunks of raw onion.) And the jalapeno as SMALL as you can get them. I like my heat in small doses!

– TIP: When I’m chopping my tomatoes, I’ll throw them into a strainer with a bowl underneath to catch all the juices. That way you won’t have all that extra liquid in your Pico de Gallo!

Throw your chopped veggies into a bowl…

Fresh, easy, and healthy too! This Pico de Gallo recipe is perfect for snacking or as a side with your favorite Mexican dishes! | LoveGrowsWild.com

… and add some chopped cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice (from 1 whole lime), and a sprinkle of salt.

Fresh, easy, and healthy too! This Pico de Gallo recipe is perfect for snacking or as a side with your favorite Mexican dishes! | LoveGrowsWild.com

Stir it all together and give it a taste!

Fresh, easy, and healthy too! This Pico de Gallo recipe is perfect for snacking or as a side with your favorite Mexican dishes! | LoveGrowsWild.com

Here’s where your expert taste testing skills come into play…

Does it just taste like a bowl of vegetables? Add a bit more lime juice and salt. Way too spicy? Add some more tomatoes. Play with the ratio of ingredients until it’s just the way you like it! If I’m serving my Pico de Gallo with tortilla chips, I’ll taste them both together before adding any extra salt. The chips will add some saltiness too!

Seriously, could these colors get any more gorgeous?

Fresh, easy, and healthy too! This Pico de Gallo recipe is perfect for snacking or as a side with your favorite Mexican dishes! | LoveGrowsWild.com

I’ll eat Pico de Gallo all year long, but I especially love it in summer when produce is nice and fresh and it’s WAY too hot to turn on an oven. I’ll let the hubby grill up some marinated chicken breasts and top them with this fresh Pico de Gallo! You get tons of flavor without adding a bunch of extra calories!

Fresh, easy, and healthy too! This Pico de Gallo recipe is perfect for snacking or as a side with your favorite Mexican dishes! | LoveGrowsWild.com

So how long will Pico de Gallo stay fresh for? I usually keep it only about one day. Okay, let me re-phrase that… it doesn’t even last one entire day in our house! My husband and I keep snacking until we’re fighting over the very last tomato. This stuff is that good. However, if you have more self discipline than we do, you could prep it a few hours ahead of time and keep it stored in the refrigerator. After about 24 hours, I find that the tomatoes start to become mushy and the cilantro wilts. Fresh is definitely better when it comes to Pico de Gallo!

Fresh, easy, and healthy too! This Pico de Gallo recipe is perfect for snacking or as a side with your favorite Mexican dishes! | LoveGrowsWild.com

Use this recipe as a healthy snack, a great party appetizer, or a fresh side to any Mexican dish. You’ll definitely be making it again and again! Stay tuned for the homemade baked tortilla chip recipe as seen in these photos coming soon!

Fresh, easy, and healthy too! This Pico de Gallo recipe is perfect for snacking or as a side with your favorite Mexican dishes! | LoveGrowsWild.com

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Pico de Gallo
 
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Prep time
10 mins
Total time
10 mins
 
Fresh, easy, and healthy too! This Pico de Gallo recipe is perfect for snacking or as a side with your favorite Mexican dishes!
Author: Liz Fourez
Recipe type: Side, Snack, Topping
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 2 cups Roma tomatoes, diced (3-4 tomatoes)
  • 1 cup white onion, finely diced (1/2 large onion)
  • ¼ cup jalapeno, seeds removed and minced (1 jalapeno)
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt (or more to taste)
  • juice of 1 lime (or more to taste)
Instructions
  1. In a medium bowl, add the tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, and cilantro. Squeeze the juice from 1 lime into the bowl and sprinkle with salt. Stir to combine ingredients and taste. Add more lime juice and salt as necessary. Serve immediately.
Notes
- If you like your Pico de Gallo nice and spicy, cut up the jalapeno whole. If you want a more mild heat (which is how I prefer it), cut the jalapeno in half lengthwise and scrape out all the seeds and membranes from inside the pepper.

