Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Aromatics & Acid
- 60 g red onion, finely diced
- 15 g jalapeño pepper, minced
- 30 ml lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 4 g kosher salt
Vegetables
- 300 g roma tomatoes, diced
- 200 g avocado, diced 1cm cubes
- 10 g fresh cilantro, chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 69 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbohydrates
- 6 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 265 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 318 mg
- Calcium
- 13 mg
- Iron
- 0.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 17 mg
- Phosphorus
- 34 mg
- Zinc
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 59 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 18 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 11 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.05 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.06 mg
- Niacin
- 0.9 mg
- Folate
- 37 mcg
- Water
- 87 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Combine the finely diced red onion, minced jalapeño, lime juice, and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir to coat and let sit for 10 minutes.
While the onions marinate, core and dice the tomatoes into 1cm cubes. If the tomatoes are excessively juicy, discard the seeds to prevent a watery salsa.
Add the diced tomatoes and chopped cilantro to the bowl with the onion mixture. Toss gently to combine.
Halve, pit, and peel the avocado. Dice the flesh into 1cm cubes. Add to the bowl immediately to coat in the lime juice mixture.
Gently fold the avocado into the salsa using a spatula or large spoon, taking care not to mash the cubes. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Select avocados that yield slightly to gentle pressure but are not mushy. Overripe avocados will turn into guacamole when mixed.
- Use Roma (plum) tomatoes for the best texture as they have a higher flesh-to-seed ratio than slicing tomatoes.
- For a smoky variation, you can char the jalapeño over an open flame before mincing.
- The 'Deflaming' step for the onions is the secret to professional-tasting raw salsas—do not skip it.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Avocado oxidizes quickly. Press plastic wrap directly against the surface of the salsa to minimize air contact.
Troubleshooting
Salsa is too watery/soupy
Cause: Tomatoes released too much liquid after salting
Fix: Tilt the bowl and gently spoon out excess liquid, or serve with a slotted spoon
Prevention: Remove tomato seeds and gel before dicing
Avocado turns brown quickly
Cause: Oxidation due to air exposure or insufficient acid
Fix: Scrape off the top brown layer; the layer underneath is usually fine
Prevention: Ensure avocado is coated in lime juice immediately; keep air-tight
Cultural Context
This dish is a variation of 'Pico de Gallo' (Rooster's Beak), also known as Salsa Bandera due to its red, white, and green colors matching the Mexican flag. The addition of avocado bridges the gap between a standard salsa cruda and a guacamole, providing a cooling counterpoint to the chili heat.
