A fresh and simple 6 Ingredient Corn Salsa Recipe for summer! We love corn salsa for tacos, but it’s also delicious as a dip, or scoop, with tortilla chips. Take the spicy up for a little mouthburn or keep it mellow! This recipe is vegetarian + vegan and gluten free.
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Chili Corn Salsa Highlights
Even before Chipotle corn salsa was invented, Taco Time reined supreme in the fast food chili corn salsa department. I discovered them years ago when we moved to the Pacific Northwest. Have you heard of them? Although slightly different, their chili corn salsa is just as crave-worthy as Chipotle’s corn salsa recipe.
But it’s homemade Mexican Corn Salsa that brings home the flavor using fresh, in-season sweet corn and jalapenos. There’s BIG flavor to be had for little effort.
This Recipe Is:
- Made with 6 ingredients.
- Make ahead ready.
- Spicy is adjustable to taste.
- Sweet and spicy.
If you love the flavor of Mexican Food, then you’ll love this recipe!
Restaurant Corn Salsa vs My Mexican Corn Salsa
Both are delicious, so what’s the difference?
- One of my favorite restaurant recipes involves roasting poblano peppers. To keep it simple, my recipe requires no roasting or cooking, favoring a fresh raw salsa that includes a green bell pepper rather than a poblano.
- Fresh or frozen corn? In my recipe, I prefer to use in season fresh corn – for the sweetest, juiciest salsa.
- As for the ratio of ingredients, I relied on my Mexican food lovin’ taste buds to create this corn salsa recipe.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Taking inspiration from restaurants and my fond memories of it in Texas, I’m sharing an easy but flavor-packed version of Mexican corn salsa. Here’s what you’ll need (see recipe card for details):
- Fresh Sweet White Corn – right off the cob when in season.
- Red Onion – also known as purple onion, this allium can be a little pungent. If it’s too spicy for your liking, you can soak chopped onion in cold water for about 10 minutes, drain and pat dry. This quells its sharp flavor. Or you can omit red onion and use chopped green onion instead, using the white parts of the onions.
- Green Bell Pepper – mild and not spicy, it adds a nice crunch and flavor to this salsa.
- Jalapeño Peppers – fresh is best in this corn salsa recipe, but you can use pickled jalapenos. Increase or decrease the peppers to taste.
- Cilantro – a must in this salsa. You can increase or decrease to taste.
- Lime – fresh squeezed lime juice is best.
Be bold with that jalapeño, especially with fresh sweet white corn. The sweet balances the heat of jalapeño beautifully!
How to Make Mexican Corn Salsa
Shuck the fresh sweet corn and use your sharpest knife to remove the niblets. To do this, turn the cob on its end and slice off the kernels in a pie plate so the niblets stay corralled on the plate (see recipe card for details):
- First, place the corn kernels in a large mixing bowl.
- Second, chop the onion, bell pepper, jalapeño and cilantro small. I like them minced.
- Next, decide if you want a lot of heat or a little for your corn salsa recipe. If you prefer mild, remove the seeds and ribs of the jalapeño. If a hot salsa is more you type, leave the ribs and seeds in.
- Last, transfer all the veggies to the bowl with the corn. Add lime and salt and pepper.
Give the salsa a stir and taste for seasoning adjustment. Store it in the fridge and allow the flavors to marry. Its flavor improves with a bit of time!
This Salsa is a perfect pairing for tacos. Try it on my Cauliflower Tinga Tacos!
Expert Tips
- More Color: to add a little color to your Mexican corn salsa, use a red bell pepper rather than green, or a mixture of the two.
- Let it Rest: the flavor improves with a bit of refrigerator time. If you can, give it up to 24 hours before sharing.
- Fresh is Best: use fresh, in season corn in this recipe. It’s sweeter than canned or frozen, and its texture is juicy!
- Adjust the Spicy: heat from the jalapeño is completely adjustable here. The seeds and ribs of a jalapeño contain the most heat. Remove them for a milder salsa.
- PRO TIP: When cutting the corn niblets from the cob, set the cob on its end in a pie plate. The pie plate will corral the corn kernels and make clean up a snap.
Related: Build a better burrito bowl! Whip up these Cilantro Lime Brown Rice and Mexican Black Beans recipes to make all your Mexican food veggie bowl dreams come true!
Recipes to Share Mexican Corn Salsa With
- Homemade Sofritas Recipe – Burrito Bowl Style
- Mexican Inspired Tofu Tacos
- Rancheros Tofu Scramble
- Spanish Rice
- Roasted Cauliflower Tinga Tacos
- Cheesy Tofu Enchiladas
6-Ingredient Mexican Corn Salsa
Ingredients
- 2 C (260g) Corn Kernels fresh off the cob, about two ears
- 1/4 C (35g) Red Onion minced, about 1/4 of a red onion
- 1/3 C (55g) Green or Red Bell Pepper minced, about 1/2 a bell pepper
- 1 1/2 Tbs Jalapeño fresh or pickled, adjust to taste. remove ribs and seeds to quell the spicy if desired
- 2 Tbs + 1 tsp Fresh Lime Juice from about 2 limes
- 3 Tbs Cilantro finely chopped
- 1/4 + 1/8 tsp Fine Sea Salt
- Fresh Ground Pepper optional
Instructions
- Shuck the sweet corn, and use your sharpest knife to remove the niblets. To do this, turn the cob on its end and slice off the kernels in a pie plate so the niblets stay corralled on the plate.
- In a large mixing bowl add the corn kernels (and any corn milk from the fresh corn), red onion, bell pepper, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice and salt. Mix well, taste for salt adjustment.
- Refrigerate for at least an our before sharing so the flavors can marry. Up to 24 hours, even better.
Absolutely delicious and with NO CHEESE! Who knew? I am going to be making chili this week and think I will make another bowl of this side dish and top chili with it. Great recipe. Thanks, Traci
Top chili with it?! Oh my that sounds delicious, Sally! Thank you for your note and giving the salsa a go!
I am a bit fan of the corn salsa at Chipotle – so I love this! It’s boiling hot here – so love that it’s no cook. Corn with lime is such a great flavor combo. This looks so quick and easy to make too – my kind of recipe, Traci! Can’t wait to try it.
It’s all SO good, G! I love that I can go somewhere and actually order Tofu! A rare thing for sure! But this corn salsa is such a nice balance of sweet and savory! I pile it high! lol
It’s not required to cook the corn first? Just curious as I’ve never made a fresh corn salsa/relish before. Looks absolutely delectable!
Hi Michelle! Thank you! This is absolutely no cook. You won’t believe how sweet and juicy the corn is right off the cob!
Oh this looks just so good. I am all in for anything Mexican and corn.
So well done my friend.
I know you’re a corn fan! Isn’t Mexican food SOOOO crave-worthy? xo
So delicious Traci. And just perfect for all our beautiful Jersey corn! Even Tom would love this!
Wooo!! It’s still comin’ in here and I’m relishing in all this late summer produce. I hope Tom enjoys it Mare!
Gosh this looks good!! I may have to switch out the cilantro for parsley (for me) but the rest of my crew will devour it just as it is!! Delicious, my friend! xo
hehe… does it taste like soap? Oh goodness, Annie! That sweet corn with the heat of the chili is sooo mouthwatering!