roasted chili corn salsa

This roasted chili corn salsa is smoky, sweet, spicy and so juicy. It packs a lot of heat from the serrano pepper but, combined with the lime and sweet corn, comes off deliciously balanced and so darn good.

This is one of those can’t-stop-eating-it kinds of salsas. A perfect mix of juicy sweet corn, spicy roasted chilis, tart lime and a ton of fresh cilantro. I love to use a blend of fresh chiles (poblanos, serranos and jalapenos) for extra complexity and a range of heat. Feel free to mix and match as you see fit. 

If you’d rather fire up your grill than roast everything under the broiler, you can do that too! Keep reading for tips. 

roasted chili corn salsa ingredients

what is roasted chili corn salsa?

A salsa made up of roasted green chilis and roasted corn! There are a million different ways you could make this salsa.

Our recipe broils everything in the oven in 3 different batches: chiles, then corn, then the onion slices. We chop everything up and toss with fresh lime juice, olive oil and cilantro to give the salsa fresh, balanced flavor and a bit of a saucy dressing.

NOTE: I have no clue if this recipe is similar to the Chipotle roasted chili corn salsa. I’ve had it once, a long time ago, and I don’t really remember it. This salsa is spicy, sweet, juicy and tart. It’s fresh and great with chips or served on top of your favorite tacos or grilled meat. Maybe it’s like the Chipotle salsa? Let me know in the comments! 

how to make roasted chili corn salsa

1. Broil chilis, then wrap in foil and let steam.
2. Broil corn on the cob.
3. Broil onion slices.
4. Peel, seed and dice the roasted chilis. Cut corn off the cob. Dice the roasted onion.
5. Combine chilies, corn, onion, cilantro, and garlic in a large bowl. Toss with lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.
6. Enjoy!

what to serve with roasted corn chili salsa:

• Tortilla chips!
• Mix with chopped roast chicken and serve in lettuce cups or burritos
• Spoon onto grilled flank steak tacos, quesadillas or nachos
• Mix with black beans and avocado, add more lime juice and olive oil, and enjoy as a salad
• As a topper for a rice bowl (cilantro lime rice, please!)
• Served on top of your favorite grilled meat (pork chops, chicken thighs, tri tip steak)
• Mix it into cooked and cooled quinoa, rice, lentils or beans for an elevated side dish

tips for the best salsa:

• The recipe timing depends a lot on the distance the food is from your oven broiler and the intensity of your individual broiler. Use the timing as a general guide, but watch it all closely. The peppers are totally fine to fully char, but the corn? Be careful with that!
• Take this recipe to the grill! The timing will be mostly the same. Just make sure to wrap the chilies in foil, post-grilling, to let them rest and steam so you can peel off their charred skin with ease.
• Depending on the sweetness of your corn, you may want more lime juice. Taste it all at the end and adjust as needed.
• Roast the garlic clove, if desired. Sometimes I like the garlic a little sweeter and softer, so I’ll throw an unpeeled garlic clove on the sheet pan with the onion. It only needs a minute or two, iIt roasts fast and can quickly burn.
• Olive oil! Don’t skip it! Corn salsa can be a little dry and though oil is unconventional, it helps build a sauciness in the salsa that is just perfect.
• Mix and match the peppers to what you have (and the heat you want). Serranos are hot, while jalapeños seem to be getting more and more mild. If you want heat, use 2 serranos. Use just jalapeños if you want a milder salsa. Same with seeds: keep them in for spice or discard them to keep it mild.

more salsa recipes to try:

avocado salsa

avocado mango salsa

mango habanero salsa

spicy dried red chile salsa

tomatillo red chili salsa

homemade restaurant-style salsa

habanero salsa

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