Dip into a fresh bowl of corn salsa or serve it on the side or top of your favorite Mexican foods or salads. This corn salsa recipe is made with grilled corn on the cob and diced fresh veggies tossed together in a melody of yum!
When I saw fresh corn at the market, I immediately thought of summer and corn salsa. At my house, summertime means outdoor cooking and farm-fresh food. Unfortunately, in Arizona, farmers' markets run on the opposite schedule compared to other states in the US. Because of the summer heat, most open-air farmers' markets are closed during the summer and are reopened in the fall, winter, and spring.
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As you can imagine, I shop at most of the farmers' markets throughout the valley all year round.
There's something about fresh sweet corn that screams salsa, so this corn purchase inspired a corn salsa to include in my Mexican menu this week.
Recipe Suggestions for Corn Salsa
One of the great things about corn salsa is the versatility of dishes it can be served with. For instance, corn salsa isn't only for dipping chips or vegetables.
- Side dish or inside a Crunchwrap Supreme Recipe or Mexican Lasagna
- Serve with Vegan Tacos
- Add to the inside of a quesadilla
- Layer in a Vegan Chipotle Bowl
- Eat as an appetizer with Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce
- Pour into the center of a Vegan Taco Salad or a Mexican Salad
Regardless of how you use corn salsa, it's easy to make and even easier to make it disappear.
Corn Salsa Ingredients
- Fresh corn on the cob: I prefer grilling the corn on the cob, but first, I marinate it so it's flavored and smokey.
- Red onion: I love using a red onion, especially in Mexican recipes. It's sweet and perfectly paired with spicy ingredients.
- Red Bell Pepper: Sweet and tasty, I chose red bell pepper. It helps bring beautiful red color to the salsa and a sweet taste.
- Jalapeno: Wear gloves when removing the seeds and to cut jalapeno peppers.
- Cilantro: Cilantro offers a fresh taste to the corn salsa and combines the flavors.
- Garlic: I always suggest using fresh and jarred garlic in recipes for maximum flavor.
- Limes + Lime Zest: Limes have a tart, acidic taste with just a hint of sweetness. They're bright and vibrant, with a distinct zesty sour flavor. Adding the lime zest gives it even more flavor, sometimes fading over time.
Corn Salsa Ingredint Substitutions
- Use canned or frozen corn. Cook and cool frozen corn first.
- Substitute a serrano pepper for the jalapeno pepper if you want it spicier. Serranos are up to five times hotter than their cousin, the jalapeño. Or, add a few of the jalapeno seeds.
- Try using green onions instead of red onions for a milder onion presence.
- If you don't like cilantro, try using basil instead.
- Although I prefer fresh limes and zest, use bottled lime juice in a pinch.
How to Grill Corn
- I marinate and grill my corn for a unique corn salsa and then cut it from the cobs.
- Once I remove the husks from the corn, marinate in a combination of lime juice, hot sauce (of choice), and cumin.
- Then, allow the flavors to seep into the corn, which takes a few hours or, for best results, overnight.
- Next, heat the grill to medium-low and grill the corn for 15 minutes, rotating it every 5 minutes and keeping the grill cover closed.
- If you don't own a grill, don't despair; boil fresh corn for 5 minutes in a pot of boiling water with a bit of salt.
- Although I prefer the charred, grilled flavor, frozen and canned corn also works.
How to Make Corn Salsa
- Allow the cobs to cool completely when grilling corn to avoid burning your hands.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the bottom of the cob straight across, creating a flat surface.
- Then, hold the corn steadily on the flat side down and cut carefully down the sides of the cob.
- Repeat with all four cobs and discard the cobs.
- Transfer the corn to a bowl, and prepare the other ingredients.
- One suggestion that makes the salsa easier is dicing small vegetables like corn kernels.
- To do this, I used a vegetable chopper with a small blade, creating small uniform pieces.
- Once the vegetables are diced very small, add to the bowl with the corn.
Recipe FAQs
Corn pico has tomatoes and coriander leaves added to the corn salsa recipe.
I think so. Once marinated, the corn has hints of lime and cumin and a smokey flavor from grilling.
Serranos are very similar in taste to jalapeños, but they're two to five times hotter. So if you're making a dish that calls for jalapeños but wants more spice, swap them out for serranos. They also have a bit of an earthy, grassy taste.
Tips
- If using canned or frozen corn, add ½ teaspoon of liquid smoke to remove that smokey flavor from the grill.
- Marinating corn overnight helps it absorb flavors and moistens the corn for grilling.
- Believe it or not, limes, zest, salt, and pepper are the secret ingredients to a great salsa. But, sometimes, the most simple ingredients make the freshest corn salsa.
- Use a vegetable chopper for a time-saving strategy.
So, grab some chips and possibly a margarita, and try fresh corn salsa. Summer never tasted so good!
More Vegan Dips to Enjoy This Summer
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📖 Recipe
Easy Summer Corn Salsa
Ingredients
- 4 ears corn on the cob or 4 cups fresh or frozen corn
- 1 jalapeno stem and seeds removed, diced small
- 1 red bell pepper diced small
- ½ red onion diced small
- 4 limes juiced+ the zest of 2 limes
- ½ cup cilantro
- Salt and pepper to taste
Corn marinade if grilling
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 Tablespoon hot sauce of choice
- 2 teaspoons of cumin
Instructions
Grilling/Cooking the Corn
- Remove the husks from the corn and rinse corn.
- Place corn in a ziplock bag or container with 2 Tablespoons of lime juice, 1 Tablespoon of hot sauce of choice, and 2 teaspoons of cumin.
- Marinate for a few hours or overnight.
- Next, heat the grill to medium-low and grill the corn for 15 minutes, rotating the corn every 5 minutes, with the cover of the grill closed between rotations.
- Allow cooling before cutting the corn from the husks.
- If you don't own a grill, don't despair; boil fresh corn for 5 minutes in a pot of boiling water with a little salt.
- If you desire, add the ingredients from the marinade to the salsa, but only add a teaspoon of hot sauce. Most cooks off while grilling.
- Although I prefer the charred, grilled flavor, frozen and canned corn works as well.
- If using frozen corn, cook it first. Canned corn does not need to be cooked.
- Again, if using frozen or canned, consider adding the ingredients from the marinade to the salsa, except adjusting the amount of hot sauce, which should be reduced to 1 teaspoon.
Making the Salsa
- Cut the corn away from the husks and transfer the corn to a bowl.
- Add the other diced vegetables and cilantro.
- Dress with lime juice and lime zest and stir. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- It's best to allow the salsa to chill to enhance the flavors for a few hours.
- Then, stir and taste again, adjusting for salt and pepper again.
Notes
- Always wear gloves when working with jalapeno peppers.
- I suggest using a vegetable chopper as a time-saver, as well as a way to dice vegetables the same size.
- I prefer using fresh garlic and limes for the best flavor.
- Marinating the corn overnight helps it absorb flavors before grilling.
- If using canned or frozen corn, I suggest adding ½ teaspoon of liquid smoke to get the smokey flavor missing from the grill.
- Making corn salsa ahead of time and letting it marinate and chilling the refrigerator allows the flavors to enhance.
- Corn salsa will stay fresh fro 5 days in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
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