How to make Pico de Gallo and Salsa Verde Aguacate with Elias Silva Resinas

Learn how to make Pico de Gallo, a tomato spicy salsa, and Salsa Verde Aguacate, a distinctive avocado salsa, with chef Elias Silva Resinas...

How to make pica de gallo and salsa verde

Mexican chef Elias Silva Resinas demonstrates how to make the best salsas you will ever have: Pica de Gallo and Salsa Verde Aguacate within this step-by-step recipe and video guide.

Elias Silva Resinas is a Mexican chef from London restaurant Ella Canta who knows exactly how to cook the most authentic Mexican recipes and loves sharing his family recipes. Two of this favourite recipes are Pica de Gallo and Salsa Verde Aguacate.

Pico De Gallo, is a spicy tomato salsa and Salsa Verge Aguacate is a speedy, fresh avocado salsa that is a great alternative to your typical guacamole and tastes amazing, if not better.

Together, these two salsas create a delicious duo for dunking your corn chips in at a dinner party or BBQ or for using to add a little extra flavour to all your favourite Mexican dishes. Even better, they both only take around 20 minutes to make and are truly delicious.

Preparation: As the dips require very little work, these salsas don't really need much preparation but if you are hosting a dinner party or BBQ, you could cut up your vegetables prior to making them, so that they can be served quickly.

Also, for the Salsa Verde Aguacate, you will need tomatillos, which only tend to be found in food markets, mainly during the summer months. However, if you can't find any, it is worth getting ahead and ordering them online from food retailers.

Watch Mexican chef Elias Silva Resinas make the ultimate dips

Ingredients:

For the Pica De Gallo:

  • 1kg tomatoes
  • 300g coriander
  • 300g white onion
  • 200g serrano chillies
  • 400ml lime juice
  • salt to taste

For the Salsa Verde Aguacate:

  • 4 ripe avocadoes
  • 300g tomatillos
  • 60g onion
  • 25g coriander
  • 50ml lime juice
  • salt ,to taste

How to make Pico De Gallo

Step 1

how to make pico de gallo

For the pico de gallo cut the tomatoes into a fine dice.

Step 2

how to make pico de gallo

Chop the onion to the same size.

Step 3

how to make pico de gallo

Chop the chilli finely, too, discarding the seeds if you prefer a milder salsa.

Step 4

how to make pico de gallo

Chop the coriander and place it in the same bowl.

Step 5

how to make pico de gallo

Mix everything together with the lime juice and salt to taste.

Step 6

how to make pico de gallo

Serve and enjoy.

How to make Salsa Verde Aguacate

Step 1

how to make salsa verde

Prepare the avocado but cutting in half, removing the skin and stone. 

Step 2

how to make salsa verde

Cut the tomatillos in 4 and place them in the blender with everything else and a little bit of salt. Blend everything, (you are looking for a smooth texture), taste it and add more salt if necessary. 

Step 3

how to make salsa verde

Put the salsa in a bowl and place it in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

Pico de Gallo and Salsa Verde Aguacate - all you need to know

What is the difference between Pico de Gallo and Salsa Verde Aguacate?

The main difference between Pico De Gallo and Salsa Verde Aguacate is that one if made predominately with tomatoes and the other is made with mainly avocado.

Pico De Gallo is a fresh, often spicy salsa made with fresh ingredients such as tomato and red onion. It has a strong flavour, and added crunch.

Salsa Verde Aguacate is a much softer, a creamier textured dip made with avocado and tomatillos. 

Both are drizzled with lime and seasoned with salt before serving. 

How to store Pico de Gallo and Salsa Verde Aguacate

Elias advises that the Pico de Gallo should last up to 2-3 days in the fridge if stored correctly. Simply just make sure you either put it in an airtight container or wrap the bowl tightly in cling film.

For Salsa Verde Aguacate, due to its avocado base, it will only last around 1-2 days in the fridge before it starts to turn brown. Therefore, it is essential when storing it to make sure it is in an airtight container with a tight seal, to prevent it discolouring too quickly. Elias believes it is best eaten on the day, as that is when it is at its freshest!

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Specialises in Mexican cuisine
Elias Silva Resinas
Specialises in Mexican cuisine
Elias Silva Resinas

Elias Silva Resinas is a Mexican chef who has worked around the world for the last 10 years in restaurants such as Noma, Pujol, and Benu, which has 3 Michelin stars to now developing his own culinary style. Despite being able to cook many different cuisines to perfection, his main specialty is Mexican food. Now working in Ella Canta- a Mexican restaurant in London, he loves sharing all his native recipes and his family favourites for the rest of London to enjoy.

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Christina Geggus
Junior Food Writer

Christina Geggus is Junior Food Writer at Goodto.com and enjoys writing about lifestyle, food, and recipes. After completing her Master’s in Magazine Journalism at Nottingham Trent University and her undergraduate degree in Communication & Society and Global Studies alongside receiving an NCTJ diploma, Christina has always set her sights on a career in journalism.

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