My Mexican mama is 82 now and it takes her forever to make pico de gallo but it is soooo worth it. It is definitely a labor of love

Whenever my Texas family eats green beans or black-eyed peas, we always top them with a mixture of chopped tomatoes, white onions, banana pepper, salt, and vinegar. I was always confused why we seemed to be the only people on the planet who did this. Turns out, in the 1910s, my great-grandfather, when he was a young man, supervised a crew building the railroad in Mexico. (And had some run-ins with Pancho Villa along the way.) Anyhow, while there, he developed a taste for salsa Mexicana. When he got back to Texas and married, he taught his bride how to make it. There were no limes or lemons in Texas back then, so they substituted vinegar. While it would indeed be sacrilegious to put vinegar in pico de gallo for a Mexican dish, for green beans and black eyed peas cooked in the typical Southern fashion, it’s perfect.

rick is the second best chef and teacher in the world imo, only behind jacque pepin

ME: watches a Rick Bayless video. ME: keys in hand going to supermarket for said ingredients!

Thanks for standing up for taking your time to get a small dice. People need to learn patience in the kitchen. Things can wait, getting a good salsa pays dividends.

People rave about my pico de gallo and guacamole. I always make it my hand and YES it is a labor of love. I’m always asked to bring them to pot lucks.

Mexican salsa is the best 👌 👍

Delicious I like the way that you explain everything and also the way that you cut the vegetables

Honing your knife above your food and cooking surface, no bueno Ricky. Not wiping your blade clean from honing debris, no bueno tampoco. But great honing skills and love your salsa demo! Rinsing the onion was a great tip! Rock and chop!

It doesn't matter if I go to a fancy restaurant or just a small cart, I'm always impressed by how much care and time is put into prepping each ingredient.

I love Pico de Gallo ! 😋

Man.... Let me tell you... With most cooking shows on KZfaq just being really good home cooks with non stop jokes and silliness, alot of fancy editing tricks, and funky music or something (which don't get me wrong, that's all well in good in it's up right).... But just seeing a actual highly knowledgeable, professional chef, talk about food and the ingredients, just him and a steady camera. Listen this is sooo refreshing. Thank you Rick

Rick was a neighbor of mine a few years back, great guy !! My wife Luvs him and he often gave my labro-doodle hand made treats from his home !

If there is one thing I took away from this video is HOW TO CUT CILANTRO!!! I would always peel the leaves from the cilantro and it was always such a painful time consuming process, and I never felt my cilantro ever had the same taste from the Mexican restaurants or taquerias. I just hade homemade tacos today, and a big pile of roughly chopped cilantro absolutely changed the game for me. Thank you!

I am a dipper, I love salsas and make a few. I do make a Pico de Gallo, I prefer a wetter salsa BUT when I make it I treat it like all the others and eat it like crazy. What I do different is I use Romas because my wife wants very little liquid in the pico and I can't add Cilantro to hers. I also do not add salt when I make it, salt will make the tomotos water creating the liquid my wife doesn't want in her pico. We do salt as we use, the flavors still marry without the salt we just pull out what we are going to eat and salt it ahead of time. Great video and good looking Salsa

I like lots of cilantro.

I enjoy watching your videos so much. This might sound weird but it was very relaxing watching you chop.

I could watch you all day (and I sometimes do!!)

The only person I seek for all things Mexican cuisine, you are in a class by yourself, LOVE YOU !!!!

If I'm using it to eat with tortilla chips I like to add diced avocados and mangoes. Also, I like to add colored bell peppers for taste and color, and a very finely minced habanero (without the seeds and veins!!). The colors and taste are just outlandish!! I really like the way Rick treats our cuisine with a lot of respect.

Please do a tour of your home kitchen, backyard, and your home's interior. You seem to have a beautiful home and I'm sure the viewers would love to see. Thank you sir.

It's fascinating to hear Spanish with a Chicago accent. When I was first learning the German language my teacher laughed at me, 'cause I spoke with a Spanish accent.

I love that you made the dish with such authenticity and stayed true to the Mexican culture, often I find alot of Chefs take the uniqueness and identity out of the food but you didn't

As a native Southern Californian I have always appreciated Rick’s love of Mexican cuisine and showcasing the beauty of the culture. He is the culinary ambassador of Mexican cuisine.

