I use this Roasted Chili-Corn Salsa on tacos, burrito bowls, or simply scooped up with chips. Sweet grilled corn, smoky roasted peppers, bright citrus, and a touch of heat combine to make a fresh, vibrant salsa that lifts any Tex‑Mex meal.
Ingredients
When fresh corn arrives in early summer, I start making this salsa regularly—especially during grilling season. It’s an excellent match for grilled meats and makes a bright, crunchy topping for tacos and bowls. If you like a mild smoky flavor, roast poblano peppers and add a mild jalapeño for a little zip.
Poblanos are a great choice because roasting deepens their natural smokiness while keeping the heat moderate. Combining them with fresh grilled corn and a squeeze of lime and orange brightens the whole salsa.
Use the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and step-by-step instructions.
Method
Roast the peppers first. The easiest option is an open flame—either on a gas stove burner or directly over a grill. Roasting until the skin blisters and blackens gives the best smoky flavor. If needed, you can broil in the oven, but an open flame produces the most depth.
The aim is to blister and blacken the skin so you can remove it and reveal the soft, smoky flesh underneath.
After the skins are blistered, place the peppers in a bowl and cover them to steam until cool. The steam loosens the charred skin, which you can then brush or scrape away with the back of a knife. Remove the internal ribs and seeds if you want milder heat, or leave them for a spicier salsa.
Grill the corn the same way, over a flame or on a hot grill surface, until you get light charring. The short grilling adds flavor and a pleasant texture to the kernels.
Dice a small red onion roughly the size of the corn kernels. Toss the diced onion with fresh lime and orange juice to soften its sharpness—this quick acid “pickle” takes away the raw bite and adds a bright citrus note to the salsa.
Combine the prepared corn, roasted poblanos, jalapeño, cilantro, olive oil, and the citrus‑tossed onion in a bowl. Stir gently to combine and season with kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Taste and adjust salt and lime until the flavors feel balanced.
Notes & Tips
If you prefer heat, leave the jalapeño ribs and seeds in place. To keep the salsa milder, remove them completely. The ribs and seeds are where much of a pepper’s heat concentrates.
Blistering the poblano skin removes its bitterness and increases smokiness. A direct flame gives the best results; broiling can work as a backup.
Taste as you go and adjust salt and lime to make sure the salsa is bright and well seasoned. The balance of acid, salt, and heat is what makes this salsa sing.
Substitutions
If fresh corn on the cob isn’t available, use a 14 oz bag of thawed frozen baby corn (gold and white mix works well). Warm it gently in a skillet with a tablespoon of butter or oil before combining it with the other ingredients.
Red onion offers a mild, colorful bite, but sweet yellow onion can be used if you prefer. Cilantro is traditional and bright, but the salsa is still tasty without it—omit if you’re not a fan.
More Tex-Mex favorites
Homemade Pico de Gallo
Baja Shrimp Tacos
Avocado Salsa
Shredded Pork Burrito Bowls
Authentic Carnitas
Easy Chicken Fajitas – Spicy
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment or review. Share a photo on social media to let others know how it turned out.
📖 Recipe
Roasted Chili-Corn Salsa
30 minutes
10 minutes
40 minutes
Sweet corn, smoky roasted peppers, and a citrus lift combine into a lively salsa that pairs beautifully with chips, tacos, and bowls.
Ingredients
- 4 ears Fresh Corn on the Cob
- 2 large Poblano Peppers, roasted and diced
- ½ cup Red Onion, diced
- 2 Limes, juiced
- 1 Orange, juiced
- 2 Jalapeño Peppers, seeded and diced
- 1 bunch Cilantro, minced
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- Kosher Salt
- Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
Instructions
- Shuck the corn and remove the silks. Roast, broil, or grill the corn until lightly charred for added flavor and texture. Cool and cut the kernels off the cobs.
- Char the poblano peppers over a gas burner, under a broiler, or on the grill until the skin is blackened and blistered. Place in a bowl, cover, and steam until cool. Peel away the blistered skin, remove veins and seeds if desired, dice, and set aside.
- Dice the onion finely—about the size of the corn kernels. Place the onion in a bowl and pour over the lime and orange juice. Toss to coat and let sit briefly to mellow the raw bite.
- Add the seeded and diced jalapeño, minced cilantro, olive oil, prepared corn, and diced poblanos to the bowl with the citrus-marinated onion. Gently toss to combine.
- Season with kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Taste and adjust salt or lime as needed.
- Serve immediately with tortilla chips, over burrito bowls, or as a topping for tacos.
Notes
If you prefer more heat, leave the jalapeño ribs and seeds in place. For milder salsa, remove them. Roasting poblanos removes bitterness and increases smokiness—open flame is best. If fresh corn isn’t available, use thawed frozen baby corn warmed in a skillet. Red onion is recommended for its mild flavor, but sweet yellow onion works too. Cilantro is optional.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 52
Total Fat: 2g
Carbohydrates: 10g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 1g
Estimated values; actual nutrition varies with ingredients and portions.