Pico de gallo (which literally means rooster’s beak) is also called salsa fresca–which means, fresh salad. This is an uncooked salad, typically made with coarsely chopped tomato, onion, cilantro, and fresh serrano peppers (though Nelson chose to use jalapeños because they’re not as hot), and freshly squeezed lime juice, and salt.
So, you might be wondering what the difference is between pico de gallo and a salsa. Maybe you’re not, but we wondered, so humour us and keep reading… Here’s what we discovered… Salsa is the Mexican word for sauce or dip. Salsa is a tomato-based (often spicy) hot sauce commonly used as a dip. Pico de gallo is actually a type of salsa though most salsas are made with cooked tomatoes and chili which are blended or crushed, while pico de gallo is made with fresh tomatoes, and other fresh uncooked ingredients that are coarsely chopped. Most salsa has quite a bit of liquid which makes it great as a dip; whereas pico de gallo contains little liquid, which makes it a perfect filling for tacos and fajitas. There you have it…probably more than you wanted to know, but we thought it was interesting (does that make us geeks?).
Whatever you call it, this recipe uses fresh ingredients that look bright and taste delicious. Perfectly summery. This certainly was a perfect filling in our fajitas. Full disclosure…our little guy wouldn’t try it–but then, we know his mom (yes me, Liz) was always just as picky…and kind of still is…so we didn’t force him to add it to his fajitas–and that’s the fun of fajitas…you can choose your fillings!
- 4 plum tomatoes seeded and finely chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and finely chopped
- ¼ small red onion diced
- 3 tbs cilantro chopped (3 or 4 sprigs)
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- 3 tbs freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- In a medium bowl, stir all the ingredients together.
- Yup... that's it! Enjoy!
I’ve never made pico de gallo before but as someone who LOVES mexican food it is something I have to try. Thanks for the idea.
I LOVE pico de gallo, it’s so fresh and works with so many different types of dishes!
We love it too. Thanks for the comment.