Corn Salsa

Corn Salsa is the ultimate addition to your summer menu! Made with fresh corn, bell peppers, jalapenos, cilantro, and a sweet and spicy dressing, this corn salsa is light, fresh, and bursting with flavor.

Whether you serve Corn Salsa as a dip for tortilla chips, as a side dish for Beef Tacos, or as a topping on Honey Lime Fajitas, the flavors in this simple corn salsa will elevate any meal!

While Instant Pot Corn or grilled corn makes a delicious side dish for burgers and BBQ Chicken, Corn Salsa transforms fresh summer corn into a memorable appetizer that is suitable for any meal.

Made with grilled corn, sweet bell peppers, spicy jalapenos, and salty feta cheese, this corn salsa is incredibly fresh and flavorful. But the sweet and tangy dressing that pulls this whole dish together is what makes this recipe for corn salsa the best!

The dressing for this corn salsa stars honey, fresh lime zest, lime juice, and minced garlic. It brings out the sweetness in the corn and adds an acidic brightness to the salsa with the lime juice. Irresistibly good!

Ingredients Needed For Corn Salsa

• Corn: For this salsa, you can use fresh corn on the cob or frozen corn kernels. Instead of grilling frozen corn kernels as you would for fresh corn on the cob, you would roast the kernels in the oven for similar results.
• Bell Pepper: I recommend using a red, orange, or yellow bell pepper for a sweet, fresh flavor.
• Jalapeno Pepper: I recommend removing the seeds and ribs of the jalapeno to keep this salsa from being overly spicy. And feel free to omit the jalapeno if you don't like spicy foods.
• Cilantro: Skip the cilantro if you are someone who has an aversion to cilantro.
• Cheese: Finishing the salsa with crumbled queso fresco or feta adds a salty, creamy bite but is an optional addition.
• Honey Lime Dressing: This dressing is made with honey, lime zest, fresh lime juice, kosher salt, and garlic. It is what makes this salsa so irresistibly good.

How to Make Corn Salsa

Step One: Prepare Corn. For homemade corn salsa, you can choose to grill corn on the cob, air fry corn on the cob, or cook on the stovetop using a grill pan. Any of these methods will help to develop the sweetness of the corn and help to char the corn kernels which adds a layer of flavor to the salsa.

Step Two: Prepare Honey Lime Dressing. While the corn is grilling, use that time to whisk together the honey lime dressing for the salsa, to maximize your prep time. Keep in mind that when working with fresh limes, it is best to zest the lime prior to juicing them. Once you cut the lime open, it is next to impossible

Step Three: Remove Corn from Cob. A great tip when slicing corn off the cob is to place the tip of the corn cob into the opening on a bundt cake pan and then carefully slice off the kernels. All the corn will fall into the bundt pan, leaving your kitchen counters free from random corn kernels.

Step Four: Toss Corn Salsa Together. Add the corn, along with the minced jalapeno, bell pepper, and cilantro to the honey lime dressing and stir it together to fully incorporate. While you can dig in right away, it is best to cover and refrigerate the salsa for 1-2 hours to allow the flavors to marry together.

Step Five: Add Cheese and Serve. Right before serving this corn salsa, crumble the cheese over the salsa, give it a good stir, and then transfer it to a serving bowl.

How to Serve Corn Salsa

This corn salsa is extremely versatile. It can be served as an appetizer with tortilla chips, as a side dish for Tex-Mex dishes, as a topping for tacos, or as a light salad. Below are a few of my favorite suggestions, but use your imagination or taste buds to guide you.

• Use this corn salsa as a topping to add flavor to tacos, be it Beef Tacos, Shrimp Tacos, Cauliflower Tacos, Lentil Tacos, or Instant Pot Chicken Tacos.
• Elevate Honey Lime Chicken Fajitas, Vegetarian Fajitas, Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas, or Crockpot Steak Fajitas by finishing them with a scoop of corn salsa.
• Add corn sala to Taco Pizza, Taco Salad, Southwestern Chicken Salad, or Tostadas for another layer of delicious flavor.

Storage Instructions

Corn Salsa is best served after being refrigerated for at least an hour before serving. However, it can be prepped up to 48 hours in advance for parties and leftovers will last in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

FAQs on Fresh Corn Salsa

More Delicious Recipes Featuring Corn

• Air Fryer Corn on the Cob
• Succotash
• Hot Corn Dip
• Corn Casserole
• Potato Corn Chowder
• Instant Pot Corn on the Cob

Serve this Corn Salsa as an addictive chip dip or as a topping for any taco, salad, or fajita. I would love to know your favorite way to dish it up--let me know in the comments.