Charred Corn Salsa

Looking to make an easy, scrumptious side dish for the summer months? Charred Corn Salsa is one of our favorites! This homemade corn salsa recipe requires just 7 ingredients and works as an appetizer, side dish or even topping for various meals.

Growing up, we would always purchase corn from farmers when visiting our family in Western Pennsylvania during the summer months.

While we aren’t purchasing corn straight from farmers these days, we are finding a lot of good corn in the grocery store… and we’re making the most of this season!

So if you’re someone who loves sweet corn in the summer, this recipe is for you.

Why I love this recipe:

It’s hard not to love this Fresh Corn Salsa recipe.

It’s bright and colorful! The flavors are lightly sweet, and it’s really refreshing. And it’s perfect for any summertime gathering.

As my husband put it, this is the kind of recipe to have on hand for the people who don’t love veggies… because they will (probably) also love it.

This is an excellent recipe to make if you’re firing up the grill and want an easy side dish to pair with it that’s not just corn on the cob. (Which, let’s be clear, is utterly delicious on its own.)

This is the type of recipe that you can serve by itself with tortilla chips as an appetizer. You can also serve it as a side dish or a topping, depending on what you like! (We have loved it on Skirt Steak Tacos.)

Other grilling recipes to try: Grilled Skirt Steak | How to Grill Pizza | Grilled Shrimp Skewers | Ricotta Crostini with Grilled Peaches | Grilled BBQ Chicken Flatbread

Hosting friends this summer? Head on over to my Outdoor Entertaining Recipe Index for some ideas!

What you’ll need to make this recipe:

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• Large bowl
• Sharp knife and cutting board
• Kitchen tongs
• Grill or grill pan or gas range

In addition to these tools, you’ll need just seven ingredients to make this Roasted Corn Salsa recipe.

Be sure to scroll all the way down to the recipe card to get the exact amounts!

• Corn—fresh summer corn is the best here! While I’ve made this recipe with frozen corn in a skillet, it just doesn’t have the same brightness.
• Red onion—also known as purple onion, this adds some punch and flavor to our salsa. Red onions are more mild than yellow and white onions, which is why I recommend using it here.
• Cherry tomatoes—or any other bite-sized tomatoes, like grape tomatoes. These add color and a little acidity to the dish.
• Lime juice—squeeze your own from fresh limes instead of purchasing the shelf stable bottled stuff. It’s not the same and will yield a less fresh-tasting dressing.
• Extra virgin olive oil—this is the fat in our dressing. You may replace it with another neutral oil, though I prefer EVOO.
• Honey—it adds just a touch of sweetness to the dressing.
• Cotija cheese—this crumbly cheese adds some saltiness and a little creaminess to the salsa.
• Salt and pepper—I like to use a fine kosher salt. You could use the same amount of a fine sea salt here, too. Add freshly ground black pepper, too, if you’re into that.

How do you make Grilled Corn Salsa

Remove the husks and silk from the ears of corn.

Preheat the grill, too.

Grill the corn over high heat, moving every 1-2 minutes to char most of the kernels. The kernels will make popping sounds as they cook, and that’s OK. Keep an eye on them because you don’t want to scorch any—you just want to get good color on them.

Once charred, remove the corn from the grill. Give it a few minutes to let cool.

Remove the kernels from the cobs using a very sharp knife. There are a few methods to do this, but I personally like the method used in Smack of Flavor’s Miso Butter Corn (https://smackofflavor.com/sauteed-miso-butter-corn/).

Toss the corn kernels with the red onion, cherry tomatoes and cotija cheese in a large bowl.

In a mason jar, combine the lime juice, olive oil and honey. Shake vigorously to combine, and taste. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the dressing over the corn salsa, and toss gently to coat with a spoon or tongs.

Serve immediately, and enjoy!

Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips

This corn salsa would be an excellent recipe for sharing! It’s colorful, it’s delicious and it’s easy to make ahead of time.

Here are some things I would do if serving this corn salsa recipe at an outdoor gathering or a backyard barbecue:

• Char the corn in advance. You can remove the kernels once it cools off and store them in the fridge for a day or two before mixing them with the rest of the ingredients.
• Double the recipe. If you think your people will love this, go ahead and make extra so you’ve got it on hand! Since it keeps well in the fridge, you shouldn’t worry about the leftovers.
• Let guests help. If you want to make this while guests are at your house, let them into the kitchen with you. They can help char the corn, slice the tomatoes, dice the onion. They can mix the dressing, too, or toss it all together.

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick tips and tricks for the best Charred Corn Salsa:

• Get a good char on the corn! Not only does this give color, but it adds some deeper flavors to the corn salad.
• Don’t have a grill? Use a grill pan or char the corn directly over your gas stovetop.
• How to store: Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge.
• How to make in advance: Grill the corn, and let it cool before removing the kernels from the cobs. Store the kernels in the fridge in an airtight food storage container. Mix the dressing and store that in a mason jar. Combine these with the red onion, tomatoes and cotija when ready to serve.

Pair this recipe with…

• Vegetarian Taco Cups
• Steak and Quinoa Burrito Bowls
• Ground Beef Tacos