Roasted Chili Corn Salsa

This Roasted Chili Corn Salsa is just like the one at Chipotle, only homemade which makes it 10 times better! It's great on salads, in burritos, on tacos, or on its own with tortilla chips served as an appetizer.

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• Why This Recipe Works
• Ingredients
• How to Make It
• Serving and Storing
• Variations and Substitutions
• FAQs
• 📖 Recipe

Why This Recipe Works

I'm so excited to share this Chipotle copycat corn salsa with you! All the flavors go really well together and it's always in my burrito bowl order.

I'm a fan of your classic tomato salsa but it's fun to switch things up and make a salsa with completely different flavors! The juicy corn, crunchy red onion, spicy jalapenos, charred poblano peppers, and fragrant cilantro make an awesome addition to any Mexican inspired dishes. Think burritos, tacos, salads, burrito bowls, and more!

Ingredients

The ingredients list is super simple and really makes the most of fresh seasonal produce, though these days you can find these things in most grocery stores all year round.

• Fresh corn - The star of the show. You don't need to cook the corn for this recipe, just cut it off the cob and mix with the rest of the ingredients! If using frozen corn, just defrost it before mixing it with the rest.
• Poblano peppers - Roasting the poblano peppers really brings out their flavor and adds this salsa the grilled flavor it needs. They're not very hot, I find them less hot than Jalapeños so don't be afraid of this salsa being overly spicy. If you're very sensitive to heat, use roasted green bell peppers instead.
• Jalapeños - This is where the heat comes from in this salsa. Always remove the seeds and white parts or it's going to be extra hot. Again, if you want to avoid the heat, use fresh bell peppers.
• Fresh cilantro - Cilantro adds a lot of flavor to this recipe but if you're one of the cilantro haters, add fresh parsley or chives instead. Dried cilantro works well too, it just won't be as strong and flavorful.
• Lime and lemon - I used a mix of fresh lime and lemon juice because that's what I heard they do at Chipotle and because I just really like the combination. Using only one of them will work just as well!

How to Make It

Below are four step-by-step photos on how to make this roasted chili corn salsa. It's easier to make than you'd think!

• Cut the corn kernels off the cob - peel the corn and cut the kernels off one side at a time and add them to a large bowl and set aside. If using frozen corn, transfer it to a plate and defrost at room temperature.
• Roast the poblano peppers - Score the skin before roasting or pierce the pepper in one spot to prevent the skin ripping in the oven. The first time I made this, I got so scared when it popped when I opened the oven! It's no big deal but when the whole pepper roasts, the hot air inside builds up and makes the skin pop and it's very loud when you open the oven.
• Dice the peppers - When the peppers cools down, peel them, slice them open, remove the seeds, and finely dice.
• Make the salsa - Add the poblano peppers, finely diced jalapeños, red onion, and cilantro to a bowl and mix to combine.
• Add the dressing - Add the lemon juice, lime juice, sea salt, toss again, and enjoy!

Serving and Storing

The easiest and best way to serve this salsa is on its own with tortilla chips, it makes a great appetizer. I like to serve it along with guacamole, Pico de Gallo, and these Oven Baked Veggie Chips.

It's great on salads, in burritos or burrito bowls (hello Chipotle Veggie bowl, I'm looking at you. I'll be sharing a recipe for that in a couple of weeks so stay tuned!), and it's perfect topping for tacos.

Try it with this Mexican Kale Salad with Cashew Dressing. It's an old favorite of mine!

Storing - It's usually best eaten within 2 days when it's the freshest but it should keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.

Variations and Substitutions

• Tropical Salsa - If you want to get creative, you can skip the corn and add some fresh pineapple instead to make the salsa more tropical! I think it would go perfect with all the other flavors.
• Extra hot salsa - If you prefer any other chili peppers, go ahead and use those! It's up to you how spicy you make this salsa. I only like mild and medium spicy so this is perfect for me but if you like the heat, use what you like!
• Mild Salsa - skip the poblano peppers and the jalapeños and add bell peppers to make this completely mild. You can roast a green bell pepper in place of the poblano and use a fresh one instead of the jalapeños.
• Herbs - Cilantro is classic here and I really like it but if you think it tastes like soap, parsley and chives are great alternatives. Any other herbs would probably give it a completely different taste so I wouldn't recommend it.

FAQs

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