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Best Ever Pico de Gallo: 3 Game-Changing Chef Tips
A pro-chef take on Mexico’s most iconic fresh salsa, done right.
Pico de Gallo might just be the most deceptively simple recipe in the salsa family. It’s fresh, zippy, and bright, but as we learned the hard way during our early days in professional kitchens, not all pico is created equal.
Hi! We’re Chefs Jody & Kirstie from The Culinary Studio, Canada’s premier online cooking school. And we can say with full confidence: this little bowl of chopped sunshine has more technique than meets the eye. Mastering it during our apprenticeships taught us three things:
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Pico de Gallo is not just “chunky salsa.”
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There is a right way to prep those tomatoes.
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It’s the fastest way to impress a crowd with almost zero effort.
Wait, What Is Pico de Gallo?
Often called “salsa fresca” or “salsa cruda,” Pico de Gallo is a raw salsa made with tomatoes, onions, jalapeño, lime, cilantro, and salt. Unlike blended salsas, it’s hand-chopped and vibrant, meant to be served fresh—on tacos, grilled meats, burrito bowls, or just scooped straight up with warm tortilla chips.
Pico de Gallo” literally translates to “rooster’s beak” in Spanish. The exact reason behind the name is up for debate, but here are the two most common (and fun!) theories:
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Traditional Eating Style:
It’s believed that in early Mexican culinary tradition, this fresh salsa was originally eaten by pinching small amounts between the thumb and forefinger, similar to how a rooster pecks at food. 🪿👈 That pecking motion? Kinda beak-like. -
Sharp Flavour or Shape of Pico de Gallo:
Some say the name refers to the sharp, spicy “bite” of the dish (like a rooster’s peck) or even to the pointed shape of the chopped jalapeños resembling a beak.
All that party trivia aside, here’s where the magic comes in: when each ingredient is prepped properly, Pico de Gallo isn’t just a topping, it’s the star of the dish.
Our Apprenticeship-Era Aha Moment
Early in our training, we didn’t really understand the difference between Pico de Gallo and salsa. That changed the day we fried up a batch of fresh tortillas and spooned our very first chef-approved Pico on top.
It was a total game changer: crunchy, bright, salty, fresh. We never looked back.
Since then, we’ve made (and taught!) this recipe countless times, and here’s the best part: even beginner cooks can nail it and look like total pros doing it.
Common Pico de Gallo Pitfalls (and How to Avoid Them)
Let’s clear up a few things we see go sideways in home kitchens:
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Oil? Hard pass. This isn’t a vinaigrette. Great Pico doesn’t need fat: just acid, salt, and good chopping.
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Meh tomatoes = meh results. Don’t even think about reaching for watery, flavourless tomatoes. We go full pro and tomato concassé: that means removing the seeds and slicing only the petals of a Roma tomato into fine dice. That being said, we’ve made delicious ‘pico’ in the winter with no tomatoes at all! Seriously– and ‘onion salsa’ over a pan-seared steak, absolutely delicious.
Cook With Us!
Like this recipe? You should try cooking with us! Start with an on-demand pre-recorded class, or jump in to the best experience with our live classes!
We have taken many classes over several years, and they never disappoint! Kristie & team always have great pointers and tricks to learn in the video. We love the Japanese burgers, and they are always a hit with guests. That's the thing: you make the recipe at home, it doesn't take a long time, and the result is so good that you want to make it again and again. Just try one, you'll see. 🙂I had such a fantastic experience at the cooking class! My daughter and I had an amazing time — our Bao Buns and Crispy Chicken turned out delicious, and we learned so much throughout the session. It was a fun, inspiring, and rewarding evening. I can’t wait to come back for another class. Highly recommend!Our virtual cooking class experience was top notch! Well organized, wonderfully communicated, and entertaining! A delicious outcome which boosted our confidence to try more challenging recipes in the future. Highly recommend!I have taken a few classes in the past - always find the products delicious, and I enjoy the challenge of trying to keep up 🙂
I subscribe the updates and get links to recipes - I recently made the Olive Oil Lemon cake. It turned out delicious – as you said in the description, very moist! My daughter has a birthday in strawberry season and typically she asks for strawberry shortcake with a traditional shortcake recipe… I served the lemon came this weekend with a bit of whipping cream and fresh strawberries (your picture was quite enticing) and her comment was that her birthday request this year would be to replace the traditional shortcake with this recipe!I've taken several on-line cooking classes from The Culinary Studio and have really enjoyed each one. The recipes are delicious and the instructions are very well laid out. I always learn new cooking tips and skills.It has been most likely a year and a half since I’ve made moussaka. Having the recording available was a godsend. So good and lots of leftovers! Having the recording is priceless!
I made Dan Dan noodles last month and again referred to the recording as it has been awhile. I was grateful for the reminders, tips and tricks. Not to mention, I love to cook with Kirstie and Jody. They make it so much fun!
