Restaurant-Style Pico de Gallo That Never Goes Watery

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

The pico that taquerias get right and home kitchens usually get soupy. Two small moves fix it: the tomatoes get seeded and salted so their liquid leaves before it hits the bowl, and the raw onion gets a quick cold-water rinse to strip the harsh sulfur bite without cooking it. What's left is bright, crunchy, deeply limey, and it holds its texture for a full day in the fridge. Makes about 3 cups.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 lb ripe Roma tomatoes (about 6)
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to finish
• 1 medium white onion
• 2 serrano chiles (or 1 large jalapeño)
• 1 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, lightly packed
• 1 clove garlic, grated on a microplane (optional)
• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
• 1/2 tsp sugar, only if the tomatoes are underripe
• 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil (optional, for gloss)

Instructions

1. Halve the tomatoes lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and watery jelly with your thumb or a small spoon; discard. Cut each half into 1/4-inch strips, then crosswise into a neat 1/4-inch dice. Roma tomatoes are the right choice here — they are meaty and low in juice.
2. Toss the diced tomatoes with 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a colander set over a bowl. Let them drain 15 minutes while you prep everything else. You should collect 2 to 4 tablespoons of liquid. Do not rinse or press them; just shake off what falls freely.
3. Meanwhile, dice the onion to match the tomatoes, about 1/4 inch. Put the diced onion in a small bowl, cover with cold water, swish for 30 seconds, then drain well and pat dry in a towel. This pulls out the sharp, lingering raw-onion burn while keeping the crunch.
4. Stem the serranos. For medium heat, slice them in half and scrape out the seeds and pale ribs with a paring knife; for full heat, leave them in. Mince very fine — you want heat distributed, not landmines. Wash your hands and board afterward.
5. Chop the cilantro coarsely, no finer than a rough chop; over-chopping bruises it and turns it dark.
6. In a medium bowl, combine the drained tomatoes, rinsed onion, minced chile, cilantro, and the grated garlic if using. Add the lime juice and toss gently with a rubber spatula, folding rather than stirring so the tomato dice stay intact.
7. Taste. Add salt in 1/4-teaspoon pinches until the tomato flavor snaps forward — usually another 1/2 teaspoon total. If the tomatoes taste flat or tart, add the sugar. Stir in the olive oil if you want a slightly glossier, richer salsa for spooning over grilled meat.
8. Let the pico sit at room temperature 15 to 30 minutes before serving so the lime and salt pull the flavors together. Just before it goes to the table, tilt the bowl and pour off any liquid that has pooled at the bottom.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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