Pico Me Up Before You Go-Go!

Pico de Gallo Recipe

Meal Type: Snack

Difficulty level: Easy

Dad Rating:👍👍

Kid Rating: 👎👎

Total Servings: 8 at 1/2 cup per serving.
Calories per serving: 28
Cost per serving: $0.72
Prep Time: 11 Minutes
Cook Time: 0 Minutes

Gadgets Needed:

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• Refrigerator
• Vegetable Chopper
• Large mixing bowl
• Measuring spoons
• Lime juicer
• Chopping Knife
• Cutting Board

Each year when the Superb Owl makes its appearance, celebrations occur and snacks are needed as tribute. This dish is not only great healthy option by itself but a key component in another recipe that is sure to guac your world. 

Ah, pico de gallo—the salsa that makes everything better and adds a little “pepper”-mint to your day! It’s simple, fresh, and brings all the flavor without stealing the spotlight from your main dish. You could say it’s a real “chip” off the old block when paired with some tortilla chips. So, if you’re ready to impress your taste buds and your dinner guests, let’s “taco” about how to whip up this classic salsa with a side of smiles.

First things first, grab your ingredients: tomatoes, onions, cilantro, jalapeños, lime juice, and salt. That’s right, this salsa keeps it simple because you don’t need to get “extra” to taste amazing. Dice the tomatoes nice and small—kind of like they’re getting ready for salsa dancing. The onions, too, deserve a fine chop. Just try not to cry; onions love attention and will do whatever it takes to get it. The best tool for achieving a consistently perfect sized chop is the vegetable chopper linked above. 

Next up, let’s get spicy. Slice up a jalapeño, but be warned—they can be as fiery as a dad when he finds out you borrowed the car without asking. Remove the seeds if you want less heat or leave them in if you enjoy living life on the edge (of your tongue). If you need a lil more spice in your life pepper in some habanero too. For a milder spice level substitute poblano or bell peppers. Add in freshly chopped cilantro for that herbal zing. Love it or hate it, cilantro is essential here—think of it as the dad joke of herbs: some people groan, but it’s secretly the star.

Now, squeeze in the lime juice to brighten up the mix. Limes are the citrus equivalent of a good punchline: a little sour but absolutely necessary. Don’t forget the salt! Just a pinch, or however much you need to feel “seasoned” in the kitchen. Give everything a good stir, and let the flavors mingle like it’s a backyard barbecue—because good things take time to come together.

Finally, serve it up and watch everyone dig in. Whether you’re spooning it over tacos, adding it to scrambled eggs, or just scooping it straight into your mouth, pico de gallo is always a hit. One of my features of this recipe is it is truly a “season to taste” recipe. Grill the vegetables first for a different take on the recipe. Experiment with your ratios of peppers/onions/tomatoes/lime. However you like it, share your pico de style-o in the comment section below.

Ingredients:

• 1 red onion ($1.60)
• 1 jalapeño pepper ($0.35)
• 1 lime ($0.79)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt ($0.01)
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper ($0.01)
• 4 large tomatoes ($2.49)
• 1/4 bunch fresh cilantro ($0.50)

Instructions:

1. Cut tomatoes into quarters. (2 minutes)
2. Use the vegetable chopper to dice the quartered tomatoes.(1 minute)
3. Place diced tomatoes in large mixing bowl. (30 seconds)
4. Cut the lime in half to extract juice with line juicer in the next step. (1 minute)
5. Season tomatoes with juice from the lime. salt, and pepper. (1 minute)
6. Let the tomatoes marinate in the seasoning for five minutes while you continue chopping the remaining vegetables. 
7. Peel the onion. (1 minute)
8. Slice the onion into quarters. (1 minute)
9. Use the vegetable chopper to dice the onion quarters. (1 minute)
10. Cut the stem off the jalapeño. (30 seconds)
11. Cut the stemless jalapeño in half. (30 seconds)
12. Use the vegetable chopper to dice the jalapeño halves. (1 minute)
13. Add onions and jalapeño to the tomato mixture in the large mixing bowl. (30 seconds)
14. Stir, taste, and tinker with the ratios until you find that perfect balance of flavor/heat you are looking for.