Grilled Corn Salsa with Poblano Chiles

Try something different. This Grilled Corn Salsa with Poblano Chiles, Cilantro and Honey is a terrific blend of the best of summer’s produce with the perfect herb and spices. I could eat it with a spoon!

Grilled Corn Salsa with Poblano Peppers, Cilantro, and Honey in a White Bowl

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In my quest to update photos and redo posts (this one was originally SIX years ago!), part of the fun is actually making something I may have forgotten about. The best part is then being reminded again of just how much I love it too. That was this recipe for sure.

I could honestly sit with a bowl of this Grilled Corn Salsa with Poblano Chiles, Cilantro and Honey and finish it off with a spoon (OK, true confession? Maybe I did.). It’s a mixture of several things I love separately…and I love them even more when blended together in this perfect summer offering.

For some reason I had never been inclined towards corn salsa before I made this recipe. I guess I’ve always liked a tomatillo or tomato based variety better and corn salsa just sounded bland or maybe because I wasn’t crazy about using the red bell peppers that I always saw in them (though I have gotten much better about eating red pepper). But that has all changed. Was it the grilling of the corn or the honey or the lime…well who knows but I am NOT kidding about eating it from a spoon!

Corn was so inexpensive at the farmers market I bought a BUNCH of it…then was left trying to figure out what to do with it.

When I was a young girl, one of our favorite summer meals were the nights my Dad would stop by a roadside stand and bring home a couple dozen ears of corn (6 kids meant a LOT of corn was needed) and fresh Missouri tomatoes for dinner; that was it, no meat to get in the way of this feast.

Grilled Corn Salsa with Poblano Pepper, Cilantro and Honey

I say Missouri tomatoes because though I’ve had good tomatoes in North Carolina, nothing quite compares to the ones I had growing up. I live in Colorado where I love how it cools down at night but that same coolness and our 5280′ altitude do not contribute to the tomatoes of yore. Or Missouri.

Anyway, I planned the same thing the other night and it was a wonderful feast but I still had some ears left to use and with neighbors coming over, margaritas on the menu and new bag of tortilla chips on the counter; it seemed the perfect time for a reboot of this amazing Grilled Corn Salsa with Poblano Chiles, Cilantro and Honey.

Combining sweet grilled corn with some minor heat from Poblano peppers, the freshness of cilantro and the surprise of honey (I love mixing honey with heat) is to die for; the onions give it a nice touch with a bit of crunch. Honestly it’s my old favorite that I love and it’s not gone out of style; still perfect.

I did get a handy little corn stripper to cut kernels off the corn cob that I don’t regret. It was inexpensive and did a great job; what a lifesaver. You know the drill right? If it’s Thursday it must be Food Network day so be sure to check out more great recipes for #SummerSoiree right before the recipe.

Summer Series for the Food Network

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PIN IT! ‘Grilled Corn Salsa with Poblano Chiles, Cilantro and Honey’

Grilled Corn Salsa with Poblano Chiles, Cilantro and Honey in a White Bowl Served with Tortilla Chips

Grilled Corn Salsa with Poblano Pepper, Cilantro and Honey

Grilled Corn Salsa with Poblano Chiles, Cilantro and Honey

Creative Culinary
A fabulous summer salsa served with tortilla chips, fajitas, grilled chicken or tacos!
5 from 5 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Appetizers
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 6 Servings
Calories 261 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 6 ears perfectly grilled corn kernels removed
  • 2 poblano chiles grilled, peeled, seeded and finely diced
  • 1 small red onion finely diced
  • 2 limes juiced
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 4 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Grilling corn is simple and I love the results; the husks hold the moisture; the corn sort of steams and the kernels are protected from burning.
  • Preheat your grill; high heat.
  • Place the corn, in their husks, on the grill over direct heat. Turn occasionally, cooking about 15-20 minutes total. The husks will be charred but the corn inside will be tender and moist.
  • Remove the husks from the grill and allow to rest and cool down. Remove the husks and silks from the corn; remove the kernels from the cob. If I'm grilling corn for eating from the cob, I use a towel or oven mitt to remove the husks after five minutes for serving hot.
  • To cook the poblano chiles, rub with some vegetable oil and put directly on the grill. They will char on the outside; that's OK, their skin is going to be peeled off. After they do char and cook down a bit, remove from the grill and put into a plastic bag or tightly covered bowl for 15 minutes. Remove and rub the skin off. clean out membranes and seeds and chop.
  • Combine the corn, chiles, onion, lime juice, honey, oil and cilantro in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. Let the salsa sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

