If Corn Salsa is your go-to at Chipotle, it’s time to level up and start making it at home! Sweet, spicy, and zippy, this salsa is a cinch to make and it’s also a multitasker that can be used in SO many different ways! Make it with fresh summer corn, or frozen year round.
Why You’ll Love This Chipotle-Style Corn Salsa Recipe
- Sweet, Summery, Delicious CORN. Although you can make this recipe with frozen corn, if you can make it with fresh sweet corn, you’re in for a treat. It absolutely SINGS in this recipe.
- Easy to Customize. You can add more or less heat, adjust the amount of lime juice for more (or less) zip and zing, and even add in other ingredients like avocado or black beans.
- Your Ultimate Multitasking Salsa. You can enjoy corn salsa as a dip with tortilla chips (Air Fryer Tortilla Chips are made in a flash), use it as a topping for Steak Tacos or Vegetarian Burritos, or even add it to grilled chicken or fish to jazz them up and add some color.
- Deliciously Chunky. The bits of yummy texture make this salsa a nice contrast to blended salsas like Salsa Roja.
- Quick and Easy to Make. Once you finish prepping the veggies, it’s just a matter of stirring everything together. You got this!
How to Make Corn Salsa
The Ingredients
- Corn. Raw or cooked—or, ooh, try it with Grilled Corn or Air Fryer Corn on the Cob. When fresh corn is out of season, you can use frozen corn, but I don’t recommend canned.
- Jalapeños. You can use one jalapeño or discard all the seeds and ribs, for a milder corn salsa.
- Tomato. This is a great recipe for putting those fun heirloom varieties to use.
- Cilantro. You can use mint if you’re not a cilantro fan.
- Red Onion. For a milder onion flavor, you can use green onions, but I like the crisp texture red onion adds.
- Lime Juice. Use fresh, not bottled. The flavor is miles better!
- Feta. Or cotija if you’re not into feta. The crumbly cheese breaks down in the acid from the lime juice, adding a bit of creaminess and richness to the salsa.
The Directions
- Combine. Add all of the ingredients except the feta to a bowl.
- Stir. Mix everything together and add the feta if you’re using it. Season to taste.
Ways to Use Corn Salsa
- Chips and Salsa. The CLASSIC. Pair corn salsa with a big bowl of tortilla chips and just try to control yourself.
- Quesadillas. Jazz up your next cheese quesadilla or Chicken Quesadilla Recipe with some sweet and zippy corn salsa.
- Burgers. Add a spoonful on top of this Avocado Burger for even more Tex-Mex flair.
- Tacos. Corn salsa is a great topping for Shrimp Tacos and Blackened Zucchini Tacos.
- Burrito Bowls. Make your own Chipotle-style Burrito Bowl at home.
- Chicken and Fish. Grilled Chicken Breast or Air Fryer Salmon are even better with salsa on top.
- Salads. Add some corn salsa to Mexican Salad. Or just eat the corn salsa as a salad, a la this Black Bean Corn Salad.
- Avocado Toast. Take your avocado toast up a notch by adding corn salsa on top.
- Enchiladas. Spoon corn salsa over your favorite enchiladas for some extra texture and flavor.
- Grilled Cheese. Corn in a grilled cheese (or Air Fryer Grilled Cheese) may sound bonkers, but it’s one of my favorite summertime treats. Don’t knock it til you try it!
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Use a Corn Zipper. You can strip the corn off of the cob with a chef’s knife, but I really like using a tool specifically for corn because the blade has a curve that helps you get the kernels off whole. Here’s the one I use.
- Mince the Onion Finely. This will help distribute the onion flavor more evenly, avoid unpleasant big chunky-chunks of onion in your salsa, and those small bits of onion will pickle in the lime juice, mellowing their bite.
- Use Gloves for the Jalapeño. They can be spicier than you expect, and if you get one of those extra-hot peppers, it’s going to burn your fingers and you’re going to spend the next 24 hours kicking yourself for not just using the dang gloves.
- Let It Marinate for the Best Flavor. Allowing the salsa to sit in the fridge for 15 minutes or longer will give the lime juice time to do its thing and bring all the flavors together.
Corn Salsa
Prep: 15 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 8 1/2-cup servings
Video
This easy homemade corn salsa recipe is even better than Chipotle because it's mega fresh and customizable to your tastes. So delish!
