Made with either grilled corn, raw corn, or frozen corn, this corn salsa with black beans and cilantro is an easy-to-make dip for tortilla chips, or served as a flavorful salsa topping for tacos, burrito bowls, steak or chicken.
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One of the best parts of hitting up a fast-casual Mexican restaurant like Chipotle or Costa Vida or the like, is being asked, “And which of the salsas would you like on your burrito/taco/burrito bowl?” I want ’em all, and don’t get skimpy! To me, this corn salsa tastes so frigging good when served in direct proportion to the amount of meat or veggie filling of whatever it’s served with. It’s a totally delicious accompaniment to classic tomato or green salsas, so why not load it on?
I don’t mean to be deceptive here, because while I’m labeling this recipe as a salsa to be served with chips or used as a topping for tostadas, burritos, and tacos (or even as a topping for chicken or steak), in reality it could just as easily be served all on it’s own as a healthy, Mexican vegetarian salad. Don’t judge, but I am 100% guilty of digging a spoon into this corn salsa and eating it straight from the bowl.
Sometimes you gotta go for more texture, more crunch, more limey pucker. Sometimes a more substantial veggie salsa is exactly what is in order, a salsa that could actually be the filling instead of just an adornment. That’s how this tangy corn salsa makes the magic happen.
Should You Use Grilled, Frozen or Fresh Corn?
This corn salsa shines brightest when fresh from the cob, sweet corn is used. I like to grill the corn first (this is the best way to make grilled corn), but if you prefer it raw, it tastes delicious that way too. Don’t let the absence of fresh corn deter you from making this salsa, because frozen corn subs in fine when fresh is out of season.
What’s In Corn Salsa
The ingredient list for this easy Mexican corn salsa is short and sweet. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Fresh corn from the cob, or frozen corn that’s been thawed
- Black beans
- Tomato
- Red onion
- Jalapeño
- Lime juice (fresh is always best)
- Cilantro
- Cumin
- Canola or vegetable oil
- Kosher salt
How to Make Corn Salsa
If you already have leftover grilled corn in the fridge or are using frozen corn instead, this no-cook salsa takes just about 5 minutes for chopping and combining. If grilling the corn, plan on about 20 minutes to prepare.
First, grill the corn. After grilling corn for so many years, I skip the extra prep others might suggest—like soaking the corn cobs in water or stripping them of their husks—and grill the corn directly in their husks. See how to make the best grilled corn here. Allow to cool, then remove the husks and silk. Use a sharp knife to slowly and evenly cut the corn from the cob so the corn doesn’t ping pong and scatter all around the kitchen.
If using frozen corn, give it a thaw. The quickest way to thaw frozen corn is to either pop it in the microwave, or place in a bowl and run warm water over it until it thaws. Rinse and drain well so your salsa isn’t runny.
Rinse the black beans. So they don’t discolor the salsa, rinse the canned black beans with cold water to remove the canning liquid, and drain really well before adding to the salsa so it doesn’t get watery.
Small veggie bits are best. To get flavorful bites with every spoonful, mince the cilantro, jalapeño, onion, and tomato into smaller pieces so they distribute evenly throughout the salsa.
Dress the veggies directly in the bowl. There’s no need to mix the lime dressing separately. Simply drizzle over the veggies and toss well with a spoon. Add more salt if desired.
More Easy Salsa Recipe Ideas
- Pico De Gallo Recipe
- Creamy Avocado Salsa Verde
- Mango Salsa Recipe
- How To Make Hatch Chile Salsa Verde
- Smoky Roasted Salsa
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a 
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How to Make the BEST Corn Salsa
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups corn , 2 cobs grilled corn, or 1 ½ cups frozen corn that has been thawed
- 1 cup canned black beans , rinsed and drained
- ⅓ cup chopped tomato
- ⅓ cup chopped red onion
- 2 tablespoons minced jalapeño , 1 medium jalapeño
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
- If grilling corn, simply cook it in the husk on a hot grill. I suggest keeping the corn in its husks to steam as it cooks. Close the lid, turn the corn every five minutes or so, for around 15-20 minutes. Remove the husks and silk and set aside to cool.
- Cut the kernels from the cooled grilled corn cobs, or thaw and rinse the frozen corn kernels and drain well. Add the corn to a medium size bowl with the black beans, tomato, red onion, jalapeño and cilantro. Drizzle with the lime juice, canola oil, ground cumin and kosher salt. Toss to coat. Eat with chips or tacos, or spoon over chicken or steaks.
Notes
Nutrition
What to Eat With Corn Salsa
The question isn’t what to eat with this corn salsa, it’s more a question of what NOT to eat with it! There’s so much goodness in such a simple recipe. Chips are the obvious choice, but I find it’s delicious on so much more.
- Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken
- Grilled Steak Tacos
- Chicken Fajita Foil Packet Dinners
- Blackened Fish Tacos With Creamy Avocado Sauce
- Roasted Chicken, Butternut Squash And Guacamole Rice Bowls
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i love this recipe and I too could eat it right from the bowl! I served it with chips, along with refried beans and tacos for Tuesday Taco night. Delicious!
Thanks for sharing, Cathy. We’re so happy you enjoyed it!