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    Home » Meal » Appetizer

    Published: Apr 26, 2023 · Modified: May 23, 2023 by Genevieve · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Fresh Garden Salsa Recipe (Pico de Gallo)

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    Closeup shot of garden fresh salsa with the words garden fresh salsa and the web address for two cloves kitchen dot com.
    Closeup shot of garden fresh salsa with the words garden fresh salsa and the web address for two cloves kitchen dot com.
    Overhead shot of garden fresh salsa with the words garden fresh salsa and the web address for two cloves kitchen dot com.
    pico de gallo in a white bowl with the words garden fresh salsa and the web address for two cloves kitchen dot com.
    Overhead shot of garden fresh salsa with the words garden fresh salsa and the web address for two cloves kitchen dot com.

    This delicious fresh garden salsa recipe with tomato, onion, cilantro, jalapeño peppers, and lime juice is perfect as a dip for chips or a topping for your favorite Mexican dish!

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe
    Garden fresh salsa in a white bowl on a vintage wooden cutting board.

    Why You'll Love Homemade Garden Fresh Salsa

    This garden-fresh salsa, also known as pico de gallo, is incredibly easy to make. Chop up your ingredients, dress them with lime juice, and you're good to go.

    It's refreshing and delicious. Juicy ripe tomatoes, spicy jalapeños, chopped onion, earthy cilantro, and bright, tangy lime juice come together to create a super flavorful, fresh bite that can lighten up a heavy meal or serve as an exciting appetizer.

    This healthy salsa is something you can feel great serving your friends or family. It's a great source of vitamin C and potassium, and adds very few calories to a meal. Check out this article on the health benefits of pico de gallo for more info.

    This homemade garden salsa is also super versatile. It's great with tortilla chips or as a topping for Mexican dishes, but it's also delicious in salads, in wraps, or on top of your favorite protein, like grilled chicken, carne asada, or shrimp!

    Once you realize how easy this recipe is to make, you'll want to keep it on hand all the time! Be sure to let me know if you tried this recipe in the comments. I'd love to hear from you.

    Ingredients for Garden Salsa

    Two Cloves Kitchen, as an Amazon Affiliate, makes a small percentage from qualified sales made through affiliate links at no cost to you.

    labeled ingredients for garden fresh salsa on a white marble counter.
    • Tomatoes I recommend using roma tomatoes here, but feel free to experiment with other varieties, like beefsteak tomatoes or any type of homegrown tomatoes you may have on hand. Cherry tomatoes are a fun twist on the classic, too.
    • Onion I recommend a white onion, but a yellow onion, sweet onion, or red onion will all work.
    • Garlic A few cloves of fresh garlic add more bite to the salsa.
    • Jalapeño These are the easiest pepper to find and the easiest to devein and deseed. If you want to try something spicier, try adding a serrano pepper to your salsa.
    • Cilantro 
    • Lime Juice Fresh lime juice is the most flavorful, but if you can't locate any, bottled lime juice will do in a pinch.
    • Salt My preference is always kosher salt. 
    • Pepper Optional. I don't typically add pepper to my pico de gallo, but you can if you like!

    How to Make Pico de Gallo

    Chopped roma tomatoes on a white cutting board.

    Step One Dice the tomatoes into evenly sized pieces.

    Chopped onion on a white cutting board.

    Step Two Dice the onion.

    Chopped jalapenos on a white cutting board.

    Step Three Dice the jalapeño. If you'd like, you can devein and deseed the pepper for a milder salsa.

    Chopped cilantro on a white cutting board.

    Step Four Finely chop the cilantro.

    Minced garlic sits on a white cutting board.

    Step Five Mince the garlic.

    Ingredients for garden fresh salsa in a stainless steel bowl.

    Step Six Add all of the chopped ingredients to a large mixing bowl.

    Garden fresh salsa is mixed in a stainless steel bowl.

    Step Seven Squeeze the lime juice over top, and season with salt to taste. Add black pepper here if using.

    Overhead shot of garden fresh salsa in a white bowl.

    Step Eight Serve right away or place in the fridge for 30 minutes to a few hours to let the flavors meld.

    Recommended Equipment

    Cutting Board

    Kitchen Knife

    Bowls

    Wooden Spoon

    Closeup shot of garden fresh salsa.

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    What is pico de gallo vs salsa?

    Pico de gallo is a subcategory of salsa that uses only fresh ingredients. Salsa can include a variety of cooking methods, including varieties that are fresh or roasted, and can be blended or chopped by hand.

    What does pico de gallo mean?

    Literally, it means "beak of rooster," but the sauce itself has nothing to do with roosters or chickens.

    It's a fresh sauce made with chopped tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and lime juice as the base, and sometimes contains additional ingredients like garlic, fresh fruit, beans, or other fresh vegetables.

    Is pico de gallo just salsa?

    Pico de gallo is a particular type of salsa but the terms are not interchangeable. While pico de gallo is a type of salsa, not all salsa is pico de gallo.

    A closeup side shot of garden fresh salsa in a white bowl.

    Variations and Substitutions

    Cumin Try including a pinch of cumin for some added smokiness.

