This summer I was determined to find the perfect roasted corn salsa recipe. And, my friends, I thought I’d done it. I photographed this fabulous salsa recipe, was all excited to share it with you, and then a few weeks later – I tried another corn salsa recipe. And it was better. Way better in my opinion. So much better, in fact, that I figured I’d skip photographing it altogether and just share both recipes with you now! You can decide for yourself which one you like better – I determined that I prefer roasted bell peppers in my corn salsa instead of tomatoes. But if you’re a huge fan of tomatoes, you should probably test out both recipes. Just sayin’.
There are two different methods I’ll share for roasting corn, and they’re interchangeable depending on how much time you have, how much effort you’re willing to spend, and whether or not you have a grill. I prefer the slightly smoky flavor the grill gives the corn, but if you’re short on energy and/or a grill, feel free to roast those bad boys in the oven.
Roasted Corn Salsa, With Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 4 ears of corn shucked and silks removed
- Olive oil
- 1/4 of a red onion finely diced
- 2 medium tomatoes seeded and diced
- 1 jalapeño seeded and diced (I leave a few seeds to give the salsa a little heat)
- Handful of cilantro finely chopped
- Juice of 1-2 limes
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place corn on a rimmed baking sheet that is lined with tin foil (for easier cleanup). Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Broil in the oven 15-20 minutes, or until corn kernels begin to char. Check every few minutes and use a set of tongs to turn the ears of corn as needed. Remove from the oven and let cool. Use a knife to carefully cut the kernels away from the cob. I like to stand each ear up on its end in a large bowl, I hold onto the top of the ear of corn, and use a knife to slice the kernels away - that way my fingers are safe and the kernels fall into the bowl, rather than fly all over the counter.
- Combine the rest of the ingredients and let rest for 30 minutes or so in the fridge for the flavors to combine.
Roasted Corn Salsa, With Roasted Bell Peppers
Ingredients
- 4 Ears of corn shucked and silks removed
- Olive oil
- 1/2 orange bell pepper seeds removed
- 1/2 red bell pepper seeds removed
- 1/4 cup red onion finely diced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 Tbs pickled or fresh jalapeño diced (optional)
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt plus more to taste
Instructions
- Brush each ear of corn and bell pepper half with olive oil and heat on the grill, turning occasionally until the kernels are charred to your liking and the bell pepper skins are charred as well. Remove from the grill and let cool. Carefully cut the kernels away from each ear of corn (see note on previous recipe for a helpful way to do that).
- Use your fingers to peel the charred skin off each bell pepper (it doesn't have to be perfect - I leave some blackened bits for color). Dice the roasted bell peppers and combine with the rest of the ingredients.
- Let the salsa rest in the fridge for 30 min or so for the flavors to get happy.