How to Make Salsa Bandera (Pico de Gallo)
Salsa bandera is a fresh salsa that gets its name from its green, white, and red ingredients, representative of the Mexican flag. Also known as pico de gallo, it is one of the most popular salsas in Mexico and among the easiest to prepare. ¡Provecho y viva Mexico!
Salsa bandera is one of my favorite salsas to pair with fried foods, or to serve alongside homemade corn tortilla chips and tostadas. There’s something about the fresh, bright flavors of this salsa that you’ll want to eat by the scoop. If you’re ever invited to someone’s house for a fiesta and don’t know what to bring, a bowl of this salsa , with good chips, will deem you the guest of honor.
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED
- Roma tomatoes: Any tomatoes will work, but I prefer Roma because they don’t let off as much juice as others.
- Onion: Yellow, white, or purple will work – just not sweet onions.
- Chile peppers: I prefer serrano chiles because they’re spicier than jalapeños, but either will work.
- Cilantro: I use an entire bunch!
- Limes: I like to use the smaller Key limes (aka Mexican limes) because of their stronger acidic flavor, although regular limes will also work in this recipe.
- Salt: I always use Crystal Diamond Kosher Salt because it’s less salty than other salts.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
1. Prepare ingredients
- Finely chop tomatoes, onion, chiles, and cilantro. You’ll want to chip ingredients as uniformly as possible so that your salsa looks pretty.
- PRO TIP: If you want a mild pico de gallo, use only 1-2 serrano peppers and remove the seeds or use the less-spicy jalapeño pepper.
2. Mix ingredients
- Add chopped ingredients into a bowl. Add fresh lime juice and salt. Mix and adjust salt if necessary.
3. Serve and enjoy
- Serve and enjoy immediately!
- PRO TIP: This isn’t a salsa that stores well because of all of the fresh ingredients. You’ll notice that the longer it sits, the more juices it releases so it’s best to make it just before serving.
LOOKING FOR MORE SALSAS MEXICANAS?
Salsas are among my favorite recipes to make! If you’re looking for more spicy inspiration, here are a few of my faves:
- Salsa Amarilla (Yellow Cherry Tomato Salsa Recipe)
- Chile Japones: Spicy History + Salsa Recipe
- Tangy Tomatillo Salsa with Chile de Arbol and Vinegar
- Chiles Toreados (Mexican Blistered Peppers)
- Guacamole Salsa (Guacasalsa)
- Mango Salsa | Salsa de Mango
- Homemade Guacamole
Salsa Bandera (Pico de Gallo Recipe)
Ingredients
- 5 roma tomatoes firm tomatoes work best
- ½ onion white, yellow, or red
- 3 serrano peppers or jalapeños for less spice
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 5 key limes or regular limes
- 2 teaspoons salt or to taste
Instructions
- Prepare ingredients. Finely chop tomatoes, onion, chiles, and cilantro. You’ll want to chop ingredients as uniformly as possible so that your salsa looks pretty!PRO TIP: If you want a mild pico de gallo, use only 1-2 serrano chiles and remove the seeds or use the less spicy jalapeño pepper.
- Mix ingredients. Add chopped ingredients into a bowl. Add fresh lime juice and salt. Mix, taste, and adjust salt if necessary.
- Serve and enjoy. Serve and enjoy immediately! PRO TIP: This isn’t a salsa that stores well because of all of the fresh ingredients. You’ll notice that the longer it sits, the more juices it releases so it's best to make it just before serving.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on September 15, 2017 and updated with step-by-step instructions and images on April 9, 2025z
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Lola Wiarco Dweck
Lola is a Mexican-American recipe developer, writer, and cooking instructor who loves sharing her culture with the world. Growing up in California and spending summers in Mexico, Lola celebrates her family’s Mexican recipes and vibrant culture through Lola’s Cocina.
This salsa is so delicious paired with carnitas! It’s a match made in heaven.
I agree. The freshness of it cuts the rich, fatty carnitas!
This recipe will be on repeat all summer long, especially for our carne asada weekends.
I made this with your carnitas recipe and people were licking their fingers.