Homemade Pico de Gallo with Avocado

Name: Pico de Gallo with Avocado
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 2 ripe Haas avocados (cubed); 4 Roma tomatoes (seeded and diced); 1 cup diced red onion; 2 jalapeno peppers (seeds and ribs removed, minced); 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (chopped); Juice of 1-2 limes; Salt to taste; 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)

Homemade pico de gallo with avocado is easy to make with fresh veggies like tomato, onion, jalapeño, and avocado. It all gets mixed with lime juice, salt, and cilantro to make the freshest Mexican dip or topping for tacos, eggs, enchiladas, and more. Requires only 7 ingredients and 10 minutes to make.

a black bowl of pico de gallo with avocado surrounded by lime, cilantro, jalapeno, and avocado

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What is pico de gallo?
Ingredients
How to make pico de gallo with avocado
Top tips
FAQ
More fresh Mexican dip recipes
Recipe

I'm just going to say it - the only way to make pico de gallo better is by adding avocado.

Pico de gallo, also known as salsa fresca, literally means "rooster's beak". It may have been called this because it was originally eaten by grabbing it between the thumb and forefinger, resembling a rooster's beak.

Pico de gallo is my go-to whenever I'm out ordering a burrito bowl or other Mexican dish. It is full of fresh veggies and bright flavors. Adding avocado only makes it better!

pico de gallo with avocado getting mixed in a clear bowl

What is pico de gallo?

Pico de gallo is a fresh salsa made of chopped tomatoes, onions, jalapeño, cilantro, salt, and lime juice.

It can really help brighten up heavier meals like vegetarian enchiladas or black bean and butternut squash quesadillas. Today we're adding in some ripe avocado because obviously avocados are the best!

a black bowl of pico de gallo with avocado surrounded by tortilla chips and jalapeno

Ingredients

Tomato
Onion
Jalapeño
Cilantro
Avocado
Lime juice
Salt
Olive oil (optional)

How to make pico de gallo with avocado

Chop the tomato, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and avocado
Combine them in a bowl
Add salt and lime juice to taste

Top tips

How to prevent your avocado from turning brown

With the addition of avocado I don't recommend letting your pico de gallo sit around too long, although a little time covered in the refrigerator can help the flavors come together. If you want to prevent your avocado from turning brown, I recommend going heavy on the lime juice or adding one tablespoon of olive oil to the mix.

How to ripen avocados

An avocado is ripe when the skin is dark in color, it gives to gentle pressure, and the stem area easily pops off. I find it difficult to purchase perfectly ripe avocados from the grocery store, and prefer to ripen them at home.

Place firm, unripe avocados in a brown paper grocery bag and fold over the top. Keep at room temperature for 1-3 days to ripen. You can place an apple or a banana in the bag with the avocados to help speed this up.

For more information on how to choose ripe avocados and keep them green, you can read my post on how to ripen avocados.

How to store

Press plastic wrap against the top of the pico de gallo to eliminate any air and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

What to serve with pico de gallo

a black bowl of pico de gallo with avocado

Tips for customizing pico de gallo with avocado

Use lemon in place of the lime
Include jalapeño ribs and seeds if you like things spicy
Leave out the avocado for a classic homemade pico de gallo
Add one clove of chopped garlic for extra zing
Serve over huevos rancheros

FAQ

Should I add olive oil to my pico de gallo?

Olive oil is decidedly not authentic in pico de gallo. However, if you want to prevent your avocado from turning brown it may help to add a little to the mix.

How do you pronounce pico de gallo?

You really don't need to know how to pronounce this recipe to make it, but I find it useful to be able to communicate clearly when searching for ingredients or ordering from a restaurant. In this case, pico de gallo is pronounced pee-coh dih guy-oh.