- If you're serving the Pico de Gallo with tortilla chips, taste them together first before adjusting the salt level. The chips will add to the saltiness. Then add more lime juice and salt to your liking!
3.2.2499
 

Today’s post comes with a fun surprise… Not only am I celebrating Cinco de Mayo with some delicious Pico de Gallo (that was super fun to say!), but I’m also celebrating two very good friends of mine who are about to have babies! I’ve met some amazing people since I started this blog, and Alyssa from The Recipe Critic and Nikki from Chef in Training are two people that inspire me daily. They have incredible food blogs (seriously, go check them out!) and are both due with their third babies in less than a month!

Funny story… I recently flew out to Utah for a conference, and Alyssa was sweet enough to pick me up from the airport. LOVE this girl. We were able to squeeze in a quick lunch but wanted more time to hang out together, so she let me crash her OB appointment that was scheduled for that afternoon! Nothing like hearing a sweet little baby’s heartbeat and discussing c-sections with your blog friend who you’ve really only met once before in real life. Bloggers just have strange friendships like that! Her sweet husband probably thinks we’re bonkers. I wouldn’t have it any other way though. I got to see Nikki too for a little while, and that girl is just cute as a button. I think they’re both ready for these babies to be born finally!

So in honor of these sweet girls, a group of us bloggers are sharing a whole bunch of delicious Cinco de Mayo recipes today as a sort of “virtual baby shower” for them. They happen to LOVE Mexican food, so I thought this was perfect! Be sure to check out all the other recipes listed in the links below and go tell Nikki and Alyssa congratulations! I can’t wait to see these sweet little babies!!

A fun collection of Cinco de Mayo recipes!

Mexican Tortilla Stack from Life in the Lofthouse
Apple Pie Chimichunga from Mandy’s Recipe Box
Roasted Corn Fiesta Guacamole from Creme de la Crumb
Spicy Enchilada Dip from Chelsea’s Messy Apron
Peanut Butter Snickerdoodle Crescent Rolls from Crazy for Crust
Chunky Avocado Salsa from Mom on Timeout
“Big Popper” Burger from High Heels and Grills
LET’S KEEP IN TOUCH!

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Appetizers/Snacks
by Liz Fourez 
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Comments

  1. [email protected]'s Recipe Box says: May 5, 2014 at 9:30 am

    This looks so good! I love Pico de Gallo on eggs and to dip! Thanks for joinging in!

    Reply
    • Liz Fourez says: May 6, 2014 at 11:32 pm

      I’m definitely going to have to try this with eggs! Sounds yummy!

      Reply
  2. Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says: May 5, 2014 at 10:02 am

    This is gorgeous- my mouth is watering!!! Pinned!

    Reply
    • Liz Fourez says: May 6, 2014 at 11:33 pm

      A little bit of vegetables to balance out all the sweets, right? Thanks for pinning, Dorothy!!

      Reply
  3. Alyssa Rivers says: May 5, 2014 at 5:51 pm

    Liz! Holy crap! Your photography first of all is mind blowing and I love the fresh ingredients that make this recipe awesome! And I literally have tears streaming down my face because this blogger baby shower has meant the WORLD to me. You know how much I love you and I feel like I have known you for years! I miss my sisterwife! šŸ™‚

    Reply
    • Liz Fourez says: May 6, 2014 at 11:35 pm

      I am SO happy we could do this for you and Nikki! Love you to pieces, my sweet sister wife. šŸ˜‰

      Reply
  4. Krista @ Joyful Healthy Eats says: May 5, 2014 at 8:33 pm

    Love this Liz… simple yet so stinking tasty. I totally prefer a light pico to salsa any day. Totally gonna try this recipe soon.. as in tomorrow.. for real! šŸ™‚ Pinned.. gorgeous photos too!

    Reply
    • Liz Fourez says: May 6, 2014 at 11:36 pm

      Fresh pico is the best! Thanks for the pin, girl! šŸ™‚

      Reply
  5. Beth @ The First Year says: May 5, 2014 at 8:56 pm

    Liz, I am drooling. As long as your dicing the jalapeƱos, I’ll be eating the pico de gallo!

