Pickle de Gallo
Our pickle de gallo is made with dill pickles, red onion, jalapeños, and lime juice. It’s fresh, tangy, and comes together in just minutes.
Are you a fan of pico de gallo? You know, that salsa-like condiment made with tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and lime juice that tastes great with just about any Tex-Mex dish. Well, if you like that and pickles my pickle de gallo recipe may be right up your alley!
This recipe isn’t a Grillo’s dupe. This one is homemade, easy, and packed with flavor from ingredients you may already have on hand.
It’s made with finely diced pickles, red bell pepper, purple onion, jalapeño, fresh dill, and a touch of pickle brine. I like to add a little bit of lime juice, too. It doesn’t get much easier than that!
Looking for more salsa recipes? Try our cucumber salsa, roasted red pepper salsa, and jalapeño pineapple salsa.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Here’s what I use for pickle de gallo, plus a few easy swaps in case you’re working with what’s in the fridge.
- 1 cup dill pickles: I always use whole dill pickles. If you’ve only got chips or spears, that’s fine. The texture may differ a bit. Just don’t use sweet pickles unless you want it sweet.
- ½ cup red bell pepper: I love the red color and crunch, but yellow or orange work just as well. Green bell pepper is fine, too, just a little more bitter.
- ¼ cup purple onion: You can use white or yellow onion if that’s what you’ve got. If raw onion is too strong, soak the pieces in cold water for a few minutes first.
- 1–2 tablespoons fresh dill: If you don’t have fresh dill, add extra pickle brine or a small pinch of dried dill.
- 1 small jalapeño: I love the flavor and crunchy texture jalapeños add. As long as you remove the seeds, the pickle de gallo shouldn’t be spicy. You could use a serrano pepper or poblano if you can’t find jalapeños.
- 1 tablespoon pickle brine: This gives it that pronounced pickle flavor.
- Juice of ½ lime: I love the flavor fresh lime juice adds. If you don’t have any, simply leave it out.
- Salt and ground black pepper: Go easy at first, especially if your pickles are already salty. You can always add more later.
How to Make It
- Mix the pickles, red bell pepper, onion, jalapeño, and dill in a medium bowl.
- Stir in the pickle brine and lime juice.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Let it sit for 15–20 minutes so the flavors can come together.
Tips for the Best Outcome
- Use pickles you already like. Spears, chips, refrigerated, or homemade. Use your favorite!
- Dice everything small. Evenly sized, small ingredients work the best.
- Don’t skip the brine. That’s what makes this taste like pickle de gallo and not a mishmash of random ingredients in salsa form.
- Adjust to taste. Add more salt, brine, or dill to your taste.
How to Use Pickle de Gallo
This stuff is good on just about anything:
- Scoop it with tortilla chips.
- Pile it on hot dogs, burgers, or grilled brats.
- Add to fish or shrimp tacos.
- Spoon over egg salad or deviled eggs.
- Stir into pasta salad or even mac and cheese.
How to Store It
Keep leftover pickle de gallo in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2–3 days. It’s best the day you make it. After that, it’s still good, but the veggies soften a bit.
If you’re making it ahead for a party, prep the ingredients and mix them just before serving for the best texture.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dill pickles, finely diced (2–3 whole pickles)
- ½ cup red bell pepper, finely diced
- ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced (optional)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
- 1 tablespoon pickle brine, plus more to taste
- Juice of ½ lime
- Salt, to taste
- Ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the diced pickles, red bell pepper, red onion, jalapeño, and dill.1 cup dill pickles½ cup red bell pepper¼ cup red onion1 to 2 tablespoons fresh dill1 small jalapeño
- Add the pickle brine and lime juice. Stir to combine.1 tablespoon pickle brineJuice of ½ lime
- Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.SaltGround black pepper
- Let sit for 15–20 minutes before serving to let the flavors blend.
Notes
- Servings: This recipe makes about 8 servings with each serving is around ¼ cup. Actual calories will vary.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2–3 days.