Nothing is as awesome as a sweet, juicy, summer tomato! But you don’t have to wait for summer to make this fresh cherry tomato pico de gallo.
Although store bought tomatoes usually lack flavor, cherry tomatoes are an exception and can fast track your summer snacking! Any time of year, this cherry tomato pico de gallo makes the fiesta!
I cannot believe this is my first salsa recipe on the blog!!! Better late than never I guess…but it’s still a surprise. Normally I make salsa to taste, but last year I actually measured the ingredients for my super easy, don’t need summer tomatoes, pico de gallo.
Who else hates grocery store tomatoes? Ugggghhhh they’re just awful! That’s because they are usually picked green. We all know that tomatoes have to ripen on the vine to be delicious. But luckily there’s an exception to the rule!
Cherry tomatoes always taste good. Maybe it’s because they tend to be sweeter than large tomatoes? But thank goodness they do! It means we can get a little bite of summer even during the coldest months.
So today we’re celebrating the amazingness of cherry tomatoes with this easy pico de gallo recipe.
If you’ve never made pico de gallo, there’s very little to it. It’s a fresh salsa, sometimes called salsa fresca, and it only requires a handful of simple ingredients.
How to make pico de gallo
The big difference between a traditional pico de gallo and this cherry tomato recipe is that the former calls for the tomatoes to be seeded. Since we don’t seed the cherry tomatoes, this recipe is faster to make.
But there are still some rules to follow. It would be so much simpler to place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend them up…but you’d get soup . The ingredients must be hand-chopped to achieve the perfect balance of chunky veggies.
It’s also a good idea to use disposable gloves to seed and chop the jalapeno. Have you ever handled a hot pepper and then hours later rubbed your eye? Not a fun experience! Those hot oils work their way into the skin and under your fingernails, so even if you’ve washed your hands the heat might remain. Gloves will also keep the raw onion smell away too. I want to eat my salsa, not smell like it!
How to serve pico de gallo
You also want to eat your pico de gallo while it’s fresh. It can be refrigerated for a couple of days, but the tomatoes won’t be the same after refrigeration. Plus the cilantro will wilt, so only make as much as you need.
This recipe is enough to serve to guests as an appetizer or to use on chicken burrito bowls for dinner… but if you’re cooking for two, you may want to cut the recipe in half.
This pico recipe is great on these instant pot ground beef tacos, as a topping for enchiladas, on chicken sheet pan nachos or just served with tortilla chips.
While Cinco de Mayo seems like the perfect time to break out this recipe, really, it’s good anytime you have cherry tomatoes on hand, whether they’re from the store or from your vegetable garden!
Okay, enough advice! I’m sure you want to be eating this fresh cherry tomato pico de gallo! Enjoy!
Cherry Tomato Pico de Gallo Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups cherry tomatoes
- 2 jalapenos , seeded and minced
- 1/2 medium red onion , finely diced
- 4 limes, juiced
- 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
- 2 teaspoons agave syrup
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Take half of the cherry tomatoes and slice them in half.
- Dice the remaining cherry tomatoes by cutting them into 4-8 pieces depending on size.
- Place the tomatoes in a bowl with the jalapenos, red onion, lime juice, cilantro and agave.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- The juices will settle on the bottom of the bowl. Give the pico a stir every now and then to help the flavors meld.
Notes
- If you're feeling ambitious, zest the limes before juicing them for more flavor.
- The potency of onions and jalapenos can vary, so adjust quantities to suit your taste.
Nutrition
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Marlee says
I love that cherry tomatoes are so readily available most times of the year! This means that I don’t have to wait until summer to have a killer pico de gallo!
Vintage Kitty says
Exactly!
Kate says
This looks really good, I like how chunky it is and I really like not needing to seed any tomatoes!
Vintage Kitty says
Not having to seed tomatoes is EVERYTHING!
Amanda says
Oh, I love that you used cherry tomatoes in this pico. The cherry tomatoes add such a nice depth and natural sweetness. Thanks for sharing!
Vintage Kitty says
You’re welcome Amanda!
Tammy says
Gorgeous photos! This looks so fresh and wonderful…I really want to just dig in. Getting total summer vibes from this dish right now <3
Vintage Kitty says
Thanks Tammy!
Veena Azmanov says
This dish is such a lovely party option. Something tangy and a snacking item too.
Vintage Kitty says
Great for snacking!
Julie says
I hate seeding tomatoes, so swapping them out for cherry tomatoes is brilliant! I know what I’m making this summer when my cherry tomato plants are producing!
Shannon says
Cherry tomatoes are my absolute fave! Using them in a pico de gallo is brilliant! And this would be absolutely perfect to serve as an appetizer at a dinner party or backyard bbq. Can’t wait to try it out!
Michelle says
What a great idea to use cherry tomatoes! I bet it tastes so fresh and zingy, will definitely try this. Thanks for sharing this.
Eileen Kelly says
A delicious fresh pico recipe! I love using fresh tomatoes! The flavors are great and perfect with chips! Perfect for parties!
Jessica says
I make some mean burrito bowls and I’ve been looking to add more flavor. I have a perfect queso dip for it but I’ve been craving a good pico de gallo recipe in place of roma tomatoes that I usually just chop up. Next time I make them with the instant pot, I’m going to add this in it.
Lori says
I love how fresh and vibrant this looks! This just screams summer cookout! I can’t wait to make this!!!
Leanne | Crumb Top Baking says
I’ve only made pico de gallo once, and really enjoyed it. So I’m not sure why I haven’t made it again! This recipe is totally prompting me to whip up a batch. Looks loaded with delicious ingredients and so flavourful!
lauren says
Where were you when I had cherry tomatoes sitting on my counter and then in my fridge for two weeks with no idea what to do with them! This is so perfect, plus I’m a sucker for any reason to eat tortilla chips. Bring on the pico!