Can be made 8 hours in advance and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Grilled Corn Salsa with Poblano Chiles, Cilantro and Honey
Serving Size
 
1
Amount per Serving
Calories
261
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
17
g
26
%
Saturated Fat
 
5
g
31
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
11
g
Cholesterol
 
18
mg
6
%
Sodium
 
181
mg
8
%
Carbohydrates
 
28
g
9
%
Fiber
 
4
g
17
%
Sugar
 
9
g
10
%
Protein
 
4
g
8
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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37 Comments

  8. An olide but a goodie! I like red peppers, and we sometimes serve them sliced as a side. But I confess I sometimes add them to recipes I’m posting for their color as much as their flavor. 🙂

    Reply

    1. Of course now you must know I am simply CRAVING some fresh corn, right? On my list and it’s all your fault. Thank you. 🙂

      Reply

  10. Barbara, this grilled corn salsa looks awesome! Thanks so much for entering it into our Get Grillin’ event 🙂

    Reply

  11. Barb, this kind of recipe is what summer is all about! The honey and lime would make this irresistible. I’d love if you’d consider entering this in the online Get Grillin’ & summer bbq event I’m hosting (this is appetizer week).

    Reply

    1. Of course I would…for you! Doing it right now even, thanks for pushing me just enough (sure helped that YOU found the recipe; I couldn’t think of any grill appetizers that I have a photo of).

      Reply

  12. This looks divine! We have family from Iowa and are always on the lookout for great corn recipes. Thanks for sharing the link with us today at #FCdish!
    Michaela
    @finecooking

    Reply

  14. This sounds like a real keeper. I’ve never actually tasted corn salsa, the honey & lime would make it tasty alright. Better give a go…. YUM!
    Cheers Anna

    Reply

  16. Ok Barb, We are trying this right now.. I’ll take photo’s and let you know how it goes. 🙂 I’m probably going to add a jalapeno cuz we like it spicy!!!

    Reply

  19. It’s salsa time – whether it tomatoes, corn or beets. I hear ya on the tomatoes – only my early girls and cherry tomatoes are ripening. I, however, planted my garden Memorial Day weekend – just in case there was another May snow storm in Denver.

    Reply

    1. When I used to plant tomatoes I would use something called a Wall O’ Water. It basically created a hothouse around the tomato plant so it protected them from cold and cooler nights. Did a great job. Now that my youngest just moved into her own place; I’m only doing herbs as my needs for a mountain of squash or tomatoes has certainly lessened. The herbs? Can never have enough of those!

      Reply

  20. I know I can get most of of these ingredients at the farmer’s market on Saturday. Looking forward to making this great looking salsa very soon. Thanks for sharing this recipe!

    Reply

  21. Margaritas, tortilla chips and fresh corn salsa….sounds like a party to me!

    Funny, I have an altitude of 0′, am in Southern California, and am having weather that’s not conducive to growing tomatoes either. Good thing the weather hasn’t affected the Margarita tree. 😉

    Reply

  22. Fun story! I actually call this corn salad so I don’t feel bad about eating a whole bowl in one sitting. And with the risk of dissappointing you, I do use red pepper in it- I cut it up to the size of corn kernels and the mix of textures is actually pleasing. And you know what else goes in it? Bacon- small bits of bacon- everything tastes better with bacon! 🙂

    Reply

    1. I may not be rolling on the floor and laughing out loud…but I am chuckling out loud!

      I’ve had an aversion to green pepper my entire life and I am not growing out of it; sadly it took me YEARS to give red and yellow peppers a chance and I’m glad I did. Though this is so dang good I hesitate to mess with it but you had me at bacon. That, my dear, might just have to appear next time; yes indeed.

      Reply

  23. Love it Barbaraaaaaaaaaa … oh yes I do!That’s a gorgeous picture too! {Pardon my ignorance, but how do you grill the corn with the husks on?}

    Reply

    1. Good question! I revised the post to include those instructions. Some people suggest rubbing the husks with vegetable oil or soaking them in water before grilling. I haven’t found either of those to be necessary; if your corn is fresh, the husks should have plenty of moisture to ‘steam’ your corn.

      Reply

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