Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salsa: The Perfect Summer Party Dip

This Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salsa brings together some amazing flavors that make it the perfect dip for a summer backyard party!

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It's summer and it's grilling season. Who else just loves grilling in the summer! Cooking outside keeps the kitchen cool and provides an excuse to sit out on the patio and enjoy a glass of wine while things are cooking on the grill. To me summer, corn and grilling just go together. So let's fire up the grill and whip up some of this delicious grilled corn & black bean salsa to give you the perfect dip for all of your summer picnics and parties!             

This is the perfect recipe to add to your everyday meals recipe collection. Read on to learn more about how to make this Grilled Corn & Black Bean Salsa, or jump straight to the recipe to start cooking!

Contents:

• Recipe Highlights
• Recipe Ingredients
• Tips for making corn salsa
• Additional notes from the kitchen
• What goes with corn salsa?
• Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salsa

Recipe Highlights

This salsa is....

• super versatile - it's the ideal dip for all those backyard summer parties and picnics and can also be used to top tacos, nachos or served as a side dish with just about anything you'd grill for a summer party.
• full of flavor - grilling the corn gives it a rich, smokey flavor that makes this salsa rich and flavorful.  
• really easy to make - and can be made ahead of time too!

Recipe Ingredients

• Sweet corn: You want fresh corn on the cob. Ideally from the farmer's market or a farm stand if you have one in your area.
• Black beans: I generally use canned black beans as I find them easier than using dried beans.
• Red onion: I prefer to use red onion when I'm not cooking it.
• Roma tomatoes: Roma tomatoes are really versatile, which makes them perfect for this recipe but you can use any type you like.
• Lime and cilantro
• Pantry staples: Olive oil, garlic salt

Tips for making corn salsa

The actual hands-on time for this recipe is only about 20 minutes, which makes it ideal for just about any occasion.

Prepare the corn. I like to remove the husks first so you get the nice char from the grill directly on the corn kernels. Once you do that you just brush the corn cobs with a little bit of oil and place them on the grill to cook.

Remove the corn from the cobs. You'll want to let the corn cool for about 10 minutes or until you are able to handle it. You can remove the kernels using a sharp knife or with a corn removal tool.  

Make the salsa. Add the corn kernels to a large mixing bowl and then add the other ingredients. Stir to incorporate. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Adding corn to the more traditional flavors of black bean salsa gives you a great blend of taste and texture in every bite!

Additional notes from the kitchen

How charred should the corn be?

How charred you make the corn is really up to you. You can cook the corn until it just starts to brown or you can let it go a little longer and get a nice smoky char on it, letting a few kernels start to turn almost black. I prefer the latter as it gives the salsa a great flavor!!

How do I get the corn off the cobb?

Stripping corn off the cob can be easily done with a sharp knife but if you make corn salsa, or other dishes using corn kernels frequently, I recommend getting an OXO Good Grips corn peeler. For less than $10 it makes the task of removing corn from the cob so much easier!

What goes with corn salsa?

You can definitely eat this salsa on its own as a snack or you can make it part of a party menu!

If you are making it part of your party menu, I'd recommend also serving these Pulled Pork Sliders, this Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad and this No-Churn Salted Caramel Ice Cream.

If you are looking for some other great party appetizers, check out these Cheesy Game Day Nachos or this Instant Pot Queso Dip.

This post was originally published in July 2017. It was updated in June 2022 with some new information and photos. No changes were made to the original recipe.