Pico de Gallo – How to make Salsa Fresco

This is a naturally low carb pico de gallo recipe that is soooo worth the few minutes it takes to make. It’s easy to forget how simple this salsa is to make fresh when you are stared down by rows of jarred salsa at the store.

But, if you have never made fresh pico de gallo you are in for a big treat. It will take taco night to a whole new level of low carb deliciousness.

This is my short ” food blogger obligatory” story of the Pico de Gallo recipe…feel free to skip it. I always do 😎.

“Pico de Gallo” literally translates to “Beak of Rooster”.

Some people believe that it’s because people used to take a pinch of the salsa fresco and it made the shape of a beak.

I don’t know about all of that. But what I do know is that you can find this salsa in my fridge most of the time and it’s a chore to keep asking Thom not to eat it like a tomato salad. So, I just make extra.

🥘Ingredients:

• 1 lb tomatoes 3-4 medium, diced

I usually use Roma tomatoes because they are the nicest tomatoes that we have available here in the sticks.

If your tomatoes are over ripe, you might want to “gut” half of them (de-seed them) so that your salsa doesn’t end up too soupy.

This is never a problem with the under ripe tomatoes that we have available but it’s a judgement call.

• 3/4 cup green onion * white or red onion are good too -chopped

You can use any kind of onion that you like but green onions have less carbs than the other types. If you like A LOT of salsa you might want to consider using these instead.

• 1-2 jalapeno pepper *chopped- Serrano peppers can be used if you like more heat.

Jalapenos aren’t as hot as they used to be. The larger sizes make them sweeter.

This is all personal preference but I feel like I should mention that this Pico de Gallo will heat up as it chills…

In case that doesn’t make sense…the longer the salsa sits the spicier it gets.

• 1/2 cup cilantro chopped

• 2 Tbsp lime juice

Use fresh lime for this ingredient.

The kind in the plastic bottle is blech…use lemon or a little citric acid if you can’t find fresh limes in your area.

• 1/2 tsp salt to taste

• 1/8 tsp black pepper to taste

• 1-2 clove garlic – optional

Use this ingredient sparingly or not at all if you don’t like strong garlic flavors. It’s so good if you’re a garlic lover though. YUM!

👩🏿‍🍳How to make the Pico de Gallo:

1. Dice all vegetables, add to a medium bowl with lime juice, salt and pepper.

2. Serve right away or cover and refrigerate overnight for the best flavor. Keeps for 3-4 days in the fridge.

See? I told you this pico de gallo recipe was easy peasy.

 📋Tips & FAQ’s:

Can I make this salsa fresco ahead of time?

Yes! In fact, it improves as it sits overnight and every day up to 3-4 days.

Can I freeze the low carb pico de gallo?

What a silly question lol….nope. Plus, it’s just too easy to make to freeze for later.

How can I change this recipe up?

• You can add chunks of avocado to add some healthy fat and amazing flavor. But only do this if you can consume all of it within 24 hours or the avocado gets…weird/black, slimy and gross.

• Pour the pico de gallo over a block of cream cheese if you are serving it at a party with chips or crackers. The combo is ah-mazing.

• If you aren’t into too much spice you can always swap out the jalapenos for cucumber or bell pepper to change the flavor profile.

What’s good with the pico de gallo?

• Low carb tortilla chips
• Omelets
• Egg Tacos
• Chicken Tinga tacos
• Grilled Avocados
• Any Mexican dish you can think of…

That’s all for the Low Carb Pico de Gallo!

It’s really easy and so delicious!

I hope you guys love it and as always, leave a comment below if you have any questions or comments.

Cheers!

Brandy

The nutritional information for the low carb pico de gallo is provided as a courtesy.

We are pretty careful about our figures but if you ever feel like anything is off please feel free to do your own calculations.