Grilled Corn & Black Bean Salsa
Corn is one of the only vegetables my family consumes during summertime, because corn is just so darn easy to prepare! And I have to be honest here… I get a little excited when I start to see fresh corn on the cob in my grocery store. Little meaning A LOT!
We do all kinds of things to our corn, but my personal favorite is grilling it up… kernel-meets-grate-style. Like I’ve said a billion times before and I’ll proudly say it again, I love a good char. And there is just something kick-butt-delicious about sweet corn with a little grill char! Just don’t overdo it on the “char” part… it could really ruin things. 
This is a pretty easy salsa that you toss in a smoky citrus chipotle vinaigrette. You only use a half a chipotle pepper so it’s not crazy spicy… just really good.
Start by brushing all sides of every ear of corn with the tablespoon of light olive oil.
Plop them onto a super hot grill, close the lid {turning every so often} for about 12-15 minutes. If you hear some corn a poppin’ it’s totally the norm.
Juice the lemon and the lime, discard any seeds.
Add in half of a minced chipotle pepper {or a whole pepper if you’re feeling a little randy} did I really just say that?
Then a half a tablespoon of the adobo, or a full tablespoon if you’re feeling… Oh, nevermind.
Season with a couple teaspoons of kosher salt…
And mince up the two garlic cloves and throw those in as well. Garlic makes everything better… well, except your breath. But whatever.
A little honey.
And lastly the olive oil.
Give it a shake and set it aside.
By now the cob should be cool enough to handle.
Run a sharp knife down the corn cob to remove as much of the kernels as possible.
Throw all that charred corn into a bowl.
Dice up a quarter cup of red onion
The tomatoes…
Then rinse and drain an entire can of black beans.
Add all those ingredients along with some chopped cilantro into the bowl with the corn.
Give it all a quick toss.
Drizzle in the chipotle citrus vinaigrette.
Give it a final stir before serving. This salsa doesn’t need a single moment to marinate in the fridge. It’s actually pretty darn excellent right away served at room temperature with corn tortilla chips or on top of carnitas or just with a spoon!
Corn is in season peeps… get on this!
Charred Corn & Black Bean Salsa
Yield: 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/2 Chipotle Pepper, minced plus 1/2 tablespoon Adobo Sauce
1/2 teaspoon Honey
1/4 cup Olive Oil, plus one tablespoon {divided}
Juice from a Lime
Juice from a Lemon
6 ears of Corn, husks and silk removed
1 {15oz.} can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
2 Roma Tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup diced Red Onion
2 tablespoons Fresh Cilantro, chopped
Directions:
Brush the six ears of corn all over with a tablespoon of the olive oil. Preheat your grill to medium-high. Place corn onto grill grates, close the lid and grill for 15-20 minutes. Turn frequently. Remove when the corn has a light and even grill marks and let cool.
In a small bowl or jar; add the lemon and lime juice, the garlic, chipotle pepper, adobo, honey and olive oil. Shake and set aside.
Now the corn should be cool enough to handle, so run a sharp knife down the cob to remove as much of the corn kernels as possible. Add the corn into a large bowl. Next add in the diced tomato, onion, the black beans and chopped cilantro. Give that a light toss and add the vinaigrette.
Stir well until combined and serve at room temperature with corn chips or on top of your favorite tacos!
Over the past few years I’ve been on a mission to find and create recipes that I can make from scratch. I hope you enjoy the recipes on this blog as they are tried and true from my kitchen to yours! (
This looks like the perfect salad for summer!
Oh yum! I’ve been thinking about do a taco bowl for my husband and I to take to work and this would be perfect over some rice! It’d be the perfect addition to our lunch challenge: http://lollingabout.wordpress.com/2012/02/24/foodie-friday-orzo-salad/
Wow…looks and sounds amazing!!! Kudos, Laurie…can’t wait to try!
This salsa is great on so many things. Love it!
Gorgeous photos, Laurie! We LOVE corn and black bean salsa.
I love grilled corn, and this salad has some of my favorite flavors…cilantro and chipotle! Can’t wait to try it, thanks!
Yes, corn is a favorite around here too. Great recipe!
Oh my does this salsa look incredible. Love that you grilled the corn. And the vinaigrette sounds soooo good with the chipotle pepper. YUM!
This would make a great side dish at our next cook out. The vinaigrette looks like it could be used in a lot of different ways. Your photos are great!
Love fresh corn, it is about the only veggie my family will eat ever! This vinaigrette sounds amazing with the corn!
I’m in love with EVERYTHING in this. And that charred corn is the best! I bet it really help retain its flavors.
I see an Anthropologie bowl!!! I like it, and this looks GOOD!