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Roasted Corn Salsa

Name: Roasted Corn Salsa
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 tsp Vegetable Oil; 0.5 White Onion; 0.5 tsp Chilli Powder; 1 Jalapeño Chilli; 1 bunch Coriander; 4 mazorcas Corn on the Cob; 2 Lime; 0.5 tsp Salt; 2 Tomato

30 min (15 prep + 15 cook) Easy 6 servings Tex-Mex

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 25 Mar 2026 · Updated: 3 Jun 2026

Tex-Mex roasted sweetcorn salsa with jalapeño, coriander and lime.

About this recipe

A Tex-Mex roasted sweetcorn salsa with griddle-charred corn, tomato, jalapeño, red onion, coriander and lime. Sweet, smoky and vibrant - perfect for tacos, burritos, chips or as a side.

History & Origin

Roasted corn salsa is a genuinely Tex-Mex creation that celebrates one of the most sacred ingredients in Mesoamerican cuisine: maize. Although corn has sustained the peoples of Mexico and the south-western United States for over eight thousand years, the technique of griddling it directly on a very hot surface - until the kernels take on a golden, lightly charred colour - is characteristic of border cooking. In northern Mexico and Texas, corn roasted over coals is a fundamental street food: the so-called "elote callejero" or street corn is sold topped with mayonnaise, cotija cheese, chilli powder and lime. Roasted corn salsa takes the essence of that street flavour and transforms it into a fresh, versatile condiment. The secret lies in the very hot, dry griddle: corn kernels are toasted without oil until some of the natural sugars caramelise, creating that characteristic combination of sweetness and smokiness that distinguishes this salsa from any other corn salsa. Fresh jalapeño chilli provides moderate heat, red onion adds colour and a slight bitterness, coriander refreshes the whole, and lime illuminates it with citrus acidity. This salsa was popularised in Tex-Mex taquerias in California and Texas during the 1990s and today appears on Mexican restaurant menus across the Western world, including those in Madrid and London, as an example of the sophistication that border cooking can achieve when working with quality seasonal produce.

Estimated cost

£2.52

Total cost

£0.42

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

Calories

2.5g

Protein

18g

Carbohydrates

Fat

2.5g

Fibre

210mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Calienta una sartén de hierro o plancha a fuego muy alto hasta que humee ligeramente. Desgrana las mazorcas y tuesta los granos en seco en la sartén caliente, removiendo ocasionalmente, durante 8-10 minutos hasta que algunos granos tomen color dorado-tostado.
💡 No añadas aceite en este paso - el tostado en seco es lo que crea el sabor ahumado característico.
2
Tuesta el jalapeño directamente sobre la llama o en la plancha caliente hasta que la piel se ennegrezca por todos los lados, unos 5 minutos. Coloca en una bolsa y deja sudar 3 minutos. Retira la piel carbonizada, el tallo y las semillas. Pica finamente.
💡 Conserva las semillas si quieres más picante.
3
Pica el tomate en cubos pequeños eliminando el exceso de líquido y semillas. Pica la cebolla morada en brunoise muy fina y el cilantro en chiffonade.
4
En un tazón amplio, mezcla el elote tostado, el jalapeño picado, el tomate, la cebolla morada y el cilantro.
5
Aliña con el jugo de 2 limas, el aceite de oliva, el chile en polvo y la sal. Mezcla bien y prueba para rectificar el punto de sal y acidez.
6
Deja reposar 10 minutos a temperatura ambiente para que los sabores se integren. Sirve a temperatura ambiente o ligeramente fría.
💡 Esta salsa mejora con el reposo. Prepárala 1 hora antes de servir para un sabor más integrado.

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Edmond Bojalil

Founder, Recetas Mexas

Mexican from Puebla, IT professional and foodie. Author of 1000+ authentic Mexican recipes adapted for home kitchens worldwide. Based in Madrid since 2018.