Sweet and tangy Corn Salsa is a perfect topping, dip, and condiment! This fresh and flavorful salsa features corn on the cob, red onions, bell peppers, jalapeños, garlic, lime juice, cilantro, and a medley of bold spices. Grab some tortilla chips and enjoy every bite!
For more corn salsa and salad ideas, try my Cajun Corn Salad and Black Bean and Corn Salad.
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Cinco de Mayo isn’t the only time of year I make this corn salsa! It’s too good to reserve to just a single day in May. All fresh ingredients come together to create the best flavor that’s refreshing, sweet, tangy, and seriously addictive. I dare you to try and just take one bite of this salsa!
This salsa is so popular in the summer, even my picky kids dig into it. When I throw together sweet corn with a few flavorful additions and season it well, they’re all over it! Well, I do also think that using the vehicle of a tortilla chip to eat the salsa with certainly helps as well. Who doesn’t love some good crunchy chips?
Corn has a beautiful natural sweetness that’s paired so well with the tangy lime juice and spicy jalapeños and chili powder. Also, since you’re making this salsa at home, you can decide if you’d like to increase the heat or tame it. Just another reason to cook from home – you can make your salsa just how you like it!
Ingredients in Corn Salsa
Corn – Use fresh corn on the cob! Even though you can technically use canned or frozen corn, fresh corn will taste a thousand times better. You can even cook it ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge until ready to use.
Bell Pepper – I used a red bell pepper for a pop of color, but you can swap it for an orange, yellow, or green one if preferred.
Jalapeño Pepper – Want more spice? Keep the seeds in the mix! That’s where the real heat is. I discard of the seeds to keep my salsa on the tamer side. You can also use older jalapenos, those with more light brown veins on the skin, for a much spicier experience. Younger jalapenos, those with deep green skin with no veins, are much more mild.
Garlic – As always, it’s best to use fresh garlic instead of pre-minced. It especially matters in fresh recipes like this one.
Lime Juice – Fresh lime juice is what will add the best fresh flavor to this salsa! Avoid using anything bottled/from concentrate.
PRO TIP: Grill the corn. There is no better way to incorporate some smokey flavor than to grill the corn first. Check out my recipe for grilled corn if you want to make that type of salsa.
See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Corn Salsa
Bring a pot of water to boil and salt it. Add peeled and cleaned corn on the cob to boiling water, cover, and cook for 5-7 minutes (1). Take corn out and let it cool until you can handle it.
Cut off small part of the bottom to make the cob stand up easier and place it inside a wide, rimmed baking sheet. Cut the kernels off the cob with a sharp knife from top to bottom, following the natural curve of the cob (2).
Add everything to a bowl. Add the onions, bell peppers, jalapeños and corn to a bowl. Press the garlic and add that as well. Sprinkle in the lime juice and seasonings (3).
Mix. Mix everything together (4) and let it sit for about 15 minutes before serving.
Storing
If you have any leftover salsa, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Just make sure to give it a good stir before serving again. I don’t recommend freezing it.
Recipe FAQs
With tortilla chips, of course!
You can also use it as a topping for meats like grilled steak or grilled chicken breasts. Or, get creative and toss it into a taco, burrito bowl, taco salad, or fajitas as a topping!
Corn salsa is great with tacos like grilled shrimp tacos and shredded chicken tacos.
Absolutely! It’s actually better when made even a couple hours ahead of time because the salsa needs to chill. It’ll taste better once all of the ingredients have had time to marinate together. It’s better make the salsa about 2 hours before you need to serve it, but you can also make it 1 day ahead. Just make sure to keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Not really. There are jalapeño peppers, which are usually mild, and a sprinkle of chili powder. You can add a little more or a little less chili powder to adjust to your tastes. Feel free to sprinkle in some cayenne powder to turn up the heat!
Jalapeños aren’t very spicy chili peppers at all. However, if you have a sensitivity with spicy foods, you can either remove the seeds or make sure to get young peppers. Young peppers have smooth, firm skin. Older peppers are spicier and have visible veins on the skin. If you want more spice, you can use a spicier chili pepper like habanero or serrano peppers.
More Salsa Recipes To Try
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Corn Salsa Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 whole corn on the cob
- 1 medium bell pepper
- 1/2 red onion
- 1 jalapeno pepper
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 limes – juice only
- 2 tbsp fresh minced cilantro
- 1/2-1 tsp chipotle chili powder more or less to taste
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt more of less to taste
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to boil and salt it. Add peeled and cleaned corn on the cob to boiling water, cover, and cook for 5-7 minutes. Take corn out and let it cool until you can handle it.
- Cut off small part of the bottom to make the cob stand up easier and place it inside a wide, rimmed baking dish.
- Cut the kernels off the cob with a sharp knife from top to bottom, following the natural curve of the cob. Add cut off kernels into a large mixing bowl.
- Dice onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno and add it all to the corn. Press garlic cloves and add it to the bowl as well.
- Squeeze in lime juice and add seasoning. Mix it all together and let it sit for about 15 minutes before serving (if you can resist it).
Notes
- Storing: If you have any leftover salsa, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Just make sure to give it a good stir before serving again. I don’t recommend freezing it.
- Adjust spice level: There are jalapeño peppers, which are usually mild, and a sprinkle of chili powder. You can add a little more or a little less chili powder to adjust to your tastes. Feel free to sprinkle in some cayenne powder to turn up the heat!
Jalapeños aren’t very spicy chili peppers at all. However, if you have a sensitivity with spicy foods, you can either remove the seeds or make sure to get young peppers. Young peppers have smooth, firm skin. Older peppers are spicier and have visible veins on the skin. If you want more spice, you can use a spicier chili pepper like habanero or serrano peppers.
Nutrition
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in June 2020.
Gena says
This looks like it would be so good I can’t wait to try it!
Gena says
This looks like it would be so good I can’t wait to try it!