    Food Processor For a smoother salsa without all the chopping, you can use a food processor or blender to pulse the ingredients. 

    Canned Tomatoes Have last-minute guests and no fresh tomatoes on hand? Try using canned tomatoes instead. 

    Lemon If there is no lime juice to be found, lemon juice is a good substitute. It's a lighter flavor that many enjoy.

    How to Store Leftover Salsa

    Fridge Store your salsa in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

    Freezer I don't recommend freezing this recipe.

    Expert Tips

    • If you find your pico is too watery, you can remove the seeds from your tomatoes before you dice them. This will lower the overall moisture content of the dish.
    • If you find the salsa is too acidic for your taste, try adding a pinch of sugar or a tiny squeeze of honey. This bit of sweetness will help balance the acidity and heat of the salsa.
    • Depending on how spicy you like your salsa, you can devein the jalapeño by using a spoon to scrape out the membrane inside the pepper as shown below. If you're leaving the membrane of the pepper intact, try to remove some of the seeds with a spoon or paring knife, as the texture is better without them.
    A silver spoon scoops out the membrane and seeds from a jalapeno.

    How to Serve this Homemade Garden Fresh Salsa Recipe

    This fresh pico de gallo can be used in so many ways. Try the suggestions below!

    Appetizer Simply serve with chips for a delicious appetizer. 

    Snack Serve over chips with some melted cheese for quick and easy nachos, or add beans, cheese, sour cream, and guacamole for a layered dip!

    Mexican food This salsa is a perfect topping for a carne asada quesadilla, some chicken slow cooker enchiladas, or on this Mexican street corn salad. This would also be delicious on a carne asada plate with beans and rice!

    Grilled Meats Try this pico de gallo with this amazingly flavorful lime grilled chicken with cilantro crema.

    Soup Add a spoonful over your favorite soup for added freshness, like this Instant Pot Chicken Stew.

    Salad I love salsa with a taco salad, or added to a simple side salad for extra texture and flavor.

    Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment 💬 and a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! You can also tag us @twocloveskitchen on Instagram or follow us on Facebook!

    More Salsa Dishes to Try

    • A bowl of pineapple habanero salsa sits on a rustic wooden cutting board surrounded by limes, cilantro, and a red linen.
      Pineapple Habanero Salsa
    • A bowl of mango pico de gallo sits on a rustic wooden cutting board surrounded by limes, cilantro, and a pink linen.
      Easy Mango Pico de Gallo
    • A bowl of serrano salsa is shown with limes, chips, cilantro, and a red linen.
      Spicy Serrano Salsa Recipe with Lime
    • Roasted mango habanero salsa on a wooden cutting board surrounded by lime and cilantro.
      Roasted Mango Habanero Salsa Recipe

    📖 Recipe

    An overhead shot of garden fresh salsa in a white bowl.

    Fresh Garden Salsa Recipe (Pico de Gallo)

    This delicious fresh garden salsa recipe with tomato, onion, cilantro, jalapeno peppers, and lime juice is perfect as a dip for chips or a topping for your favorite Mexican dish!
    5 from 38 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, Condiment, Snack
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Keyword: fresh garden salsa, fresh salsa, garden fresh salsa, homemade fresh garden salsa, homemade fresh garden salsa recipe, homemade garden fresh salsa, homemade garden fresh salsa recipe, pico de gallo, pico de gallo recipe, salsa fresca
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 17kcal
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    Equipment

    • Kitchen Knife
    • Cutting Board
    • Large Mixing Bowl
    • Wooden Spoon

    Ingredients

    • 4 roma tomatoes
    • 1 small white onion or to taste
    • 1 jalapeño
    • 1 to 2 cloves garlic
    • 1 cup cilantro chopped, packed loosely, about ½ of a bunch
    • ¼ cup lime juice from about 2 limes, or to taste
    • kosher salt to taste

    Instructions

    • Finely dice the tomato into evenly sized pieces.
    • Finely dice the onion.
    • For a milder salsa, devein and deseed the jalapeño by slicing it lengthwise and using a spoon to scoop out the interior. For a spicier salsa, remove some of the seeds but leave the membrane intact. Finely dice the jalapeño.
    • Mince the garlic.
    • Add the tomato, onion, jalapeño, garlic, and finely chopped cilantro to a large mixing bowl. Squeeze over the lime juice and season with salt.
    • Taste for seasoning and serve or let sit in the fridge for 30 minutes to a few hours to let the flavors meld before serving.

    Notes

    General
    1. If you find your pico is too watery, you can remove the seeds from your tomatoes before you dice them. This will lower the overall moisture content of the dish.
    2. If you find the salsa is too acidic for your taste, try adding a pinch of sugar or a tiny squeeze of honey. This bit of sweetness will help balance the acidity and heat of the salsa.
    3. Depending on how spicy you like your salsa, you can devein the jalapeno. If you're leaving the membrane of the pepper intact, try to remove some of the seeds with a spoon or paring knife as the texture is better. 
    Storage
    1. Fridge Store your salsa in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
    2. Freezer I don't recommend freezing this recipe.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 17kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.02g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.05g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 150mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 552IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 0.2mg

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