Pico De Gallo + Cabbage FTW
Today, I want to share a recipe for perhaps the most classic of Mexican condiments: humble, flavorful, fresh, vibrant pico de gallo—in this case, made extra-crunchy thanks to the addition of shredded cabbage. Simple as it sounds, there is a trick to it, and once perfected you'll be wondering why you were ever crazy or lazy enough to use store-bought.
I discovered the secret to the most amazing homemade pico de gallo a few years back, and I’m excited to be sharing it with you all today. I sent a text to my good friend Steve, who first introduced me to this lovely, cabbage-adorned version of salsa fresca, asking if we could please have and share the recipe, and here’s his response, verbatim: “Hey Holly! It’s a pretty poorly-kept secret! Onion- diced, tomatoes - diced, cilantro- torn, cabbage - shredded, jalapeños - diced, lime - squeezed, salt- shaken. How much of each? It’s the Mexican Flag Ratio: equal parts red, white, and green.”
What is Pico De Gallo?
Pico de gallo is a fresh salsa (sometimes also referred to as salsa fresca or salsa mexicana) made of chopped tomatoes, onions, chilies and a little salt. Even if you didn’t know it was called “pico de gallo”, you’ve probably eaten it before on a taco or with chips at a Mexican restaurant.
What sets pico de gallo apart from other Mexican salsas (the word “salsa” just means “sauce”) is its freshness. None of the pico de gallo ingredients are cooked, which makes it perfect for a super hot day when the tomatoes are so juicy-ripe and it’s too hot to even think about turning on the stove. Just whip up a batch of this pico, open a bag of chips, mix up a marg and call it a day.
What Does Pico De Gallo Mean in English?
Translated from Spanish, “pico de gallo” literally means “rooster beak”. As far as we can discern, no one is quite sure why this fresh salsa is called ‘rooster beak’, but there you have it. Some people in internet land claim that it has something to do with eating it with your hands (picking up the chunks of fresh tomato and onion between your forefinger and thumb, apparently like a rooster’s beak) but wouldn’t you rather eat pico with chips? Or on a taco? It just doesn’t hold up. Anyway. Pico de gallo means rooster beak. Although here at TMP it means delicious fresh salsa.
How to Make Pico De Gallo:
We just love the extra crunch that fresh, raw cabbage brings to this classic pico de gallo—not only does it temper the sharp flavors of the chilies and onions, but it makes this condiment so versatile. Have we mentioned that fresh pico de gallo is really really easy to make? Here’s how to make it:
- Start with really great produce. Since this is a fresh salsa, nothing will be cooked, so there’s no masking bad produce. If your tomatoes are unripe, your pico will be bland. Clean everything thoroughly, too—especially the cilantro, which can sometimes be a little sandy.
- Chop everything. Chopping is the only work that this recipe requires of you, so give it your all! Put on a great podcast, or some music you love, and take some time to carefully dice those tomatoes, shred the cabbage, and seed your jalapenos.
- Combine all of your carefully chopped onions, tomatoes, jalapeños, cabbage and cilantro in a bowl. Squeeze fresh lime juice over all of it, sprinkle with salt and toss together.
- Serve! Gobble your pico up with chips, on top of tacos, in a burrito, over grilled fish—the sky’s the limit!
What to Do With Leftover Pico De Gallo:
What is this “leftover” pico de gallo you speak of? On the off chance that you don’t gobble up every last bite, leftover pico is easy to use up. It will change over time—it is really meant to be enjoyed fresh—but your pico de gallo with cabbage will last easily a day or two in the fridge. Use it to:
- Dress up some simple tacos.
- As a way to add some veggies to your kids cheese quesadilla!
- Spoon it over a piece of fresh white fish wrapped in foil and grill until the fish is tender and cooked for an easy, healthy dinner.
- Eat with chips, just like you did the first time!
Tools You’ll Need:
- Sharp knife.
- Hungry tummies.
What To Serve With Pico De Gallo:
Spicy, refreshing pico de gallo is the perfect easy appetizer or accompaniment to so many of our favorite Mexican-inspired dishes. We love it with:
So, Did You Pico?
If you made our (well, Steve’s) pico de gallo with cabbage recipe, we really want to know about it! Snap a photo of your finished pico and maybe even a video of the beautiful people you feed it to. Tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy eating!
