Homemade Easy Pico De Gallo Recipe | Wicked Spatula (2024)

This easy Pico de Gallo recipe can be made with minimal effort, tastes delicious, and you can use it with so many recipes. Plus, homemade Pico de Gallo tastes so much better than store bought, thanks to all the fresh ingredients. You’ll love how light and refreshing it is!

I am excited to show you how to make Pico de Gallo in a food processor, because it’s so quick to make. And, the best Pico de Gallo happens to be naturally paleo and low carb. That’s a win all around in my book!

What Is Pico de Gallo?

Pico de Gallo is like a fresh tomato salsa. The difference between salsa and pico is that pico has fresh chopped ingredients, instead of a puree like salsa. Salsa is also sometimes cooked (but sometimes not!), whereas Pico de Gallo is always fresh.

Sometimes making homemade Pico de Gallo can be a bit tedious with so much chopping, but it’s a breeze when you make your Pico de Gallo in a food processor!

What Does Pico de Gallo Mean?

Pico de Gallo is a Mexican topping that means “rooster’s beak.” Many refer to Pico de Gallo as Mexican salsa, salsa cruda, and salsa fresca. Authentic Pico de Gallo is traditionally made with tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and jalapenos.

What Are The Best Tomatoes For Fresh Pico de Gallo?

The best tomatoes for fresh Pico de Gallo are Roma tomatoes. This is because they have fewer seeds than other types.

In this fresh Pico de Gallorecipe, you want to remove the seeds anyway. But, the less you have to remove, the easier it will be and the more tomato flesh you’ll have left for your pico.

Roma tomatoes are meaty and have a fantastic flavor that pairs nicely with the other ingredients in this easy Pico de Gallo recipe.

If you don’t have access to Roma tomatoes or you want to use up what you have sitting around, you can certainly use any other type of tomato. The texture may be slightly more watery, but it will still taste amazing.

PRO TIP: No matter which tomato you use, scoop out the seeds before chopping. If you leave the seeds, the Mexican salsa will be much more watery and not as easy to eat with tortilla chips.

Speaking of tortilla chips, this homemade Pico de Gallo is pictured with some regular corn chips because I served them for a non-paleo crowd. But, I do have a paleo tortilla chips recipe coming soon!

How To Make Pico de Gallo In A Food Processor

Making Pico de Gallo in a food processor is the easiest way to make it!

To get started, cut the Roma tomatoes in half and remove the seeds. The easiest way is to cut out the seedy parts with a knife, but you can also just scoop them out using your fingers or a spoon. Next, remove the seeds from the jalapenos.

PRO TIP: If you like some heat, you can leave the seeds in the jalapenos, or a portion of the seeds if you want a slight spiciness. The seeds are responsible for the majority of the heat in jalapenos! The white parts on the inside are also on the spicier side.

Throw all the ingredients in a food processor, add lime juice, and pulse until it’s in diced pieces. Season with some salt, and it’s ready to enjoy!

PRO TIP: When you make Pico de Gallo in the food processor, make sure not to blend it into oblivion! If you over blend, you will end up with more of a thinner salsa. You want it diced into small pieces.

How To Make Pico de Gallo Without A Food Processor

Don’t have a food processor? No problem! You can also make this homemade Pico de Gallo by chopping everything by hand the good ol’ fashioned way. It’s just a bit more work, but the upside is easier cleanup.

What Do You Eat Pico de Gallo With?

You can eat homemade Pico de Gallo with so many different foods. Naturally, you can serve Pico de Gallo with tortilla chips, but if you’re paleo, you’ll need to make your own paleo version – or get creative with other ways to use it.

Here are a few other ideas for what to eat Pico de Gallo with:

• Scrambled Eggs – They are next-level delicious when you add some fresh Pico de Gallo!
• Chicken – Pour the pico on top of the chicken and enjoy every bite!
• Guacamole – Adding it to the guacamole gives it a different and tasty texture. Or you can always serve it alongside guac like I did!
• Salads – Once you taste it on your salad, you may never go back!
• Seafood – The flavor of Pico de Gallo with seafood is out of this world!
• Steak – Take it up a notch by adding pico to your steak. Unexpected maybe, but so good.
• Sweet Potato Chips – The combination of the sweetness from the sweet potato and the Pico de Gallo is delicious.

How Long Will Pico de Gallo Last In The Fridge?

Fresh Pico de Gallo will last in the fridge for approximately 1 to 1 1/2 weeks. It stores quite well!

It’s essential to make sure to store it properly in an airtight container. Containers that work well would be a glass jar with a lid, plastic container or zip lock bag. I always prefer glass containers.

If the tomatoes begin to get mushy or the cilantro starts to wilt, then it is showing signs that it is starting to go bad and is best to throw out.

PRO TIP: The lime juice helps keep this easy Pico de Gallo recipe fresh longer while adding a nice flavor. That’s a good reason not to skip it! If you don’t have lime juice, lemon juice will work in a pinch.

Can You Freeze Pico de Gallo?

Yes, you can freeze this easy Pico de Gallo recipe. Drain off any excess juice and place in an airtight container or freezer bag. Lay the freezer bag flat, and once it is frozen solid, you can stand it up. This will allow for more room and organization in your freezer.

When you are ready to serve, simply place the container in the refrigerator until it thaws. You can drain any excess liquid after thawing if needed.

Making this simple homemade Pico de Gallo in a food processor ahead of time is helpful if you’re planning a party or social gathering, too. Make it a couple days ahead and store in the fridge, or further in advance and freeze.

Below is the older photo of the Pico de Gallo back when I used to serve it with tortilla chips, but now I serve it with paleo tortilla chips instead!

What To Serve With Homemade Pico de Gallo

These paleo dishes taste amazing and pair perfectly with this Mexican salsa recipe:

• Paleo Bang Bang Shrimp
• 10-Minute Spicy Margarita Shrimp
• Pork Belly Tacos Recipe

Here are even more delicious paleo main dish recipes for you to try.