Heirloom Tomato Pico de Gallo

Name: Heirloom Tomato Pico De Gallo
Prep time: 15 min
Ingredients: 3 large heirloom tomatoes (diced); 1/2 white onion (finely chopped); 1 jalapeño (seeds and membrain removed, finely chopped ); 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro leaves and stems (finely chopped ); 1 juicy lime; salt

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A fresh and flavorful salsa made with just 5-simple ingredients; juicy heirloom tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime juice.

Pico de gallo is perfect for chips and salsa or serving alongside all your favorite taco recipes like: Sheet Pan Chicken Tacos al Pastor and Baja Style Beer Battered Fish Tacos!

A white bowl of vibrant red and yellow pico de gallo salsa on a tile background surrounded by tortilla chips.

When a recipe calls for only a few ingredients it’s all the more important that those ingredients are top quality. This is why I love making pico de gallo with juicy and sweet heirloom tomatoes.

Pico de gallo (pronounced; peek-oh-day-GUY-oh) is *THE* perfect salsa for chips and salsa. It’s fresh and zesty with a little kick but not too spicy. It’s also great in a burrito bowl or alongside your favorite Mexican dishes.

Hungry for more zesty salsas? Check out: Tomatillo Salsa and Creamy Avocado Salsa.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

All you need to make Heirloom Tomato Pico de Gallo is 5-simple ingredients: heirloom tomatoes, onion, cilantro, jalapeño (or Serrano chili) and lime juice.

A white enamel bowl filled with multi-colored heirloom tomatoes, a jalapeño pepper, half a white onion, a small bunch of cilantro and two limes cut in half.

Whats so great about Heirloom Tomatoes? Peak-season heirloom tomatoes have a flavor and texture that can’t be beat and it all starts with how they’re grown. The seeds are what sets them apart. Heirloom tomato seeds are passed down over generations which allows farmers to cultivate desirable traits like juiciness, size, shape, or color.

Heirloom tomatoes come in a variety of different colors and shapes. Look for ones that are blemish-free and soft to the touch but still a bit firm.

Recipe Steps:

Step 1. Chop all Ingredients

Finely chop the tomatoes, onion, jalapeño and cilantro. It doesn’t have to be perfect but, chopping everything small and uniformly makes the salsa easier to scoop up with chips. Wear gloves to protect you hands while chopping the jalapeño.

A small stainless steel mixing bowl filled with diced pico de gallo ingredients and a silver spoon for mixing.

*Note: Jalapeños vary greatly in spice levels. If you happen to get a really spicy one you can tone down the heat by rinsing the sliced pepper under cold water and discarding seeds as well as the white inner veins or “pith”.

Step 2. Season

Season the salsa with lime juice and salt. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes before serving. Leftover can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days.

A mixing bowl filled with chopped salsa ingredients and a hand squeezing lime juice into the bowl.

FAQs and Expert Tips:

Is pico de gallo spicy?

No, not really. Pico de gallo is a mild salsa. It will depend on how spicy your jalapeños are. If you happen to get a really spicy one you can tone down the heat by rinsing the sliced pepper under cold water and discarding seeds as well as the white inner veins or “pith”.

If you’d like your pico to be spicier you can add as much jalapeño as you like. I would also suggest throwing in some of the seeds which pack quite a bit of heat!

How long does pico de gallo stay fresh?

Pico de gallo will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to three days. Store in a container with a tight-fitting lid.

Check Out More Great Mexican Recipes:

A white and blue enamel bowl filled with salsa and a hand holding a chip filled with salsa.

I love to hear from readers and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. If you make this recipe be sure to leave a comment and/or give it a rating! Don’t forget to follow along on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram for all the latest updates!