Sabe Mas de cosina que nostros los Mexicanos...

My favorite Mexican restaurant adds peeled and seeded cucumber finely chopped to their Salsa Mexicana. It is really good. It adds an extra crunch and flavor that is unique

I could watch these Rick Bayless videos all day long.

Tried both 👍🏽 Very good… the 2nd one is the Hot my Son loves… the flavors meshed wonderfully. Thanks for sharing!

I am always impressed with the level of authenticity that Rick Bayless brings

Hi Chef. I'm from India and was always curious about what Mexican salsa was years before the internet era happened. When I saw it, I laughed so hard cuz turns out we've been having this Mexican salsa since forever. Everything is the same however we also add Yogurt and chopped cucumber into it to give it a rich sour creamy feeling to it and believe me that brings the atoms of aroma and flavor. It also helps lowering the acid and heat level, which means very happy mouth and tummy. Hope you try this with Yogurt and see. Thanks and Much Love🙏🙏👍👍

I love just watching you in the kitchen and listening to you describing on how you’re preparing your meals, it makes my mouth water I’ve been watching you for a while I live in Chicago and I’ve yet to go to your restaurant but hopefully someday I will

I pretty much follow the pico de gallo recipe, but I add black pepper and garlic. Then again, most everything I cook has garlic and black pepper. Two of my little Granddaughters were putting pepper on their food, and my Daughter said that's a lot of pepper, girls. In unison, they replied, "This is how Papa does it." They make me so proud!

I love this guy! He is an awesome teacher! So excited to see him again and to learn his recipes.

This was the best cooking video I have ever seen. Subscribed!

Simple, perfectly cut and explained! Love it!

Wao. Este es un gringo bien Bravo. Esas semillas de habanero son cosa sería! Good stuff!!

I cut all my vegs in big cubes and put everything in my food processor. Pulse it and vola! Less work and it is Excellent!

Glad you called it Salsa Mexicana. In the US they call it Pico de Gallo. We call it salsa Fresca or salsa casera. I’m from Mexico and for us Pico de Gallo is cucumbers, oranges, and jicama mixture (fruit salad). Sometimes we might add pineapple or mango but we eat that fruit mixture with lemon or lime juice and chili powder and salt to taste.

Taste really good. I tried it both methods. Btw, use salt water to watch your hands after cut chilli peppers. It will help calm down the hot burning feeling quickly. We do this in Thailand and it works.

I've been watching you since the 90s on PBS, and you are still an amazing cook, keeping recipees authentic. Keeping our culture alive through food🇲🇽 absolutely love watching your cuisine 👨‍🍳

This is a good and informative video. I just wanted to mention that I like to chop up cucumbers and put them in, it's very refreshing !

Lovr it!! I watch my weight and adore chips and a really good salsa. They taste like more. It's hard to stop eating them!! So I have been substituting celery or fennel in place of chips. They're both nice and crunchy and are a great partner with salsa. Thank you for your lesson!

Something about the way the people of Yucatan use flavor...makes it my favorite! Maybe it’s the orange and pickled elements.

As much salsa as I've eaten in my life, I had never made it until today. I used this technique and it turned out really really well. Since I had never made it before I was expecting it to be a little "off" flavor profile-wise, thinking my next attempt would be better. But it was great and I can't wait to have to rest of it.

Felicidades Sr!!!.... Usted ya es todo un embajador de la comida Mexicana, gracias por dar a conocer nuestra cultura, no es usted el clásico gringo cocinando para Méxicanos, usted cocina para el público estadounidense en general!.. saludos desde Hermosillo Sonora México 🇲🇽!.

I lived on a dairy farm in meager Oklahoma when I was like 10 years old, and my dad would have a bunch of tomato plants fertilized with cow manure. He would have a saltshaker on the tractor tomatoes to get in the store don't even taste like homegrown.

I watched this video yesterday and then made a bowl of this to go with our skirt steak tacos. My nephew’s Mexican girlfriend was eating it with a spoon, so I guess I must have done something right on my first try. Thanks for the video

Just stumbled on this. Freaking out because I once worked with a rick bayless in Denton Texas who was a nurse. He used to make salsa in the break room during the night shifts.

