Roasted Chili Corn Salsa

Melissa

By: Melissa

Updated: February 4, 2026

This roasted chili corn salsa is made with vibrant, golden kernels of sweet corn and bursting with bright flavors from diced red onions and fresh cilantro. The charred, roasted poblanos add plenty of flavor and a touch of heat that is balanced by a zesty lime dressing. This summer salsa recipe has an outstanding crunch, plus it’s is as refreshing as it is beautiful.

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A bowl of roasted chili corn salsa.

Why you’ll love this roasted corn salsa

The texture of this salsa is so fun, each bite gives a little extra crunch from the corn kernels paired with little bites crisp red onions.

This is a great recipe for the end of summer, when corn is in abundance. This salsa offers a refreshing sweetness that works so well when the weather is hot. Plus, unless you want to grill fresh corn for a little extra flavor, you do not have to cook anything!

More corn recipes: tequila lime chicken with corn salsa / Mexican street corn and cucumber salad / potato corn chowder / creamy corn pasta / summer corn tomato and bacon pasta

Close up of corn in a bowl with cilantro, red onion and diced peppers.

Here’s what you’ll need to make it

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Ingredients & substitutions

  • Frozen corn
  • Red onion – After slicing the red onions you can rinse them under cool water if you would like to make them slightly more mild.
  • Cilantro
  • Poblano peppers – I love the flavor added by roasting poblano peppers for recipe like this, which is what I used for this recipe. You can also use store bought diced green chilis if you want to make the recipe even easier.

Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.

A bowl of roasted chili corn salsa with a tortilla chip dipped in the bowl.

How to make this roasted chili corn salsa

Combine ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine corn, onions, poblano peppers, lime juice and cilantro. Stir until everything is well combined then season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to develop fully.

Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

Overhead of a bowl of corn salsa with a spoon resting in it.
Close up of corn on a spoon.

Everything you need to know about corn salsa

Should you cook corn for corn salsa?

If you are using frozen corn like we did, you will not have to cook the corn. Most frozen corn is blanched prior to freezing and will only need to be thawed.

If you are planning on using fresh corn it would be advisable remove corn from the cobb, then steam, blanch or even grill the corn before using for this salsa recipe.

Close up of corn salsa on a tortilla chip.

More dairy free salsa recipe you will love

Roasted Chili Corn Salsa

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Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 8
This roasted chili corn salsa is made with vibrant, golden kernels of sweet corn and bursting with bright flavors from diced red onions and fresh cilantro. The charred, roasted poblanos add plenty of flavor and a touch of heat that is balanced by a zesty lime dressing. This summer salsa recipe has an outstanding crunch, plus it’s is as refreshing as it is beautiful.

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces frozen corn kernels - thawed
  • 1/2 cup diced red onion
  • 3 – 4 tablespoons diced green chilies - use roasted poblanos!
  • ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro - about 1 bunch, stems removed
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
  • Stir until well combined.

Nutrition

Calories: 62kcal Carbohydrates: 15g Protein: 2g Fat: 0.5g Sodium: 168mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 1g Vitamin C: 6mg

Melissa Belanger is the founder and food-obsessed visionary behind Simply Whisked, where she creates dairy free recipes with simple ingredients. She lives in Wisconsin with her milk-allergic husband and two kids. Melissa's experience in developing dairy free recipes is unparalleled and she strives to make dairy-free living accessible and enjoyable. In addition to running Simply Whisked, Melissa also manages two other publications: Another Cocktail Blog, a cocktail recipe website, and The Pasta Twins, a joint venture with her twin sister.

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