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You are here: Home / Recipes / Dips and Sauces

Corn Salsa; Better Than Chipotle

By Susie Weinrich ยท Date May 1, 2023ยท Leave a Comment ยท May contain affiliate links.

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This Corn Salsa Recipe is a great spin on traditional salsa, perfect for dipping tortilla chips or garnishing tacos, nachos or burritos. Itโ€™s also wonderful on grilled fish or chicken. If you have ever had Chipotleโ€™s Corn Salsa you will love this one. It is not an exact copycat recipe, it has a little more flavor than Chipotleโ€™s! It is a perfect blend of fresh sweet corn (or canned corn when fresh corn isnโ€™t sweet!), red onion, poblano, cilantro and lime.

a bowl of corn salsa with a chip and a spoon

Add this Corn Salsa to a taco bar along with guacamole, pico de gallo, and tomatillo salsa!

โ€ฆand donโ€™t forget the Margaritas (or your favorite Tequila Cocktail!).

RELATED: Esquites โ€“ Mexican Street Corn Salad & Black Bean Salsa

Table of Contents hide
1 Ingredients
2 How To
3 Serving and Storing
4 Recipe Tips
5 More Salsas and Dips
6 Did you make this recipe?
7 Corn Salsa Recipe

Ingredients

A simple blend of fresh ingredients mixed with a citrusy vinaigrette is all it takes to make this corn salsa recipe:

Ingredients for Corn Salsa on a table
Ingredients Clockwise: Cilantro, kosher salt, sugar, cayenne, black pepper, red onion, corn, garlic, vegetable oil, piments, poblano pepper and a fresh lime.

Corn: In the summer months when there is fresh sweet corn, definitely use that! One ear of corn generally yields about ยพ cup of kernels. But in total you want about 3 cups of corn.

In the moths when the corn is not fresh and sweet you can use a good quality canned corn. These photos were taken in April, so I used canned corn for the recipe shown.

Poblano: A poblano is a mild pepper that has great flavor. It is the perfect addition to this salsa. It doesnโ€™t have a lot of heat, so if you like things spicy you can add a jalapeno pepper or sub for the poblano. ((and if you love poblanos, you will love this Chicken and Poblano Soup Recipe)

Red Onion: if you have a really strong red onion the flavor can take over your whole dish of corn salsa. To get rid of some of the bite of raw red onion:

Slice a large piece of the red onion, remove the skin. Rinse under cool running water for about 30 seconds, then chop. This removes the enzyme that makes red onion flavor stick with you for a while!

Pimentos: these are basically a red chili peppers that are diced very fine and jarred with brine. They are not spicy! You can find them in the grocery store either near the canned veggies (I find mine near the artichokes), or near the pickles and olives.

How To

This Corn Salsa recipe is as easy as chopping and stirring. Letโ€™s get started:

  1. Make Vinaigrette
  2. In a bowl or large glass measuring cup add the ingredients for the vinaigrette. Whisk together and set aside.

    vinaigrette for corn salsa
  3. Prep Corn
  4. If you are using fresh corn on the cob, remove the husk and silk. Give it a rinse, then lay the corn on itโ€™s side and remove the kernels with a sharp knife. Recommend doing this on a rimmed baking sheet or a large cutting board.

    Another option is to use a bundt pan, placing the tip of the corn in the bundt center and then cutting down the sides. โ€“ see photo

    Using a bundt pan to remove corn from the cob
  5. Cut Veggies
  6. Prep the rest of the veggies by cutting the cilantro, chopping the red onion, and poblano.

    all the ingredients for corn salsa together
  7. Put It Together
  8. Put all the veggies together in a large bowl. Pour the vinaigrette over top and then stir to combine. Let sit for about 20 minutes up to 4 hours in the fridge and then serve!

    corn salsa stirred together in a bowl

Serving and Storing

We love this Corn Salsa served with tortilla chips as an appetizer. You can also use it as a condiment for tacos, burritos, or nachos. We especially like it with this Grilled Steak Taco Recipe.

It is also great served over top of grilled chicken or grilled fish for a super healthy dinner.

Keep any unused corn salsa in the fridge for up to 2 days. It will be good up to 4 days, but the corn will start to lose itโ€™s crunch because of the vinegar and lime.

Recipe Tips

Use fresh corn when itโ€™s at the peak of sweetness. Here in the Midwest that is usually summer months โ€“ July and August.

In moths when fresh sweet corn isnโ€™t available use a high quality canned corn.

Eat the Corn Salsa within the first day or two. The acid of the lime and vinegar will start to break down the corn after that.

For more heat swap the poblano pepper for a jalapeno pepper.