Most of the meals I make are from your repertoire. I think I have close to 60!Love these ladies! Classes are easy to follow, informative, filled with all kinds of tricks & tips and best of all DELICIOUS!! This is our "night out" dining adventure that we can re-do & show off to our family & friends.My husband and I joined the Valentine's Day Date Night cooking class. Very enjoyable experience full of informative tips and thorough explanations followed by a delectable meal. Thank you Kirstie & Jodie. We'll be back!I recently did an online Lamb Briyani class. It used some cooking techniques I wasn't familiar with and produced a dish that was as tasty as the best Indian food I've ever had the pleasure of enjoying.I have done a few classes with the Culinary Studio and always enjoy the classes and the fabulous meals. They deliver the food to my door all prepped for the class if I like (which I do!). Highly recommended.We did a virtual zoom cooking class. It was better than cooking classes we have done in a actual class. We really enjoyed our ourselves. We have made the meal a couple of times since the class. We have friends over for the session and have great restaurant quality mealsThe Culinary Studio is an wonderful online chef duo!
You will learn delicious recipes taught in real time from start to end by two good friends who want nothing more than to teach you how to cook and and have fun doing it. Class presentation is practical and encouraging with one chef starting and one playing 'catch up' so you do not miss anything and no question will go unanswered!
The recipe with food pack is perfectly packaged and always arrives on time to make it easy so you do not have to shop!
Several recipes from the Culinary Studio are in our regular rotation!
Excited to keep cooking with you Kirstie and Jody!Online classes have allowed me the convenience to open my computer and learn in the comfort of my home and to do the class on my own schedule rather than missing out due to life's interruptions. Classes are paced well and the chef's are ready to answer your cooking questions even if they are unrelated to the class. I have used the recipes frequently in my day to day life and recently at an event where I overhead participants raving about the soup and cookies I had prepared, which were from Culinary Studio class recipes.
I was at the Studio for the very first class they held and I have continued to take classes for the past 13 years. While some things have changed over the years, the quality, knowledge and skills Jody and Kirstie bring to each class has not.The skills I learned through the their instruction have been used daily.To Chefs Kirstie & Jody! My family and I have thoroughly enjoyed the recipes and techniques we have acquired by following your live sessions and on-demand courses available on your website. You have a casual and an informative style that is very appealing. Most importantly both of you thrive on good food and beverage as much as we do! Bravo - we hope your future includes many more years of teaching and developing new dishes. Thank you. 🙂 -
Pre-chopped = pre-soggy. Always hand-chop your ingredients. Machines bruise. Knives honour the flavour of these simple ingredients.
Three Chef Moves That Make All the Difference
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Salt & drain your tomatoes. Yes, it takes 5 extra minutes. But it concentrates the tomato flavour and prevents a watery mess. IF your tomatoes are at all ‘mealy’, the salt helps to firm them up too.
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Lime-cure your onions. Mix diced onion with lime juice and a pinch of salt before combining with the rest. This tones down harshness and mellows the bite.
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Use cilantro stems! Treat them like chives—finely chop the stems for big flavour, and leave the leaves a bit more rustic.
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Total Time: 10 Minutes
- Yield: 4-6 Servings
Ingredients
- 1 small white or yellow cooking onion, finely diced
- Juice of 2 limes
- 1 large jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
- 2-3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced (salted & drained)
- 1/2 bunch cilantro (finely chop stems, coarsely chop leaves)
- Kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
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In a small bowl, combine the diced onion with lime juice and a pinch of salt. Let sit 10 minutes to soften the bite.
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Meanwhile, salt and drain the diced tomatoes in a sieve over a bowl. Let them release some of their liquid (about 10 minutes). Save any liquid that drains out, imagine it in a cocktail or salad dressing!
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Combine jalapeño, drained tomatoes, onion-lime mixture, and cilantro in a mixing bowl.
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Taste and adjust seasoning, you may want a bit more salt or lime.
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Serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving, but don’t serve ice cold.
Notes
How We Serve Pico de Gallo:
You’ll see this classic appear in everything from our Enchiladas Cooking Class to our Mexican Fiesta team-building menus. It’s:
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The perfect starter for a group (with a side of fresh-fried tortilla chips)
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A no-fail recipe for beginner cooks to gain confidence
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Bright and versatile: amazing on fish tacos, burrito bowls, or layered over refried beans and cream cheese for a dip that doesn’t last long
Final Bite from the Chefs
Pico de Gallo is proof that when you prep with intention, even the simplest dish can be unforgettable. It’s one of our go-tos for teaching knife skills, layering flavours, and building confidence in the kitchen.
Once you’ve mastered this, you’ll never be tempted by store-bought salsa again.
If you’ve got loads of beautiful tomatoes, our Bruschetta Recipe is sooo good… we use all the flavour of the tomatoes in the bread! And if you want to treat yourself to a delicious night out, we love ‘
