Charred Corn and Black Bean Salsa
Crunchy, fresh sweet corn is the star of Charred Corn and Black Bean Salsa. With black beans for depth, and a plethora of fresh veggies bringing brightnesses and heat, this salsa is great for a crowd and easy enough to make for a weeknight dinner.
Corn: Midwest Gold
“It really wouldn’t be that bad without the humidity, ya know?”
“Hold your horses, I’m coming!”
“Jeez Louise!!”
“Listen here pal…”
“Ope! Lemme just sneak past ya real quick.”
That’s right friends, I’m going back to my roots. My Midwest roots. And what are those roots made of, you ask? CORN.
Good, old fashioned, yellow sweet corn. Fresh corn is one of the BEST parts of late summer through fall in the Midwest. Along with 70 degree days with no humidity and light breeze. Heaven.
And this charred corn and black bean salsa is one of my favorite was to prepare corn. Second favorite way is with a little butter, salt and pepper. If you’ve had really fresh sweet corn, you know it doesn’t need much else.
What’s In Charred Corn and Black Bean Salsa?
Probably self-explanatory, but fresh corn is the start of this salsa. A can of black beans adds some depth to the dish, and fresh onion, tomato, jalapeño, garlic, lime, and cilantro and heat and brightnesses.
Now, if you don’t like cilantro, just leave it out. Don’t go replacing it with parsley or anything like that because the flavors just are the same and the salsa will taste… weird.
If you want to sub the jalapeño for another type of pepper you definitely can! Habanero would be nice if you want a little more heat. If you want the charred corn and black bean salsa to be on the tame side, sub a finely diced green bell pepper for the jalapeño.
The beauty of fresh salsa is that it’s sort of like a blank canvas. You can change up the heat of the pepper, leave out the cilantro, use a yellow or white onion instead of red. It’s up to you and your tastebuds.
But the original recipe is pretty damn good if you ask me.
How Do I Serve Charred Corn and Black Bean Salsa?
Kind of like what you put in the salsa, what you put the salsa on is up to you! I love it on tacos, my healthy instant pot chicken chili, quesadillas, scrambled eggs, or sometimes just with corn tortilla chips.
As you can see, this charred corn and black bean salsa is pretty versatile. And it makes a great appetizer for entertaining because the recipe can easily be doubled (or tripled). Likewise, it’s simple and quick enough to make on a weeknight for a fresh addition to dinner.
Either way you cut it (off the cob), this charred corn and black bean salsa is a winner.
Tips for Making Charred Corn and Black Bean Salsa
- Be sure to rinse the beans well in cold water and dry them thoroughly before adding to the salsa. You don’t want the flavor to be watered down if the beans are too wet.
- To make cutting the corn off of the cob easier, make sure your knife has been sharpened and place the cob in a large bowl. Slide the knife down the sides of the cob and let the kernels fall into the bowl. This prevents the kernels from going all over your counter.
- If you don’t have sweet corn on hand (i.e. it’s not in season), you can use frozen corn (not canned) that has been thawed and patted dry. Use about 2 cups of corn.
- Don’t add any oil, butter, or fat to the pan when you saute the corn. You don’t want to cook the corn, just char it. Oil/fat will prevent this from happening quickly.
- Watch the corn carefully when you are cooking it on the stove. It can go from charred to burnt quickly!
- Make sure you dice the vegetables so they are all similar in size (about the size of the corn kernels). This ensures you get a little bit of everything in every bite!
Let’s Eat!
Go take advantage of the season and use up some of that sweet corn in this Charred Corn and Black Bean Salsa. You’ll be glad you did! Be sure to tag me on social if you make it. Cheers to you, friend!
Charred Corn and Black Bean Salsa
Ingredients
- 2 ears fresh corn shucked
- 15 ounce can of black beans drained, rinsed, and dried
- 1 jalapeño minced
- 1 large tomato small diced
- 1 medium red onion small diced
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl and with a sharp knife, cut the kernels off each corn cob. Add the corn to a large saute pan. Wipe out the bowl and set aside.
- Place the pan over medium-high heat. Saute the corn, stirring frequently, until kernels start to char and blacken, but not burn.
- Remove pan from heat and add corn to bowl. Let cool slightly.
- Add remaining ingredients to the bowl and toss to combine. Salsa can be served immediately or stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 7-10 days.
You May Also Like
No-Churn Peach Ripple Ice Cream
Easy Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