We grow a sour mandarin called “Rangpur Lime” that’s very aromatic and has the orange flavor but sour like a regular lime. It’s excellent in salsa Mexicana as well as guacamole and in marinades for Cochonita Pibil, carnitas and al Pastor.

Excellent video!! Professionally done. I love Mexico. I am going to take my family to your restaurant in Fashion Island. Thank you, Hamid from laguna Beach.

Here's a tip, which makes your salsa taste amazing. I always get "wow" comments about mine. Firstly, don't add the tomatoes until the very end, about 30 mins before serving. I'll explain more about this below. So the idea is to mix the chopped onion with salt and lemon juice (or lime juice). This starts the 'cooking' process. Obviously its not being cooked but the chemical nature of salt and the acidity of the citrus will start to work on the onion and soften it. At the same time add in the cilantro and mix that in. If you are going for the spicy version, add in the chopped chilli peppers at this time too. Give it all a good mix. Cover the bowl in cling wrap and place it in the refrigerator. What will happen is that the flavors of the cilantro and chilli peppers will start to infuse into the onions. So the lemon/lime, salt, cilantro and c/peppers will all work into the onions. This creates a unique flavor. Then approximately 15 - 30 mins before serving, dice your tomatoes and mix them in thoroughly with the onions etc. Cover and place back in the refrigerator. All the flavors will start to meld. The reason it's best not to put the chopped tomatoes in at the beginning is because the salt will soften the tomatoes and leech out the liquids. Which leaves you with softish, unpleasant tomatoes and a lot of liquid at the bottom of the bowl. Something else you can add in, to make your salsa more of a salad, is to finely dice up some cucumber and mix that in just prior to serving. One last tip. There are varying varieties of cilantro. Some have very little smell and flavor. So make sure you to check the smell of the cilantro prior to purchasing to ensure it is authentic, or rather that is the strong aromatic cilantro variety. :)

I live in El Paso for some decades transplanted from the Philippines, plus 5 years in Albuquerque. I would say with lots of confidence that I have become well versed of Mexican culture and cuisine from reading and watching you on TV . I can whip up a mean Salsa Fresca/ Mexicana , enchiladas, quesadillas to name a few, thanks to you.

I have been waiting for this one! Thanks Rick!!

Love your clear voice and balance audio! I don't need to turn on the caption. I clearly hear and understood everything! Thank-you for sharing💞

As usual Rick nails it…

If you have a “vintage” grapefruit spoon, it is perfect for removing the ribs and seed pods from a chili. YMMV

Wow isn't that the coolest thing I have ever got to learn you have no idea how much that means to us up in Alaska thanks Brother have a really nice good life

I've got zero taco game, but I will certainly try these. Thank you señor!

I just got through watching several videos on how to make salsa. This video is by far the best in my opinion. Like you say Rick, it's a labour of love. Instead of using a blender, you take your time to precisely chop up the ingredients. What you put in is what you get out. I'm sure your salsa tastes heavenly. I'm excited to make this myself. Thank you for sharing this.

Thanks again amigo!! Love your passion and videos. Have all your books. Have you ever found a grasshopper in your cilantro? Never in my 58 years have I found one. After watching this video today I ran to my local Mexican market and grabbed cilantro for my salsa. After washing twice and put in my salad spinner. When I opened. Wow a live grasshopper

I love making pico - taking ample time to carefully cut the produce is therapeutic for me, and the end product just tastes better too. Great recipes, Rick.

Great video, nd production.

Time is good 🤠

That is one sharp knife

If your growing your own jalapenos let them turn red before eating them, they get sweet along with the pepper taste. Delicious.

I always use cilantro stems... soooo full of flavor and doesn't waste anything.

Where's the garlic?! Every salsa Mexicana I had in the Yucatan and Jalisco had garlic. Love your videos!

Lordy that looks good 😋😋🤤💕

love how you cut, talk and clean all in one...

Still hard to picture brothers Rick and Skip Bayless chatting together over dinner.