To dampen the strength of your red onion, slice it and then give it a rinse under cool water before chopping.

More Salsas and Dips

We LOVE chips and salsa here in the Momโ€™s Dinner kitchen! Try any one of these at your next Mexican dinner:

  • Grilled Tomatillo Salsa
  • Blender Salsa
  • Pico De Gallo
  • Fresh Tomatillo Salsa
  • Guacamole
  • Black Bean Salsa
tomatillo salsa in a bowl with tortilla chips to the side
two hands serving a bowl of Pico de Gallo
homemade salsa in a bowl with cilantro and limes
a bowl of fresh avocado guacamole with a chip dipping in

Susie leaning on the kitchen counter

๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’›

Did you make this recipe?

I would love to hear your review, especially if you have tips and tricks to add! Pop down to the comment section and connect with me

Rate This Recipeโ†’
corn salsa in a bowl with chips to the side

Corn Salsa Recipe

A delicious fresh corn salsa recipe combined with poblano peppers, red onion, cilantro and piments. All tossed with a delicious lime vinaigrette.
Great with tortilla chips or as a condiment to tacos, burritos and nachos.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes
Resting Time: 20 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 cups
Calories: 131kcal
Author: Susie Weinrich

Ingredients

Vinaigrette

  • 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lime juice
  • ยฝ tsp. fresh grated lime zest
  • 1 Tbsp. sugar
  • 2 garlic cloves โ€“ minced
  • ยผ tsp. cayenne pepper
  • ยพ tsp. kosher salt
  • ยผ tsp. black pepper
  • ยผ cup canola or vegetable oil

Corn โ€“ choose one

  • 3 cups fresh sweet corn removed from the cob
  • OR if sweet corn is not is season:
  • 2 โ€“ 15.25 oz cans whole kernel sweet corn โ€“ - drained

Fresh Corn Salsa Ingredients

  • ยฝ small red onion - very finely diced
  • 1 poblano pepper - โ€“ finely diced, you could also substitute a jalapeno pepper for heat
  • 2 oz jar diced pimentos - drained
  • ยผ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions
 

  • Make the vinaigrette. In a small bowl combine the vinegar, lime juice, zest, sugar, garlic, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Slowly whisk in the canola oil until the mixture is emulsified.
    Set aside.
    2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar, 2 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lime juice, ยฝ tsp. fresh grated lime zest, 1 Tbsp. sugar, 2 garlic cloves โ€“ minced, ยผ tsp. cayenne pepper, ยพ tsp. kosher salt, ยผ tsp. black pepper, ยผ cup canola or vegetable oil
  • In a medium bowl add the corn, red onion, poblano pepper, pimento and cilantro.
    3 cups fresh sweet corn removed from the cob, OR if sweet corn is not is season:, 2 โ€“ 15.25 oz cans whole kernel sweet corn โ€“, ยฝ small red onion, 1 poblano pepper, 2 oz jar diced pimentos, ยผ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • Toss the ingredients with the above vinaigrette. Let sit for 20 minutes โ€“ up to 4 hours, tossing the ingredients occasionally to marinate the flavors with all the ingredients.
  • Serve with tortilla chips, with your favorite Mexican dishes or also great on grilled meat or fish.

Storing

  • Store any leftover corn salsa in an air tight container, in the fridge, for up to 2 days for best flavor/texture.
    Can be stored up to 4 days but the corn will start to lose it's crispness because of the vinegar and lime juice.

Recipe Tips and Notes:

ย 
RECIPE TIPS TO REMEMBER:ย 
Use fresh corn when itโ€™s at the peak of sweetness. Here in the Midwest that is usually summer months โ€“ July and August.
In moths when fresh sweet corn isnโ€™t available use a high quality canned corn.
Eat the Corn Salsa within the first day or two. The acid of the lime and vinegar will start to break down the corn after that.
For more heat swap the poblano pepper for a jalapeno pepper.
To dampen the strength of your red onion, slice it and then give it a rinse under cool water before chopping.
Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!
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Serving: 1cup | Calories: 131kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 380mg | Potassium: 426mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 891IU | Vitamin C: 50mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg

About Susie Weinrich

Susie Weinrich is the recipe developer, food photographer, and content creator behind Mom's Dinner. She has over 20 years experience in the food industry. Currently, Susie shares all her recipes and food knowledge on Mom's Dinner. You will find her recipes are easy to follow and full of tips and tricks to make sure the recipe you are making turns out perfect!

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Meet The Author:

Susie Weinrich is a professional food photographer and recipe developer. Her thoroughly tested recipes and step-by-step guides give readers confidence in the kitchen.

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