Pickle de Gallo (Dill Pickle Salsa)
This Pickle de Gallo (Dill Pickle Salsa) is a fresh twist on classic pico de gallo with crunchy dill pickles, juicy tomatoes, jalapeño, and zesty lime. It’s a quick and flavorful appetizer that’s perfect for dipping, topping tacos, or serving at your next gathering.
I’ve always been a huge fan of fresh pico de gallo, but adding crunchy dill pickles completely changed the game for me. It’s tangy, fresh, and just different enough to get everyone asking what’s in it. If you love pickles, try my Crispy Smashed Potato Salad.
I’ve brought this Pickle de Gallo to several gatherings, and it’s one of those appetizers people keep coming back to. I love putting it out with tortilla chips alongside my Roasted Carrot and Garlic Hummus for an easy appetizer spread.
What is Pickle de Gallo?
Pickle de Gallo is a fresh, chunky salsa inspired by traditional pico de gallo, but with a tangy pickle twist. My version combines crunchy dill pickles with fresh tomatoes, jalapeño, cilantro, lime, and pickle brine for the perfect balance of fresh, salty, tangy, and slightly spicy flavors.
Spotlight on This Pickle de Gallo (Dill Pickle Salsa)
- It’s easy to make: This fresh Pickle de Gallo comes together in about 15 minutes with just a handful of simple ingredients. A little chopping and mixing is all it takes!
- It’s healthy: Made with fresh vegetables, herbs, and simple ingredients, this colorful pickle salsa is a light and wholesome appetizer you can feel good about serving.
- It’s a crowd-pleaser: I’ve brought this Pickle de Gallo to several gatherings, and it always gets rave reviews. It’s unexpected, fun, and perfect for parties, BBQs, or Taco Tuesday.
- It’s packed with flavor: Classic pico de gallo gets a serious upgrade with crunchy dill pickles and tangy pickle brine. Every bite is fresh, salty, zesty, and slightly spicy.
- It’s incredibly versatile: Grab the tortilla chips and start dipping, or spoon it over tacos, veggie burgers, nachos, bowls, and sandwiches for an instant boost of fresh flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Either works! While I do prefer serving it chilled and making it ahead of time to allow the flavors to marinate, you can definitely serve it right away.
Tortilla chips are my favorite for dipping, but Pickle de Gallo is also delicious on tacos, nachos, burrito bowls, veggie burgers, sandwiches, wraps, and salads.
Sure! Either will work. I just prefer eating red onions for their slight nutritional benefit over white varieties. You can use white onion, yellow onion, or sweet onion.
I don’t recommend freezing it. The fresh tomatoes, pickles, and other vegetables can lose their crisp texture and become watery once thawed.
It has a mild kick from the jalapeño, but you can easily control the heat. Remove the seeds and membranes for a milder salsa, or leave them in if you like things spicy.
Not quite. Traditional pico de gallo is typically made with tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime. This version adds chopped dill pickles and pickle brine for a salty, tangy twist.
Crunchy dill pickles work best for this recipe. I recommend avoiding sweet or bread-and-butter pickles since they will completely change the fresh, tangy flavor of the salsa.
The Ingredients
Tomatoes: Ripe, flavorful tomatoes create the fresh and juicy base for this Pickle de Gallo. Choose tomatoes that are firm but ripe, and remove some of the seeds if they are especially juicy to prevent the salsa from becoming watery.
Red onion: Red onion adds a crisp bite and a little sharpness that balances the tangy pickles and sweet tomatoes. Chop it finely so you get a little in every scoop without overpowering the salsa.
Dill pickles: Crunchy dill pickles are the star of this recipe. Choose a crisp, flavorful variety and dice them small so they blend evenly with the tomatoes, onion, and jalapeño. Pro tip: Use this recipe to make your own dill pickles!
Jalapeños: Fresh jalapeño adds the perfect little kick of heat. I like to remove the seeds and membranes for a milder salsa, but feel free to leave some in if you prefer things spicy.
Cilantro: Fresh cilantro adds brightness and that classic fresh salsa flavor. Chop it finely and adjust the amount depending on how much cilantro you like.
Garlic: Fresh garlic adds a bold, savory flavor that brings all of the ingredients together. I highly recommend using whole garlic cloves instead of substituting garlic powder.
Fresh lime juice: Freshly squeezed lime juice adds brightness and acidity that balances the salty, tangy pickle flavor. Fresh is definitely best here, so skip the bottled lime juice if possible.
Pickle brine: Don’t throw away that pickle juice! A few tablespoons of brine add extra tang, saltiness, and dill pickle flavor and help make this salsa truly unique.
Salt and black pepper: Season to taste once everything is mixed together. Keep in mind that the pickles and pickle brine are already salty, so start with a small amount of salt and add more as needed.
The Instructions
Step one: Chop all of the ingredients and add everything to a medium bowl. This includes tomatoes, pickles, red onion, cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, lime juice, pickle brine, salt, and pepper.
Step two: Give it all a good toss and serve immediately or add plastic wrap and chill for up to an hour before serving.
Storage
Store leftover Pickle de Gallo in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days. For the freshest flavor and crunch, I recommend enjoying it within the first 2–3 days.
The tomatoes will naturally release some liquid as the salsa sits, so give it a good stir before serving and drain off any excess liquid if needed. I do not recommend freezing this salsa, as the fresh vegetables will lose their crisp texture once thawed.
Tips and Modifications
Dice the pickles, tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, and other ingredients into small, evenly sized pieces. This ensures you get a little bit of everything in every delicious scoop.
Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to an hour before serving. This gives the lime juice, pickle brine, garlic, and fresh ingredients time to come together.
Choose crunchy dill pickles for the best texture and flavor. I recommend avoiding sweet or bread-and-butter pickles, which will change the overall taste of the salsa.
Control the spice by adjusting the jalapeño. Remove the seeds and membranes for a milder salsa, or leave some intact for an extra kick.
If you aren’t a fan of cilantro, feel free to leave it out or replace it with fresh parsley for a different flavor.
Make this recipe your own by adding diced cucumber, bell pepper, avocado, or even fresh corn for additional flavor and texture.
Serve Pickle de Gallo with tortilla chips for an easy appetizer, spoon it over tacos or nachos, or use it as a fresh and tangy topping for veggie burgers, sandwiches, and burrito bowls.
For parties and BBQs, prepare the salsa a few hours ahead of time and keep it chilled until you’re ready to serve. Give it a good stir and taste for seasoning right before putting it out.
More Vegan Dip Recipes
Easy Vegan Street Corn Guacamole Salad
Creamy Mediterranean Vegetable Dip
Creamy Blender Black Bean Salsa Dip (vegan)
Easy Vegan Veggie-Laoded 7-Layer Appetizer Cups
Pickle de Gallo (Dill Pickle Salsa)
Equipment
- 1 medium bowl
Ingredients
- 2 large, ripe tomatoes, chopped small about 1 1/2 cups
- ¾ cup dill kosher pickles, chopped small
- ½ medium red onion, chopped small about 3/4 cup
- ¼ cup fresh minced cilantro
- 2 jalapenos, deseeded and minced about 1/4 cup
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- juice from 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons pickle brine
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Chop all of the ingredients and add everything to a medium bowl. This includes tomatoes, pickles, red onion, cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, lime juice, pickle brine, salt, and pepper.
- Give it all a good toss and serve immediately or add plastic wrap and chill for up to an hour before serving.
