Corn salsa is such a fun take on the classic, refreshing chip dip. It’s a little sweet, a little sour, and a little tangy made with sweet corn instead of tomato base but many of the same ingredients. This salsa features red onions, bell peppers, jalapenos, garlic, lime, cilantro, and seasonings for more flavor.
CORN SALSA
Summer is here and that means heat is here. This time of the year it’s all about the grill, so ovens off and let’s fire up those burgers and steaks. (As if it’s not hot enough outside.)
But no matter how hot it gets outside, the whole country is ready to barbecue and grill. So let’s cool things down with bright and refreshing side dishes like this corn salsa.
This salsa is so popular in the summer, even my kids dig into it. That means a lot because my kids are so annoyingly picky, it gets hard to feed them. But when I throw together sweet corn, a few veggies, lime juice, season it well, and give them some tortilla chips, they are all over it.
It must be the sweetness of the corn balanced with sour lime juice and a little spice from jalapeno and chili powder. The flavors are just so bright and well balanced, just grab a chip and go to town.
TIPS AND TRICKS
Use fresh corn on the cob – even though you can technically use canned 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.
Cook corn – it might be okay to eat corn raw but I find it very starchy. The starch is so pronounced in raw corn that it overshadows other ingredients. Many people also don’t like the gritty texture.
Grill it – 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.
Cutting corn – cut off small part off the bottom to make the cob stand up easier and place it inside a wide, rimmed baking dish. This way the kernels don’t fly all over the counter. Cut the kernels off the cob with a sharp knife from top to bottom, following the natural curve of the cob.
Make corn salsa – after you cooked and cut the corn kernels off, there is nothing more to it than to dice the rest of the veggies and mix. Make sure to mix it well and give it about 15 minutes for the flavors to come together before serving.
HOW TO SERVE IT
With tortilla chips, of course!
Although, you can also use this corn salsa as a topping for grilled meats and sandwiches. It’s really good on top of grilled chicken or added to tacos. You can even wrap it in a chicken wrap using tortillas or a lettuce leaves.
HOW LONG WILL IT KEEP?
If you have any leftover salsa, store it in an air-tight container, in the refrigerator. Corn salsa will be good for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Just make sure to give it a good stir before serving again.
WANT SOME MORE SUMMER RECIPES?
It’s all about bright and refreshing dishes in the summer. To make keep cool at all your outdoor gatherings, whip up a big batch of Avocado Corn Salad, Broccoli Salad, or Cucumber Salad. Don’t forget classics like Southern Potato Salad, Macaroni Salad, and Mexican Street Corn Salad.
If you made any of my recipes and shared them on Instagram, make sure to tag me @willcookforsmiles and #willcookforsmiles so I can see all the things you tried!
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Corn Salsa
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 tsp chipotle chili powder more for extra spice
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt
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).
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