Pico De Gallo

If you have fresh ripe tomatoes, cilantro, lime, and a jalapeno, on hand, it’s definitely time to make pico de gallo. Even if you don’t have all of those ingredients, consider improvising. I like to think of pico season as an invitation to eat diced tomatoes on anything and everything. We particularly love it on quesadillas, tacos, grilled veggies, avocado toast, and eggs in my household. It’s also delicious, just scooped up with corn chips.

When prepping a meal with pico de gallo, start by making the pico first, so the flavors have a chance to meld. You can leave it on the counter while you cook the rest of the meal or refrigerate it for a few hours in an airtight container. If it becomes watery, serve it with a slotted spoon.

A Note About Cilantro: I recommend primarily using the top, leafy portion of the cilantro for this dish, but you don’t need to pick the leaves off the stems or avoid them entirely. Here’s how:

Ingredients

2 cups tomatoes, diced

¼ cup red onion, diced (or ½ cup white onion or 2-3 scallions)

¼ cup cilantro, chopped

1 medium jalapeño, seeded & minced (optional)

1-2 limes, juiced (approx 2 T)

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

½ tsp sea salt, more to taste

fresh ground pepper to taste

Optional additions

fresh peaches, diced

Mangos, diced

black beans, drained

fresh corn

avocado, diced

pinch cumin

Slice the jalapeño (if using) lengthwise, remove seeds, and finely mince. Add diced onion, minced garlic, lime juice, chopped cilantro, and salt and pepper. Gently toss and set aside while you dice the tomatoes.

Using a serrated knife (bread knife), dice the tomatoes and toss with seasonings.

Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.

If adding avocado, do so just before serving.