How to Make Pico de Gallo

Start with four Roma tomatoes. Roma and plum tomatoes are the ones you want here because they have more flesh and less juice than a regular slicing tomato, which keeps the pico chunky. Set one on the cutting board and slice it in half with a sharp chef's knife.

Work through all four the same way. They don't need to be perfect halves at this stage. You're opening them up so you can clean out the seeds in the next step.

Here's the step that makes or breaks your pico. Scoop the seeds and the watery middle out of each tomato half. You can run a finger through to clear them out, or cut out the seedy core with a small knife. Either way works.

It feels like you're throwing away the good part, but the seeds and that liquid are what turn pico soupy. Take them out and you're left with firm tomato flesh that holds its shape in the bowl.

Now dice the seeded tomato flesh into small, even pieces and add them to a mixing bowl. Aim for roughly a quarter-inch pieces. Small enough to scoop onto a chip, big enough that you still get that chunky bite pico is known for.

Keep the pieces about the same size so the salsa looks tidy and every scoop is balanced. A sharp knife makes this go quickly and gives you cleaner cuts than a dull one.

You'll want about two-thirds of a cup of finely diced onion. Lisa dices the whole onion and saves the extra for other meals during the week, which is a smart move. Cut it small so no single bite is all onion.

Finely diced onion folds right into the salsa and spreads its bite evenly. Add it to the bowl with the tomatoes once it's chopped.

The heat in pico de gallo comes from the serrano. Traditional Mexican recipes almost always reach for it, though you can swap in a jalapeno for something milder. Slice the pepper in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds and the white membrane, then dice it very finely.

Most of a pepper's heat lives in those seeds and membranes, so removing them gives you flavor and a gentle kick without blowing the dish out. Mince it small so the heat is spread evenly through the bowl.

Take a small bunch of fresh cilantro and chop it up, stems and all. The tender stems carry plenty of flavor, so there's no need to pick every leaf off. Give it a rough chop and add it to the bowl.

Cilantro is what gives pico that bright, herby lift. If you happen to be one of the folks who tastes soap when you eat it, you can leave it out or swap in a little flat-leaf parsley.

Squeeze the juice of one fresh lime right over the bowl. The lime does two jobs. It pulls the flavors together and it keeps everything tasting fresh. Then add a half teaspoon of salt. Lisa points out that the salt got missed on camera, but you do not want to skip it.

Salt is what wakes the whole thing up. Without it the salsa tastes flat, no matter how good your tomatoes are. Add it now so it has a minute to draw out the flavors.

Give everything a good stir until the tomato, onion, serrano, cilantro, lime, and salt are evenly combined. You want the lime and salt worked all the way through, not just sitting on top, so every scoop tastes the same.

Take a quick taste here. If it needs a touch more salt or another squeeze of lime, now is the time. This is your salsa, so season it the way you like it.

Spoon the pico into a serving bowl and it's ready to go. Classic corn tortilla chips are the obvious match, though cassava flour chips are a great gluten-free option if that's what you reach for.

Beyond chips, this salsa is a workhorse. Pile it on tacos, fajitas, or grilled chicken and fish. Any watery liquid that pools at the bottom of the bowl is easy to leave behind by scooping rather than tipping.