Select tomatoes that are ripe yet still firm with no soft spots, then remove excess seeds and juice before chopping to prevent a watery, soggy pico de gallo.

Dice all ingredients uniformly into small, consistent pieces so they meld together perfectly and deliver balanced bites of every ingredient in each spoonful.

Deseed the jalapeño for mild heat or leave seeds intact for extra kick; start with half a jalapeño and taste as you go to achieve your preferred spice level.

Reserve half the lime juice until right before serving to prevent the acidic juice from breaking down the tomatoes and making them mushy over time.

Add cilantro as the final step just before serving rather than during prep, as it bruises easily and loses its vibrant flavor and aroma when chopped too early.