Pickles replace fresh tomato in this briny twist on a traditional Pico de Gallo. Pickle de Gallo (pickle salsa) is perfect served with tortilla chips for snacking or used as a relish for topping bratwursts and hamburgers.
This is one of those recipe ideas I really wish I could take credit for - Pickle de Gallo - a fresh pickle salsa. How brilliant is that!? I first stumbled upon this pickle salsa being advertised by Grillo’s Pickles. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find it near me so I decided to make my own. Naturally.
Pickle de Gallo is a briny, dill-forward condiment (a pickle salsa) that is well balanced with the addition of sweet red bell pepper and the bite of yellow onion. The combination makes a wonderful fresh pickle salsa that can be applied to dishes like a traditional pico de gallo atop tacos or treated like a relish to top grilled BBQ favorites.
This condiment is a 4-ingredient force to be reckoned with. Super easy, crazy super delicious. Before we get to the ingredients, let’s talk about the star ingredient.
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Pickle Recommendations
What pickles should you use to make pickle salsa? I recommend that you choose a refrigerated pickle, like Claussen, Grillo’s, or Nathan’s. They taste less salty than other brands you might find on shelves and are reliably crisp. I think that’s an important consideration because you want the resulting Pickle de Gallo to taste fresh and not be a salt bomb. If you want to give it a go with a non-refrigerated pickle, I would recommend adding half the amount of pickles called for in this recipe, then tasting and adjusting.
How do you make Pickle de Gallo?
To make this fantastic and fresh pickle salsa recipe you will need the following ingredients.
What's in Pickle Salsa - Ingredients
- Dill pickles (I used Claussen pickle halves)
- Yellow onion (or red onion)
- Red bell pepper
- Garlic powder
- Salt, to taste (optional)
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Pickle Salsa - Instructions
Add diced dill pickles, diced onion, and diced red bell pepper to a large bowl.
Sprinkle the garlic powder evenly over the top of the diced ingredients.
Stir until well combined. Taste and add salt, if desired, to taste.
For best results, refrigerate for 4-6 hours before serving so the flavors have time to mingle.
Serve as a salsa with tortilla chips, treat it like relish on bratwurst, or use it as a hamburger topper. Also, fantastic paired with fried chicken. Store in a lidded container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
What do you put Pickle Salsa on?
There are SO many great options here! Serving pickle salsa on hot dogs and burgers or with tortilla chips are obvious choices. But you should definitely try putting pickle salsa on:
- Doritos Walking Tacos
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Tacos
- Grilled Ranch Chicken
- Crispy Air Fryer Tacos
- Air Fryer Nachos
- Grilled Chicken Quesadilla
Pickle Salsa Substitutions & Additions
Here are a few subs you can make to this Pickle de Gallo.
- Garlic powder - I like to use powder to cover more surface area, but you can also swap in a fresh clove of garlic.
- Red Bell Pepper - Use any color bell pepper you wish!
- Yellow Onion - Yellow onions can be aggressive in flavor. Feel free to swap in a red onion if you prefer.
Here are a few quick additions you can try to make this Pickle de Gallo a little extra.
- 1 tablespoon of fresh cilantro or parsley add an instant boost of freshness
- 1 tablespoon of fresh dill really punches up the pickle-i-ness
Spicy Pickle de Gallo Variations
If you want your pickle salsa to bring the heat, here are a few additions you can make to spice things up!
- Add chili pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or chili powder
- Dice up a fresh jalapeno and it to the mix
- Add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce
Storage
Store the Pickle de Gallo in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Pickle de Gallo (Pickle Salsa)
Ingredients
- 2 cups dill pickles, finely diced (~4 large Claussen pickle halves )
- 1 cup yellow or red onion, finely diced (~1 small medium-sized onion)
- 1 cup red bell pepper, finely diced (~1 red bell pepper)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt (optional, to taste)
Instructions
- Add diced dill pickles, diced onion, and diced red bell pepper to a large bowl. Sprinkle the garlic powder evenly over the top of the diced ingredients.2 cups dill pickles, finely diced, 1 cup yellow or red onion, finely diced, 1 cup red bell pepper, finely diced, 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Stir until well combined.
- Taste and add salt, if desired, to taste.salt
- For best results, refrigerate for 4-6 hours before serving so the flavors have time to mingle.
- Serve as a salsa with tortilla chips, treat it like relish on bratwurst, or use it as a hamburger topper. Also, fantastic paired with fried chicken.
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