Spicy Pico de Gallo (Salsa Fresca Recipe)
If you've ever taken a bite of pico de gallo (aka salsa fresca) and thought, where's the spice?-this recipe is for you! This spicy pico de gallo brings the perfect amount of heat with fresh jalapeno peppers, ripe tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and lime juice. It's a quick and easy homemade salsa that comes together in only 10 minutes, no cooking required!
Save this Recipe!
I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Jump to:
Recipe Highlights
Inspiration: I love making homemade condiments, and store-bought pico just wasn't cutting it. Mild was too bland and hot basically scorched my taste buds. So, I set out to make the best pico de gallo with jalapenos that has just the right amount of spice.
What makes it special: "Spicy" means different things to different people, and this recipe lets you customize the heat to your preference while still tasting bold and authentic. Plus, it's make-ahead friendly and way more flavorful than store-bought.
Pro tip: It tastes even better after chilling and letting the flavors meld. It can be made up to 4 days in advance so it's great for meal prep or entertaining.
Serve with your favorite Mexican food. Use it as a spicy salsa for tacos like beer battered fish tacos or slow cooker chicken tacos.
Or, use as a condiment for sheet pan fajitas, southwest burger with guacamole, steak rice bowls, or barbacoa burrito bowls. Or, eat it as a dip with tortilla chips.
Ingredients Notes
- Jalapeno peppers are the star of the show! Two minced jalapenos give this salsa fresca a noticeable kick without overwhelming the other flavors.
- Roma tomatoes are less watery than other tomato varieties, which helps keep the pico from getting soggy. Seed and dice them for the best texture.
- White onion tastes sharp and crisp. It's the traditional choice for an authentic pico de gallo recipe.
- Fresh cilantro gives this Tex-Mex salsa it's signature herby flavor. Chop it finely so it blends evenly throughout.
When I'm craving a tropical twist, especially on fish tacos, I swap in mango pico de gallo for a sweet and spicy combo.
Tips for Adjusting the Spice Level
Mild: Most of the heat in peppers comes from the seeds and membranes (aka ribs), so remove those parts of the pepper before mincing.
Medium (this is how I like it!): Leave in the seeds from one pepper and remove them from the other. In my opinion, this gives the best balance between flavor and heat.
Hot: Keep all the seeds in, or better yet, swap the jalapenos for serrano peppers, which bring more heat and a sharper bite.
How to Make Spicy Pico de Gallo
Dice or chop all ingredients uniformly. In a medium sized bowl combine fresh tomatoes, onion, peppers, lime juice, cilantro, and salt.
Stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
More Tex-Mex Condiments
If you try this recipe or any recipe from Happy Honey Kitchen, please rate the recipe and leave a comment below! Enjoy!
10-Minute Spicy Pico de Gallo Recipe
Save this Recipe!
I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Equipment
- knife
Ingredients
- 1 cup Roma tomato seeded and diced; about 3 tomatoes
- ½ cup white onion diced
- 2 jalapeno peppers diced; leave seeds and ribs in for spicier taste
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl combine Roma tomatoes, onions, peppers, lime juice, cilantro, and salt. Stir to combine.
- Cover and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes before serving to let the flavors meld.
Notes
- For an even spicier taste, try this recipe with serrano peppers instead of jalapenos.
- Storage: Leftovers will stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just give it a good stir before serving. I do not recommend freezing this recipe as the tomatoes and herbs will lose their texture and flavor once thawed.
