Sweet corn and fresh veggies hit the hot grill in this recipe, and come together to make a smoky, flavorful Grilled Corn Salsa.
Though you might think of salsa as just an appetizer to tuck into with a big bowl of tortilla chips, you may just end up eating this salsa as a meal. It's that addictive!
This Grilled Corn Salsa Recipe combines fresh, sweet corn on the cob, tomatoes, sweet and spicy peppers, and onion. They're grilled until soft and flavorful, with mouthwatering smokiness and lovely grill marks.
One word of caution: you may find your neighbors peeking over the fence as you grill up all the veggies for this salsa. Just like with grilled Sausage, Peppers, and Onions, the scent of veggies on the grill is impossible to resist!
Tap here to see another of my family's favorite salsas!
Why you'll love this recipe
Not only is this a healthy salsa, but it's also full of flavor—and no jarred salsa can match it. The corn, tomatoes, and other veggies become soft and sweet after some time on the grill. After dicing, they're tossed with lime juice, cilantro, and seasonings.
If you like a really spicy corn salsa, just add in extra jalapeños or even habanero peppers. You can customize it even more by mixing in black beans, and other spices like cumin or coriander.
This corn and tomato salsa benefits from a rest after mixing to let the flavors meld, and you can even make it in advance so it's easy to bring to a party or potluck.
🔪 How to make Grilled Corn Salsa
Step 1: Grill the vegetables
Coat the ears of corn and all the veggies with oil, then arrange them on a hot grill. Roast the veggies until they're soft and lightly charred in spots.
Step 2: Dice the veggies
Remove the skins from the peppers and tomatoes, then dice everything up. Slice the corn kernels from the cobs. Put the corn and diced veggies in a big bowl.
Step 3: Finish the salsa
Add in lime juice, olive oil, and seasonings, and stir everything together. Serve the salsa right away, or give the flavors time to meld and serve it later.
What can I eat with corn salsa?
Our favorite way to eat it is simply with salty tortilla chips, but it's very versatile: Use Grilled Corn Salsa as a topping on burgers or over grilled and roast chicken. It's delicious with fish dishes, over tacos, and tucked inside burritos, too.
Tips:
- Use the freshest ears of sweet corn and vegetables you can find, since their flavor will be front and center in this salsa.
- I like using Roma tomatoes because they have less seeds and pulp.
- The salsa is just a little spicy, and you can make it spicier with additional or hotter peppers like habaneros or Thai chili peppers.
Alright, I think it's time to get grillin' and make us some salsa!
The recipe is below, and here are more salsa recipes you'll really dig:
💬 How do you like this salsa? Leave a comment below and a star rating!
📖 Recipe
Grilled Corn Salsa
Ingredients
- 4 Roma tomatoes
- 1 large green bell pepper
- 1 large red bell pepper
- 1 large red onion, cut into ½-inch thick slices
- 1 jalapeño pepper
- 1 poblano pepper
- 4 ears sweet corn, husks & silk removed
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (juice from 1 small lime)
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
- 1¼ teaspoons sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Have these things ready at the grill: another clean tray for the finished vegetables, a large bowl, and plastic wrap.
Grill the veggies:
- Place the tomatoes, green and red bell peppers, onion slices, jalapeño, poblano pepper, and ears of corn onto the lined baking sheet.
- Use a silicone brush to brush the vegetables oil over all the vegetables, turning them to coat all sides.
- Heat the grill to medium. Make sure the grates are clean and free of debris.
- Place the oiled veggies directly onto the grates. Adjust the flames of the grill so that they are just under the veggies and not charring them. Close the cover.
- Turn the veggies every few minutes to cook them evenly.
Remove some of the veggies:
- After 7 minutes remove the tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapeño and poblano pepper and place them into the large bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap so that they'll steam in the bowl.
Finish grilling:
- Grill the onion and corn for another 8 minutes. They should be evenly roasted, with some grill marks and just beginning to turn soft from cooking over the heat.
- Place them on the clean, waiting tray. Turn off the grill and bring the tray and the bowl inside to the prep area.
Remove the skins:
- Once the veggies in the bowl have steamed for about 15 minutes, cut the stem ends off the peppers and slice them in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard the seeds, membranes, and extra liquid.
- Flatten the pepper halves, then peel off and discard the skins. Slice the peppers into small pieces and place them into a large clean bowl.
- Slice the tomatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard the seeds, pulp and extra liquid. Peel off and discard the skins. Chop the tomatoes into small pieces and add them to the bowl.
Dice the veggies:
- Chop the red onion into small pieces and add to the bowl with the peppers and tomatoes.
Slice the corn from the cobs:
- Stand a cob vertically on its flat end on a cutting board. Hold it at the top and carefully slice straight down with a sharp knife to remove the kernels. Rotate and repeat around the cob. Add the corn and liquid from the corn kernels to the bowl.
Finish the salsa:
- Stir the vegetables together. Add to the bowl the lime juice, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine the ingredients thoroughly.
- The Grilled Corn Salsa can be served immediately or allowed to refrigerate for about 30 minutes to let the flavors meld.
- Cover and refrigerate the salsa for up to 4 days. The recipe makes about 5 cups.
Notes
What can I eat with corn salsa?
Our favorite way to eat it is simply with salty tortilla chips, but it's very versatile: Use Grilled Corn Salsa as a topping on burgers or over grilled and roast chicken. It's delicious with fish dishes, over tacos, and tucked inside burritos, too.Tips:
- Use the freshest ears of sweet corn and vegetables you can find, since their flavor will be front and center in this salsa.
- I like using Roma tomatoes because they have less seeds and pulp.
- The salsa is just a little spicy, and you can make it spicier with additional or hotter peppers like habaneros or Thai chili peppers.
Kimberly Lewis
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