Chunky Pico de Gallo with Avocado

There’s no better way to enjoy nature’s bounty then with a fresh and homemade pico de gallo with avocado recipe. In this post, I’ll show you how easy it is to make at home and just how delicious nature’s candy can be. This post is sponsored by Crunchmaster and may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosures.

Did you know that the EU recommends everyone eat about one pound of vegetables and fruits each day, and the CDC in the U.S. recommends adults eat at least 4-5 cups of produce each day?

Unfortunately, only one in ten adults meet these recommendations, which is likely contributing to the rising rates of chronic disease, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease in the world.

I’m on a mission to eat more fruits and vegetables, and with all the wonderful summer produce available at grocery stores and Farmer’s Markets, meeting my fresh fruit and vegetable quota has been a pleasure cruise.

Last month I created a Strawberry Pico de Gallo that everyone went crazy for, and this month, the rosy red tomatoes were calling my name. I firmly believe when life gives you a bounty of fresh ripe tomatoes, it’s time to make pico de gallo.

Pico de Gallo vs. Salsa

Before I dive into my pico de gallo recipe, you might be wondering the difference between pico de gallo vs. salsa.

Pico de gallo is made from chopped up raw vegetables that are mixed together by hand. It looks more like a salad cut into small chunks.

A salsa is also made from fresh vegetables, however, the vegetables are typically pureed in a food processor, and some salsas also use cooked tomatoes to form a runnier texture.

Gather and Prepare Your Ingredients

To make my veggie-loaded homemade pico de gallo with avocado recipe, you’ll want to gather and prepare the following ingredients:

• 6 red ripen tomatoes (heirloom, vine or roma will work), diced into bite-sized pieces
• 2 jalapeno peppers, stem removed and seeded
• 1 green pepper, stem removed and seeded
• 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
• 1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
• 2 limes
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• Fresh black pepper, to taste
• 1-2 ripe avocados, diced

Making homemade pico de gallo takes time and effort as you’ll be doing a lot of chopping and prepping. However, the reward is well worth the effort, and I encourage you to enjoy the process of creating a nutrient dense snack that will nourish your body from the inside out.

And don’t forget to stock up on Crunchmaster crackers when grocery shopping for your pico de gallo ingredients. You’ll need a trusty, solid cracker that will hold up well as you pile on the pico!

Combine Pico de Gallo Ingredients

Once all your ingredients are prepped, it’s time to combine everything in a bowl.

Combine the tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, green pepper, red onion and cilantro in a large bowl and mix together gently.

Add the juice of 1-2 limes, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Taste your pico de gallo and adjust the amount of lime, salt and pepper, as needed. The red pepper flakes will become develop spice as they marinade in the mixture, so while the pico may not have a kick right away, it will develop with time.

Once the mixture tastes great, add the diced avocado and give the mixture a gentle swirl. You don’t want the avocados to get over-mixed, otherwise they’ll turn into guacamole vs. avocado chunks.

Cover the bowl of pico de gallo and place it in your fridge for at least an hour to allow the flavors to come together.

Serve the pico de gallo with your favorite gluten-free crackers or chips. I recommend the original Crunchmaster Multi-Seed Crackers made with sesame, quinoa, flax and amaranth seeds. You’ll need a good-sized cracker that holds up well to this chunky pico de gallo.

Use the Crunchmaster Store Locator tool to find a grocery store near you that carries Crunchmaster crackers. You can also buy them in the Crunchmaster Store on Amazon.

Pico de Gallo FAQs

Choosing a Tomato:  Any ripe tomato will work. Choose from heirloom, vine or roma, or even use cherry tomatoes, which you can cut into quarters.

Choosing an Onion:  I love the taste of red onions, but if the onion flavor feels overpowering to you, you can use 4-6 green onions (scallions) instead. Scallions offer a milder onion flavor and work well in pico de gallo and salsa recipes.

Cilantro:  Some people don’t like the taste of cilantro or they say it tastes like soap. If this is the case for you or someone you’re serving it to, you can omit the cilantro altogether. Alternatively, you could use Italian parsley instead and even a little mint to offer that fresh herb flavor.

Avocado: I usually add one avocado, but if I’m feeding a bigger crowd, I’ll add two. 

Crackers vs. Chips: I love serving my pico de gallo with Crunchmaster crackers because the crackers are gluten free and hold up well to scooping. You could, however, serve the pico with tortilla chips, cucumber slices, or any gluten-free cracker of choice.

Leftovers: Consume the pico de gallo within 2-3 days as the vegetables are cut fresh and begin to turn fast. Store leftover pico de gallo in a lightly covered container in your fridge.

More Recipes

Looking to load up on fruits and vegetables? Here are more dips to try!

• Strawberry Pico de Gallo
• Naturally Gluten-Free Gazpacho Perfected!
• Festive Cranberry Jalapeno Dip (Salsa)
• Game Day Snack Board with Homemade Black Bean Dip
• Warm Butternut Squash & Apple Dip
• Lemon Dill Hummus
• Simple Sweet Corn Soup Recipe