    Reply
    • Liz Fourez says: May 6, 2014 at 11:37 pm

      Deal! I’ll dice up the jalapenos, and we’ll have a yummy snack together! šŸ˜‰

      Reply
  6. Amy | Club Narwhal says: May 6, 2014 at 1:22 pm

    Liz, this pico looks so refreshing–and it sounds like the perfect way to use up the goods from a garden (one day I’ll plant one :).

    Reply
    • Liz Fourez says: May 6, 2014 at 11:39 pm

      A big garden is on my to-do list too! Hopefully I’ll be able to tackle that project soon! Thanks for stopping by. šŸ™‚

      Reply
  7. Melinda @home.made.interest says: May 6, 2014 at 9:30 pm

    This looks so refreshing. Perfect for summer šŸ™‚ Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Liz Fourez says: May 6, 2014 at 11:41 pm

      My favorite summertime snack! Thanks so much for stopping by, and enjoy the recipe!

      Reply
  8. Robyn @ simply fresh dinners says: May 7, 2014 at 9:07 am

    This is perfection, Liz! The colours, taste, freshness – what more could you want! I can’t wait to try it. Thanks so much.

    Reply
    • Liz Fourez says: May 7, 2014 at 10:07 pm

      You’re so welcome, Robyn! I hope you enjoy the recipe!

      Reply
  9. Maryann @ Domestically Speaking says: May 8, 2014 at 4:57 pm

    Being a So. Cal. native we love Mexican food. Your photography is gorgeous and captures perfectly the freshness of Pico de Gallo. I’m featuring your yummy recipe in my Friday Features from this week’s Inspire Me Monday linky party. Thanks for linking up!

    Reply
    • Liz Fourez says: May 8, 2014 at 10:58 pm

      Thank you so much, Maryann! That’s the perfect word to describe the deliciousness of Pico de Gallo… fresh! Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  10. Karly says: May 8, 2014 at 8:14 pm

    Hi Liz!

    This pico de gallo looks wonderful! I’d love to have you link this up with me and the Create & Share DIY and Recipe Party. I hope to see you there!

    -Karly

    Reply
    • Liz Fourez says: May 8, 2014 at 10:58 pm

      Thank you so much, Karly!!

      Reply
  11. Jodee Weiland says: May 11, 2014 at 1:30 pm

    I love pico de gallo! This looks so fresh and delicious…full of rich vibrant flavors blended perfectly. Love this..thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Liz Fourez says: May 12, 2014 at 10:26 pm

      I totally agree, Jodee! I love the beautiful colors and freshness!

      Reply
  12. [email protected] says: May 17, 2014 at 3:32 pm

    So fun! Happy baby shower to Alyssa & Nikki and I LOVE this pico de gallo!! It looks perfect!

    Reply
    • Liz Fourez says: May 20, 2014 at 10:40 pm

      Thanks, Cathy! I could snack on pico all day long!!

      Reply
  13. pat says: July 12, 2014 at 2:05 pm

    This sounds good. I will definitely try this.

    Reply
    • Liz Fourez says: July 17, 2014 at 7:17 pm

      Hope you enjoy, Pat! Let me know what you think!

      Reply
  14. Liam Bradey says: October 19, 2014 at 3:06 pm

    Great recipe, I use a drizzle of EV olive oil in mine as well šŸ™‚

    Reply
    • Liz Fourez says: October 24, 2014 at 9:35 pm

      Thank you, Liam! A little drizzle would be perfect! Thanks for sharing. šŸ™‚

      Reply

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Welcome, sweet friends! My name is Liz, and I started Love Grows Wild in 2012 with a passion for interior design and homemaking and a dream to help others create a home they love.
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Liz Fourez started Love Grows Wild in 2012 with a passion for interior design and homemaking and a dream to help others create a home they love.  From simple project tutorials, to holiday and entertaining ideas, to her journey renovating a 1940’s farmhouse, Liz demonstrates how to create a beautiful and inviting home with a handmade touch. She turned her signature cozy, neutral style into a best-selling book in 2016 and continues to inspire readers with her captivating photography and easy decorating ideas. Read more about Liz > > > >

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