Avocado and Tomato Salsa

The Best Salsa Recipe

This avocado and tomato salsa recipe aka "pico de guaco" is delicious. It's a cross between pico de gallo and guacamole. It is easy and quick to make, has very few ingredients and is full of flavor. I love making this one to eat with tacos or to put on nachos because it is the best of both worlds. If you are looking for some fresh and authentic flavors for Cinco de Mayo or any Mexican dinner, this salsa recipe is for you.

What is pico de Gallo?

Pico de Gallo which translates as "Rooster's beak" is a fresh chopped salsa from Mexico. Some call pico de gallo salsa fresca which translates to "fresh salsa". This fresh salsa is made with chopped tomatoes, onions, jalapeños and cilantro. Then it's simply dressed with salt and lime juice. Pico de Gallo is a tasty salsa for tortilla chips or tacos. That is why it's the base for my avocado and tomato salsa recipe.

What is Guacamole?

Guacamole is a dip originating from Mexico made with mashed ripe avocados and mixed with lime juice and other fresh ingredients. Different regions and households, add other ingredients like jalapeños, cilantro and tomatoes. American restaurants add garlic, cumin and even nuts or fruit to their guacamole. This is not traditional. Most Mexican guacamole has just mashed ripe avocado, lime and salt. In my tomato and avocado recipe, I choose to dice my avocados rather than mash them like in guacamole.

Why do I call this salsa "Pico de Guaco"

I affectionately call this avocado and tomato salsa "pico de guaco". That is because this salsa is the marriage of my two favorites, pico de Gallo and guacamole. This salsa recipe is the best of both worlds. It has all the fresh flavors and texture of pico de gallo with the addition of chopped buttery avocados.

Ingredients for Avocado and Tomato Salsa

The ingredient list for this salsa recipe is very small. This makes it a quick and easy cook. Since no heat is involved, this is more of a "chop" than a "cook".

• Avocados: the avocados for this salsa must be ripe but not squishy. They need to retain some firmness in order to chop them.
• Cherry tomatoes: You can substitute Roma or compari tomatoes if you prefer. I chose cherry tomatoes because they are generally the most flavorful year round.
• yellow onion: you can use white or red if you choose.
• cilantro
• jalapeños: for a less spicy salsa, use bell pepper instead.
• limes
• salt

How to make Avocado and Tomato Salsa

This salsa recipe is extremely easy and quick to make. The only things you need are a sharp knife, a teaspoon for seeding the jalapeños, a good cutting board and a large sized mixing bowl.

• First, peel, seed and chop the avocados and put them in a large mixing bowl. We preserve the green color by squeezing one lime directly over them.
• Then cut the cherry tomatoes in quarters and add to the bowl.
• Next remove the seeds from the jalapeños by cutting them in half and then scraping them out with a teaspoon. Be careful with the seeds as they have oils which can burn your skin or eyes. Chop the jalapeños and add them to the bowl. Cut them in large pieces so they are seen easily for removal by people with a milder palette. To make the salsa spicier, add more jalapeños.
• Wash and chop the cilantro and add to the bowl. It is very important to wash it well because cilantro is notoriously sandy. When chopping the cilantro, include the stems. Picking the individual leaves from the stem is not necessary.
• Peel and chop the onion and add.
• Squeeze the remaining lime then add salt. Mix well.
• The avocado and tomato salsa will last up to 3 days when covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator. But I am betting it only lasts a day because you will eat it all in one sitting since it's delicious!