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Ingredients
- 3 cups raw or cooked corn kernels about 4 ears—you can also use frozen, thawed corn
- 2 jalapeños seeds removed and finely diced (leave some seeds in for more heat)
- 1 large ripe tomato ¼-inch diced
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro swap mint if you’re not into cilantro
- ½ small red onion finely chopped (about ⅓ cup)
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice about 2 limes
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅔ cup crumbled feta cheese optional
Instructions
- Place the corn, jalapeno(s), tomato, cilantro, and red onion in a bowl. Squeeze the lime juice over the top, then sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Give everything a giant stir until it is evenly incorporated. Stir in the feta (if using).
- Taste and adjust the seasoning as you wish—if it seems bland, add a little salt; add lime if you want it more zingy; if you want it spicier, add more jalapeno (or some of the membranes and seeds). If time allows, refrigerate for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to marry. Enjoy with corn chips, add it to a salad, or spoon over grilled chicken or fish.
Notes
TO STORE: Transfer leftover corn salsa to an airtight container and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days. (The storage life will depend on the freshness of the ingredients when you first make the salsa.)
Nutrition
Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 82kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 3gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 11mgPotassium: 155mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 316IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 69mgIron: 0.3mg
Related Recipes
Corn is the highlight of summer! (Okay, beach days are pretty great too.) Here are some more corn recipes to add to your summer bucket list:
This is seriously so good! I’ve made it twice now, and it’s become a favorite. The flavors were fresh, bright, and so satisfying. And the feta cheese? Oh my gosh, it was such a great addition! Everyone loved it. Thanks for sharing this recipe, Erin!
So glad you enjoyed it, Anita! Thank you!
This recipe worked well to use up the rest of a dozen ears of fresh corn from the farmers market. My only change was to use jarred pickled jalapeños that I had on hand. Perfect!
Glad to hear you enjoyed the salsa, Tanya! Thank you!
this was amazing! I made it for July 4th. we added it on top of greens for a salad side dish. only change I made was I used fresh grape tomatoes And put the cheese on the side cuz we had a few people that do not eat dairy.
it turned out great and I will be making this again
Looks fabulous, Teresa! Thank you for sharing!
I absolutely loved this Corn Salsa! It was fresh, flavorful, and so easy to make. The combination of sweet corn, crisp vegetables, and just the right amount of spice made it the perfect balance of flavors. I served it with tortilla chips and also used the leftovers as a topping for grilled chicken and rice bowls—it was delicious both ways (for the bowls, I added a scoop of cottage cheese to help make it a bit more of a sauce).
The recipe was simple to follow, used everyday ingredients, and tasted like something you’d get at a restaurant. This is definitely going into my regular recipe rotation, especially for summer cookouts, meal prep, and family gatherings. Thank you for sharing such a fresh and versatile recipe!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Tori! Looks great! Thank you for sharing!
Delicious – I love this recipe !!!!
Thank you Cheryl!
This was a really great recipe. My family enjoyed it and it is easy to make. It’s very refreshing. I’m glad you shared this recipe. It is a new addition to our taco tuesday.
So glad to hear, Sherry! Thank you!
This corn salad was solid. I first ate it in a bowl with a spoon and the feta cheese added. Next, I had it on a chicken burger. Third, I had it with tortilla chips. All 3 versions were delicious and I love how customizable this recipe is. I, for example, love all the jalapeno. I rated it a 4 and not a 5 because I’ve had better salsas and while this was delicious, it didn’t blow me away.
Thanks for the feedback!
Great summer dish as a side with fish or grilled food I substituted mozzarella for feta.
Thank you Debi!
This corn salsa was easy and refreshing! Next time I might add a little cumin and or smoked paprika, as I feel like it could have used a bit more flavor. I served it for dinner with grilled hamburgers and hot dogs and it was a tasty summery side. Great with lime tortilla chips. Thank you for the recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it, Harley! Looks great!
This was fantastic! I used fresh corn and added half a habanero. I made shrimp tacos with avocado and served the corn salsa over the top. I ate the leftover salsa for lunch and added imitation crab, and that was also amazing!
Fabulous! Thanks for sharing, Laurie!
We love enjoying summer sweet corn and this is great for highlighting it! It’s especially delicious over grilled fish and with tacos!
Thanks so much, Adrienne!
Love this corn salsa! Fresh, bright flavors go well with a lot of different foods. We have enjoyed it with corn chips and fish tacos! Will be making it again!
Looks so great, Jane! Thanks for sharing!
We loved this corn salsa fresh and cooked! My kids are picky about fresh tomatoes so I cooked it and put over flounder. So good!
Looks fabulous, Nancy! Thanks for sharing!