I grilled corn for a dinner party last weekend and barely any of it made it to the actual plates. (Standing around the grill, eating it off the cob. My bad.)
So I pivoted, used the rest for this salsa, and honestly? Best thing I served all night.
Charred corn for sweetness and smoke, black beans for heartiness, jalapeno for a little attitude, cilantro because OBVIOUSLY, and enough lime juice to wake up the whole bowl. It’s fresh, it’s bright, it eats well with chips, tacos, grilled fish, grilled chicken, or a fork straight from the container in the fridge at 10pm (no shame).
The grill does the heavy lifting here. Get those ears nice and charred, slice off the kernels, toss everything together, done. This is the salsa that lives in my fridge all summer long. Reliable, easy, and it makes everything near it taste better.
How to Grill Corn for This Salsa
Prep: Husk the corn and get your grill to MEDIUM-HIGH heat. You want it hot.
Grill: Place corn directly on the grates. Cook for 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally, until kernels are tender and develop CHAR MARKS. That slight char is everything.
Cut: Let it cool for a minute. Stand an ear upright in a shallow bowl (to catch kernels and juices!), then slice downward with a sharp knife. Repeat for all ears. Toss the kernels and their juices into your mixing bowl.
How to Cut Corn Off the Cob
- Cool the grilled corn for about a minute (don’t burn your paws!).
- Stand each ear upright in a SHALLOW bowl to catch runaway kernels and those precious juices.
- Hold a SHARP knife at the top of the cob and slice straight down in steady, even rows.
- Rotate the cob as you go, keeping fingers tucked safely away from the blade.
- Scrape the bare cob with your knife’s back to release the milky, sweet liquid.
What to Serve With This Salsa
Tortilla chips are the baseline, but this salsa pulls serious double duty.
- Grilled chicken, shrimp, or fish (the charred corn pairs with anything hot off the grill)
- Loaded tacos or burrito bowls layered with rice and avocado
- Stuffed into quesadillas with melted Monterey jack
- Spooned over a crisp romaine salad dressed with lime vinaigrette
- Served next to sizzling steak fajitas with warm flour tortillas
- Dolloped on top of roasted sweet potato wedges for a smoky twist
The black beans and corn make it hearty enough to work as a side dish on its own… best paired with anything that benefits from a hit of bright, smoky flavor!
Storage Tips
Store your salsa in an AIRTIGHT container in the fridge and it stays fresh for 3 to 4 days. Glass jars beat plastic here (*lime juice seeps into plastic and leaves lingering flavors… learned this the hard way*).
Skip the freezer, no exceptions. The corn turns mushy and the black beans develop a strange grainy texture after thawing, ruining everything.
Liquid separates as the salsa sits, which is totally normal. Give it a good stir before serving and squeeze in fresh lime to wake the flavors back up.
Cilantro darkens slightly overnight, but the taste holds strong for the full 4 days. Toss extra scallions on top right before serving if you want them to stay crisp.
More From the Kitchen
- Corn and Jalapeño Salsa
- Cowboy Caviar with Mango
- Corn and Feta Salsa
- Cowboy Caviar Quinoa Salad
- Irresistible Pineapple Cowboy Caviar
- Best Creamy Cucumber Corn Salad
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 350-450
- Protein: 15-20 g
- Fat: 3-6 g
- Carbohydrates: 70-80 g
Ingredients
- 3 ears corn (husked and grilled until slightly charred)
- 2 1/2 cups black beans (rinsed and drained)
- 1/2 cup green chiles
- 1 red jalapeno (seeded and finely diced)
- 1/3 cup scallions (finely chopped)
- 1/2 cup cilantro (chopped)
- 3 limes (juiced, for approximately 6 tablespoons)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Step 1: Chop and Prep Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups black beans
- 1/2 cup green chiles
- 1 red jalapeno
- 1/3 cup scallions
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 3 limes
While your grill preheats to medium-high heat, prepare all your ingredients so you can work quickly once the corn is cooked.
Rinse and drain the black beans in a colander, then set aside.
Seed and finely dice the red jalapeno, finely chop the scallions and cilantro, and roughly chop the green chiles.
Juice the limes to get about 6 tablespoons of fresh juice.
Having everything ready will make assembly seamless and ensure the salsa comes together at peak freshness.
Step 2: Char and Shuck Ears
- 3 ears corn
Place the husked corn ears directly on the grill grates and cook for about 8-10 minutes, rotating occasionally, until the kernels are tender and develop light char marks.
This caramelization adds essential smoky depth to the salsa.
Once cooked, let the corn cool for a minute, then stand each ear upright on a cutting board and carefully slice the kernels off the cob using a sharp knife, working from top to bottom.
I find the easiest method is to rest the cob in a shallow bowl to catch the kernels and any juices that escape—those juices add flavor to the final dish.
Step 3: Toss and Season Everything
- grilled corn kernels from Step 2
- rinsed and drained black beans from Step 1
- prepared green chiles from Step 1
- prepared red jalapeno from Step 1
- prepared scallions from Step 1
- prepared cilantro from Step 1
- fresh lime juice from Step 1
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
In a large mixing bowl, combine the grilled corn kernels from Step 2 with the prepared black beans, green chiles, jalapeno, scallions, and cilantro from Step 1.
Pour the fresh lime juice over the mixture and drizzle with olive oil.
Sprinkle the ground cumin, salt, and black pepper over everything, then gently toss until all ingredients are evenly distributed and the flavors are well combined.
I like to taste a spoonful at this point and adjust the lime juice or salt as needed—the salsa should be bright and balanced with a gentle kick from the jalapeno.
Cilantro Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salsa
Ingredients
Method
- While your grill preheats to medium-high heat, prepare all your ingredients so you can work quickly once the corn is cooked. Rinse and drain the black beans in a colander, then set aside. Seed and finely dice the red jalapeno, finely chop the scallions and cilantro, and roughly chop the green chiles. Juice the limes to get about 6 tablespoons of fresh juice. Having everything ready will make assembly seamless and ensure the salsa comes together at peak freshness.
- Place the husked corn ears directly on the grill grates and cook for about 8-10 minutes, rotating occasionally, until the kernels are tender and develop light char marks. This caramelization adds essential smoky depth to the salsa. Once cooked, let the corn cool for a minute, then stand each ear upright on a cutting board and carefully slice the kernels off the cob using a sharp knife, working from top to bottom. I find the easiest method is to rest the cob in a shallow bowl to catch the kernels and any juices that escape—those juices add flavor to the final dish.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the grilled corn kernels from Step 2 with the prepared black beans, green chiles, jalapeno, scallions, and cilantro from Step 1. Pour the fresh lime juice over the mixture and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle the ground cumin, salt, and black pepper over everything, then gently toss until all ingredients are evenly distributed and the flavors are well combined. I like to taste a spoonful at this point and adjust the lime juice or salt as needed—the salsa should be bright and balanced with a gentle kick from the jalapeno.