The Best Garden Fresh Pico de Gallo You’ll Ever Eat || Quick And Easy To Make

Making garden fresh pico de gallo is something I look forward to each year when garden fresh veggies start coming in from the garden. It’s crazy easy to do and takes no time at all. Although, I will admit that hand chopping all of those veggies does take a bit of patience.

It makes a difference though. So I definitely recommend it. When I’m low on time I throw the jalapeno and onion in the food processor and chop them that way.

But the tomatoes have got to be hand chopped. Otherwise, they simply turn to mush. And one thing garden fresh pico de gallo is not is mushy!

Garden Fresh Ingredients Really Make A Difference

This recipe really does need garden fresh vegetables. I have eaten it made with store bought veggies at a friend’s house, and I have to say it wasn’t very good at all.

It heavily relies on the fresh veggies for it’s flavor. And, as we all know, store bought vegetables lack flavor.

Let’s face it … they are picked before they are ripe in order to allow them enough time to be shipped long distances before they become to ripe to sell. And, additionally, they are very often artificially ripened on top of that.

There is simply no way that they can develop the same flavor as vegetables that are naturally ripened on the vine. So, get yourself a few garden fresh tomatoes, a small garden fresh onion, and one garden fresh jalapeno, and come along with me and make yourself some of the best darn pico de gallo you’ll ever taste.

You’ll thank me later. Promise!

Is Pico De Gallo Healthy?

Just one look at the ingredients in this recipe will tell you that garden fresh pico de gallo is a healthy dish. After all, it’s made from nothing more than vegetables, seasonings, and lime juice.

It doesn’t get any more basic than that. There are no fillers, no oil, and no sugar.

It is very easy to keep all of the ingredients organic when you make this dish because they are items that your local store likely offers an organic version of. And if you don’t have the vegetables growing in your own backyard, they are common choices at roadside stands and farmers markets.

There is some salt in the recipe. And some may find that to be a drawback to the dish. However, the amount of salt that it contains is minimal for those who don’t mind that. And it can be made without the salt for sure.

Even though I am a person who tries to avoid salt, I keep it in. It really does add depth to the flavor profile of the dish.

Can I Control How Spicy This Recipe Is?

Controlling how spicy this recipe turns out is definitely something you can do. The cumin and the jalapeno are the only two ingredients that carry any heat to them. Some may argue that the onion does too. I, personally feel as though the ‘bite’ of raw onion is not spicy in the way that jalapeno and cumin are.

While I suggest adjusting the amount of cumin to your tastes in the recipe, I wouldn’t start there if I were trying to adjust the spiciness. The level of heat that the cumin contributes to this dish is pretty minimal.

It is the amount of jalapeno that you’re going to want to alter in order to change this dishes spiciness. Obviously, using more to make it spicier and less to tone it down a bit.

The recipe as it is has what I would consider a medium level heat. If you’re one of those people who loves things just about as hot as you can get them it’s pretty easy for you to add more to taste.

And if you are a bit more reluctant to trust that the recipe will not be too hot for you, simply start with less jalapeno and then adjust from there. You can always add more later, but you can’t get it out once it’s in there.

How To Serve Pico De Gallo

Usually when I make garden fresh pico de gallo it is because I want to use it as a dip for tortilla chips. I rarely make it for any other reason.

Yet, on the few occasions that I have made it to serve another way it’s been really very tasty. I would even go so far as to say it’s been fabulous. And I’ve found myself questioning why I don’t diversify my use of it more often.

I’ve used it to top grilled chicken and pan seared fish. I’ve also used it as a topping for both tacos and taco salads. And once or twice I’ve used it as a filler for a good old fashioned grill cheese sandwich. YUM!

I’ve seen it suggested that it be served with rice, stuffed in quesadillas, and used to top baked potatoes as well. Each of these options sounds great to me.

Perhaps, I need to expand my horizons when choosing how to serve my pico de gallo. I think I may be missing out!

Step-by-Step Instructions

Making this dish is as easy as can be. Just follow these simple steps …

1. Cut the tomatoes into slices and remove the inner juice and the seeds from them.
2. Chop them finely, sprinkle them with salt, and allow them to sit in the sink in a colander for about an hour to drain.
3. Finely chop the jalapeno and onion.
4. Mix all the vegetables together with the seasonings and the lime juice.
5. Serve.

If you decide to make this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turns out for you. And do let me know how you choose to serve it.

So, let’s meet in the comments and chat all about it!

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