Dear Rick thank you so much for this recipe. I’m a cilantro fanatic too. 🙌🏼♥️

Love the addition of Radish, so very healthy. 💕

For the past 2 months, I have been eating almost exclusively mexican dishes - al pastor, carnitas, carne asada, huevos rancheros, cochinita pibil, birria - and using only corn tortillas. I've since come to realise I have a gluten sensitivity that I wasn't aware of only because I haven't been eating any wheat products. I'm also never eating out anymore - only socially with friends. I've lost weight and have never felt better in my life. Rick's videos, and others, have helped immensely. Just wish I could find better selection of fresh chilis and tomatillos here in the Canadian prairies. Tough to find though.

Cilantro Freaks Unite!

...a sooo healthy!!! Love, just love mexican food. Easy, flavorful and again, healthy.

I'm up in Milwaukee watching!

I just made version 1 and it is absolutely delicious, thank you ! I’m glad I found your channel, I miss watching you on PBS here in Québec City

Thank you for sharing your salsa rescipe. I'm going to try this. Looks delicious!

Love your channel and all things Mexican cooking! I found your Frontera salsa years ago and still order it online ... It's exceptional 💚

I love this recipe, on special occasions I fire roast 1 poblano, and 1 serrano. I'm a bit of a wimp with heat so I remove all but 1 half of the serrano's membrane and seeds. That's perfect for me! This is also an amazing base for Ceviche!!

Thanks Mr. Bayless. I always make Pico for my tacos and finely dice a Habanero into it instead of green chilies. Never rinsed my onions though, So thanks for the tip! Love your videos.

I like the first version

Making food is divine and close to the nature and you proved it 👌

Brilliantly done! Bravooooo Rick!!

Great you’re right, both version are really good, thanks a lot,!

Made this chopped Mexican salsa (pico de gallo) over the weekend, and I had to make two batches. The first one I made the night before was gone before the dinner party. Lucky it doesn't have to sit long to develop its delicious flavor. Thanks for a great lesson. Make sure you rinse your onions!! 👍😎👏

Always great. Thx Rick.

I've been cooking since i was a kid and been watching you on PBS, I love sports and ive been watching Skip since he was on Cold Pizza. Didn't know you 2 were brothers until recently. You 2 are both blessed with great talent 👏🏼

legit. make it this is fire.

Many thanks for the high quality video, Rick! Awesome work! You have earned a new subscriber here.

Love 💕 so many things you make!

My secret ingredient is a splash of good balsamic. Breaks down the tomatoes and provides a hint of sweetness, although it also lowers the bright color of a typical well-made salsa. It makes up for some of the tasteless 'red' tomatoes sold in markets. Nice to see small-dice - makes a huge difference - nothing worse than biting into a chunk of onion or chile. And yes, best to let salsa marinate in its juices and allow the salt to break down the tomatoes. Personally, I don't use salt - the lime and balsamic do a great job of breaking down the tomatoes.

Yes!! In my head lol. Top 10 of something you should learn to make well. Thank you sir.

Thank you. I just finished making pico d’gallo for our pulled pork tacos. I also use it on hotdogs. I will start rinsing my onions.

Que rico!! Ya se me antojó. Bendiciones

I've always known this salsa as "Salsa Bandera" (Flag Sauce) because the colors are the same as the Mexican flag. I don't know why Americans started calling it "pico de gallo." Pico de gallo in Mexico is a fruit salad, usually stuff like oranges, cucumber, watermelon, and a tuberous root called jicama, which is really starchy and kind of sweet, and sometimes stuff like canteloupe or mango. It's then topped off with a bit lime juice, salt, and chile powder. Tajin is a really common one. Incidentally, if you don't want to go through the hassle of making pico de gallo fruit salad, a nice summer treat in Mexico is just watermelon topped with salt and Tajin powder.

Great video Rick! First time making salsa, grew tomatoes and jalapeños from my garden that I’m gonna use 😃

firstly, your kitchen is so beautiful. Secondly your cooking is exquisite😍😍

Great stuff as always Rick!

Hi Rick 👋, Thank you for sharing this recipe. Hope your surgery went well. God Bless ! 😎👍❤️