Salsa Fresca

My go-to salsa fresca recipe, also known as pico de gallo, with juicy ripe tomatoes, onions, garlic, and fresh lime juice. Scoop it up with tortilla chips or sprinkle it over tacos. I doubt you’ll have leftovers!

Why this recipe works

If you love salsa made with fresh tomatoes, then you must try my salsa fresca! Salsa fresca is the same as pico de gallo which uses fresh chopped tomatoes, onion, cumin, lime juice, and cilantro. Most pico de gallo recipes include Serrano peppers as well.

I’ve been making this salsa fresca for over 25 years. I first tried it in the late nineties. A friend gave me a rough list of ingredients and I’ve been making it ever since. This recipe does not include a bunch of complicated and hard to find products. Only 10 ingredients and 15 minutes will yield the best pico de gallo ever!

Related – prefer green salsa, check out my salsa verde recipe!

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitute Suggestions

TOMATOES – Roma tomatoes are preferable for salsa fresca, as they are less watery and hold their shape well when diced. You can use another tomato variety, but they tend to have more water content which can make the salsa a bit water-logged. When choosing fresh tomatoes, they should be ripe yet firm. If they are too soft, they’ll break down in the salsa, appearing mushy. Look for nice red tomatoes and give them a gentle squeeze. They should be firm to the touch but have just a little give. You don’t want hard tomatoes.

CILANTRO – Rinse your fresh cilantro under the tap then pat it dry with some paper towels. Remove the leaves from the stems. You don’t want to include the stems in your salsa. I use herb scissors to cut my cilantro, they are one of the best kitchen tools I have!

ONION – I only use scallions in my salsa fresca. I have used yellow, white, and red onions before and green onions are just my favorite for this recipe. Cut the end of the bulb off and slice the scallion thin all the way up to about halfway through the green ends.

PEPPERS – Sometimes I can’t find Serrano peppers at my grocer, so I have often substituted with red pepper flakes. Over the years, I’ve simply switched to the flakes. If you can find serrano peppers, by all means use them! Otherwise, jalapenos or red pepper flakes are a good substitute.

How to Make Salsa Fresca

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. Please scroll down to simply print out the recipe!

1. Chop tomatoes and slice scallions.
2. Trim leaves from cilantro and mince.
3. Mince garlic.
4. Place these ingredients into a large bowl.
5. Sprinkle in cumin, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Add the lime juice.
6. Stir everything together.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

Yes, pico de gallo and salsa fresca are one in the same. Salsa fresca simply means fresh salsa in Spanish. Pico de gallo is what it’s typically referred to which is a fresh, chunky, uncooked salsa.

I would definitely recommend letting your salsa sit for at minimum 30 minutes to an hour before serving, though it’s perfectly fine to enjoy right away. Letting it sit gives the flavors some time to meld together. I typically like to make mine the morning of an event so it has plenty of time to develop!

Of course, though you don’t want to make it too far in advance, otherwise the tomatoes tend to get soggy. Salsa fresca is best prepped 1-3 hours ahead of time, but you can make it first thing in the morning if you plan on serving it in the afternoon to save some time.

Whether you chop the tomatoes fairly large as we did, or smaller, is totally up to you. If I am adding this salsa to tacos, I’ll chop it a bit finer, but for a tortilla chip, I prefer it chunkier.

Tips for Making Salsa Fresca

• I use my Vidalia Chop Wizard to cut my tomatoes. You get uniform pieces, and it’s a lot easier than using a knife.
• I use just a pinch of red pepper flakes, and I don’t use Serrano pepper. This seems to be the most pleasing to a variety of people. The amount of heat is completely up to you. Simply taste test and adjust to your liking. If you prefer to use Serrano, leave out the flakes and start with a teaspoon of minced Serrano, adding more to your taste.
• Just remember that if you use fresh peppers such as Jalapeno or Serrano, if you leave the pith in, that’s where all the heat is. It’s a common mistake to think that just removing the seeds takes away the heat. In fact, the seeds don’t contribute to the heat at all, it’s that white tissue known as the pith that packs the punch.
• Always zest limes before juicing them. Place the zest in a plastic sandwich bag, squeeze all the air out, then seal and put in the freezer. You can use it when you make my Coconut Rum Mojitos!

Serving Suggestions

Serve your salsa at room temp or chilled, it’s excellent either way. It’s even better when made in advance! I typically make a batch the morning of when I plan to serve it.

I hope you love this salsa fresca as much as we do. Every single time I bring it to a get-together or backyard barbecue people ask me for the recipe. It’s a family favorite!

More Salsa Recipes

• Restaurant Style Salsa
• Strawberry Salsa
• Pineapple Salsa
• Mango Salsa
• Cowboy Caviar
• Salsa Verde (Green Salsa)
• Corn Salsa

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This post originally appeared here on Jun 29, 2018 and has since been updated with new photos and expert tips.