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Made with roasted sweet corn, lime, and fresh jalapeños, this roasted corn salsa is bright, crunchy, and perfect of your favorite tacos.

Tortilla chip in a bowl of roasted corn salsa.

This roasted corn salsa is one of those recipes that came together on a whim. 

Back when we were first dating, Alex and I were visiting some friends and—as often happens with us—somehow ended up in charge of dinner. We threw together some super simple steak tacos and paired them with this salsa.

If you’ve ever made my crockpot pulled chicken, you know that this is A Thing with us. We throw some things together on a whim and it morphs into a recipe that we really love and make repeatedly.

I guess that’s the beauty of being with a partner who shares your love of being in the kitchen.

It’s sweet corn season around here, which means it’s the perfect time to throw together this simple salsa. 

Hand holding up a tortilla chip topped with roasted corn salsa.

Why you’ll love this roasted corn salsa

I love making the most of fresh, seasonal ingredients. Things like pickled cucumbersclassic tomato bruschettaroasted tomato sauce, and sour cherry bars are all big hits around here.

The beauty of this roasted corn salsa is how simple it is to throw together and the way it highlights the flavor of fresh summer sweet corn.

The part of this recipe that takes the longest is grilling the corn, and that is something that can easily be done while you’re prepping the rest of your meal. You can make it just before you plan to serve it or prep it ahead of time.

And, depending on where you live, you can grab everything (or almost everything) you need to make this salsa from the farmers’ market. It’s hard to beat that!

(Psst! If you’re as much a fan of sweet corn as I am, make sure you also try my sweet corn risotto.)

Hand squeezing fresh lime over a bowl of roasted corn salsa.

How to make roasted corn salsa

Ingredients you’ll need

To make my roasted corn salsa recipe, you will need:

  • 4 shucked and cleaned ears sweet corn
  • 1 large or 2 small seeded and finely diced fresh jalapeños
  • ½ finely diced medium red onion
  • Juice of 1-2 limes
  • ¼ cup cilantro, minced (optional)
  • Fine sea salt to taste
Roasted corn salsa ingredients arranged on a countertop.

Simple, right?

How spicy this salsa is is totally up to you. Use more jalapeños for more heat, and leave the seeds and ribs in to really make it spicy.

If you don’t want it spicy, use 1 jalapeño and remove the ribs and seeds. You’ll get a very gentle heat, but mostly end up with the fresh flavor of the pepper instead.

Same idea goes for the cilantro. If you love cilantro, add as much as you like! If it tastes like soap to you, leave it out altogether or use just a small bit.

The only thing I’m going to beg of you to do in this recipe is to please, please use fresh sweet corn. Frozen corn just ain’t gonna cut it here! 

Making this recipe

The hardest part of this recipe is roasting the corn. And I promise you, that part really isn’t hard at all.

Preheat a grill over medium-high heat. If you don’t have a grill, you can use a grill pan or do this over the burner flame on a gas stove.

Four ears of roasted sweet corn on a grill pan.

Place the shucked and cleaned ears of corn on the grill. As the corn roasts, you’ll hear some popping sounds.

Once the kernels start to brown, rotate the ears of corn, making sure to get all sides of each ear. This process will take 10-15 minutes total. 

Take the corn off the heat and set the ears aside until they are cool enough to handle safely.

Using a sharp knife, cut the roasted corn kernels from the cobs. If you’d like, reserve the cobs to turn into corn stock later.

Add the corn to a large bowl along with the jalapeño, red onion, juice from 1 lime, cilantro, and a big pinch of salt. Stir to combine, then taste. Add more salt or lime juice as desired.

Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Store the salsa in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Close up image of a bowl of roasted corn salsa surrounded by tortilla chips.

Serving suggestions

There are so many ways to enjoy this roasted corn salsa. Try it on your favorite carne asada tacos, wrapped in a burrito, or on top of fajita shrimp bowls.

It would also be fantastic alongside grilled chipotle lime chicken or chili lime tilapia.

Or just serve it with a big bowl of your favorite tortilla chips! Honestly, you can’t go wrong.

Overhead view of a bowl of roasted corn salsa surrounded by tortilla chips on a white plate.
Close up bowl of roasted corn salsa.

Roasted Corn Salsa

Made with roasted sweet corn, lime, and fresh jalapeños, this roasted corn salsa is bright, crunchy, and perfect of your favorite tacos.
No ratings yet
Prep Time 25 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings6

Ingredients
  

  • 4 ears sweet corn shucked and cleaned
  • 1 large or 2 small fresh jalapeños seeded and finely diced
  • ½ medium red onion finely diced
  • Juice of 12 limes
  • ¼ cup cilantro minced (optional)
  • Fine sea salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • Preheat a grill over medium-high heat. Place the ears of corn on the grill and cook for 10-15 minutes, rotating the corn every few minutes, until the kernels start to brown. You may hear some popping as the corn roasts.
    4 ears sweet corn
  • Remove the roasted corn from the heat and allow to rest until cool enough to handle.
  • Use a sharp knife to cut the corn kernels from the cobs. Place the corn in a large bowl and mix with the jalapeño, red onion, juice from 1 of the limes, the cilantro, and a large pinch of salt. Stir to combine.
    1 large or 2 small fresh jalapeños, ½ medium red onion, Juice of 12 limes, ¼ cup cilantro, Fine sea salt to taste
  • Taste and season with additional salt or more lime juice as desired. Serve on tacos, in burritos or burrito bowls, or with tortilla chips.

Notes

  • For more heat, leave the seeds and ribs in the peppers.
  • If you don’t care much for cilantro, feel free to omit it or to only use 1-2 tablespoons.
  • If you don’t have an outdoor grill, you can roast the corn indoors directly over the burner of a gas stove using a medium flame or on a grill pan over medium-high heat.

Nutrition

Calories: 57kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 10mg | Potassium: 190mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 185IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 0.4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

18 Comments

  1. I need to meet this Ellie…she sounds like a woman after my own heart and soul. I’d totally midnight-eat-salsa with her. Salsa’s one of my favorite things to spoon-feed myself. I’m going craaaaaaaaaaazy over your salsa! Want it on tacos now! Can’t wait till Wednesday!

  2. I love a good salsa recipe. It sounds like you guys are a good grilling team, you make the condiments and dessert and he handles the…. I was gunna say meat, but that just sounds wrong. Hahahah! PS My brother is a master tailgating griller and that definitely goes on into winter snow storm season. Plus there is a thing called a grill pan that is mighty useful.

  3. Yesssss to this. Just yes. I can’t get enough corn these days, and when it’s fire-roasted and spiced up with chiles just like this?!? Irresistible!!

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