Tomatoes, peppers, onions, and cilantro come together with seasonings to produce a flavorful salsa fresca with all the delicious flavors of the season. This vegetarian recipe is great to throw together if someone stops by unexpectedly, and its fresh taste is always appreciated!
Enjoy this pico de gallo recipe as an appetizer with tortilla chips or use it as a condiment for chicken, burgers, hot dogs, or even fish. No matter how you use it, you’ll love the compliments you’ll get when you make this fresh salsa!
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What is Garden Fresh Salsa?
The term salsa actually just means sauce, but in America it’s come to be known as that tomato-y, saucy stuff that we love eating on tortilla chips. In fact, we’ve started calling anything diced and eaten on chips salsa.
I’ve had pineapple salsa, mango salsa, and green salsa. I’ve even posted a recipe for black bean and corn salsa. There are endless varieties of salsa, from mild to super spicy, and from traditional to fruity.
This recipe is a special type of salsa called salsa fresca. It’s also known as pico de gallo. While pico de gallo is a type of salsa, it differs from ordinary salsa in a few different ways, according to thekitchn.com.
- Pico de gallo is served uncooked using fresh vegetables and herbs. Salsa can be cooked or uncooked and it can incorporate raw or cooked ingredients.
- Pico de gallo uses the same basic ingredients: tomatoes, onions, cilantro, peppers, lime, and salt. The ingredients in salsa can vary tremendously.
- Salsa contains a lot more liquid, and some ingredients may be pureed for a saucier consistency. Pico de gallo is made of chopped ingredients. Any liquid comes from the vegetables themselves.
I love the freshness of this recipe, and it’s a great way to use up tomatoes from your garden!
Is This Recipe Spicy?
This version of pico de gallo is not spicy if you do not use the optional jalapeno pepper. Bell peppers are the only variety of pepper that have no heat. They do not contain capsaicin, which is the chemical in the pepper’s pith that is responsible for heat.
Different types of peppers have differing amounts of heat, ranging from nothing to heat that is unbearable to many people. In 1912, pharmacist Wilbur Scoville created the Scoville Scale of pepper heat. It measures the pungency of peppers in units called SHU, or Scoville Heat Units.
If you know a few kinds of peppers you can eat comfortably, you can check out their heat rating on the Scoville Scale. It’s common for different peppers to share about the same heat rating. So, for example, if you can eat jalapenos comfortably, you will probably also enjoy serranos or cayenne peppers.
I Don’t Like Cilantro. Do I Have to Use It?
No. Grandma always said that a recipe is just a guideline. Always feel free to adapt my recipes to suit your own needs.
Cilantro, otherwise known as coriander, is a funny herb. It contains a certain aldehyde, or scented compound, that is soapy smelling and/or tasting to some people. The reason that only affects some people is due to genetics.
Some individuals have a receptor on the eleventh chromosome that has been identified as OR6A2. People with this particular gene are those who notice that cilantro has a soapy smell and/or taste. If that’s you, congratulations! You are amongst the 20% of people in the general population who also share the same aversion to what some have called “the devil herb”!
In place of cilantro, you can substitute fresh parsley. It is similar in both appearance and texture to cilantro, but it doesn’t have the same (soapy) taste!
Print
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, green pepper, onion, cilantro, and jalapeno pepper (if using). Mix well.
- In a small bowl, combine garlic salt, cumin, oregano, chili powder, smoked paprika, and ground black pepper. Stir it up to make sure the spices are blended.
- Sprinkle the spice mixture over the vegetables. Mix well to incorporate the spices throughout the salsa. Add a teaspoon of lime juice for a bit of zip!
- If you’d like an extra kick in your salsa, add a little tabasco sauce. We like to keep our salsa mild, but you can make it as spicy as you want.
- Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy your garden-fresh fiesta!
Looking for More Appetizers?
- On a keto diet? Try this keto-friendly Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Bigger appetites love these Cuban-Style Sliders
- If you love fresh, summery tastes, give our Cucumber Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes a try
Garden Fresh Salsa
Course: AppetizersDifficulty: Easy12
servings15
minutes15
minutesDelicious fresh salsa featuring the most loved flavors of summer!
Ingredients
4 tomatoes, diced (about 2 cups)
1 green bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
1/2 medium white onion, diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
(Optional) 1 jalapeno, diced (about 1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon lime juice
Tabasco to taste
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, green pepper, onion, cilantro, and jalapeno pepper (if using). Mix well.
- In a small bowl, combine garlic salt, cumin, oregano, chili powder, smoked paprika, and ground black pepper. Stir it up to make sure the spices are blended.
- Sprinkle the spice mixture over the vegetables. Mix well to incorporate the spices throughout the salsa. Add a teaspoon of lime juice for a bit of zip!
- If you’d like a little extra kick in your salsa, add a little tabasco sauce. We like to keep our salsa mild, but you can add as much as you’d like.
- Serve with tortilla chips.
Notes
- It is natural for the tomatoes to release their juices as the flavors meld. The longer the salsa sits, the more liquid will accumulate.
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