Pico De Gallo

Homemade Pico De Gallo is one of the quickest, easiest and healthiest ways to perk up grilled chicken, add punch to salads and sandwiches and of course season your Mexican favorites. Authentic pico de gallo is no more than a fresh tomato salsa recipe and it doesn’t require a bevy of ingredients. In fact, the best pico de gallo recipe only needs 5 ingredients and 5 minutes to make.

5 Ingredients In Homemade Pico De Gallo

• Tomatoes
• White Onion
• Serrano Peppers (or Jalapeno peppers)
• Cilantro
• Fresh Lime

Don’t shy away from heat for the best pico de gallo recipe, but don’t go overboard, either. It’s a component of the overall blend. If you are sensitive to heat, remove the seeds and membrane as that’s where MOST of the spice component comes from. If you like spice, you can leave all or part of the seeds and membrane to mix with your authentic pico de gallo.

What Does Pico De Gallo Mean?

The literal translation is “Rooster’s Beak”. Pico meaning beak and Gallo is the Spanish word for rooster.

Why Do They Call It Pico De Gallo?

There are several thoughts on this subject.

Rick Bayless (famed chef of Mexican Cuisine – and a personal hero of mine) supposed it could be from the bird-feed like consistency of the salsa.

Sharon Tyler Herbst,  author of Food Lover’s Companion, speculates that it was because of the way people would pick up the salsa between their thumb and forefinger… like a roosters beak.

While natives of Sonoran Mexico, explain that the fresh tomato salsa recipe is named because the pepper resembles a roosters beak.

Pico De Gallo Vs. Salsa – What’s The Difference?

Authentic pico de gallo is literally a fresh tomato salsa recipe. The difference being that most salsas are thinner and more liquidy — sometimes having been pulsed in a food processor or blender, while homemade pico de gallo is chunky with identifiable pieces of each of the ingredients.

Is Homemade Pico De Gallo Healthy?

In a word, YES. With Potassium Vitamin A, Vitamin C and even Calcium, this is a condiment you can feel good about eating.

How Many Calories In A serving of Pico De Gallo

It really depends on what you’d qualify as a “serving”. If it’s by the tablespoonful, it’s about 5 calories. My servings are a bit more generous — usually 1/4 to 1/3 cup – and even then you’re only looking at 20-25 calories. IMO this is practically a “negative food” in that it takes more calories to prepare and consume it than the salsa actually contains.

How Long Does Salsa Last In The Refrigerator?

Technically, you can keep it for 5-7 days, however, I’ve found that it’s best consumed within 2 days. Beyond that the tomatoes start to break down — and remember this is a fresh tomato salsa recipe — you want to eat it at its peak. Plus this recipe doesn’t make a ton of pico de gallo — it’s usually enough for 4 people and a taco dinner.

Can I Freeze Homemade Pico De Gallo?

Theoretically, yes. However when you freeze fresh vegetables that haven’t been blanched, the cells of the vegetables will expand and burst when they freeze. Consequently, when you defrost them, you’ll have more liquid and the tomatoes in particular will slump and not be as bright. I’d avoid freezing it.

What To Serve With Authentic Pico De Gallo:

• Grilled Chicken Thighs with Herbed Spice Rub
• Garlicky Cilantro Lime Swordfish Kebabs
• Tuna Melt Quesadillas
• Tacos Carne Asada
• Hatch Chile Breakfast Strata

More Fresh Salsa Recipes:

• Creamy Avocado Tomatillo Salsa
• Fresh Tomatillo Salsa
• Authentic Spicy Salsa Verde
• Pineapple and Mango Salsa

 


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