With incredible fresh flavors and a fun texture, this corn Pico de Gallo is a delicious corn salsa recipe that is perfect for your tacos and burritos.
The addition of corn to the classic tomato salsa takes it to the next level.
If you love salsas, you’ll love this simple and delicious recipe that barely takes 10 minutes to put together.
It is great with chips, and you can also use it as a topping with any of your Mexican favorites.
PinThe sweetness of the corn works perfectly with the other garden fresh veggies and turns it into a chunky and flavorful side you won’t be able to resist.
If you love the traditional Pico de Gallo, you’ll love this unique twist on it- I know I did.
In fact, I also tried out a lot of other variations of the classic Mexican salsa recipe including a pineapple Pico de Gallo, a fruity mango Pico de Gallo, a crunchy cabbage Pico de Gallo and even a refreshing cucumber Pico de Gallo without tomatoes added in!
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
My favorite part about this salsa recipe is the fact that it is the perfect recipe to use when I’ve got some guests over.
The pico recipe is super simple and comes together in just minutes.
Plus, it is super versatile- I can spoon some of it over my Air Fryer walking tacos or serve it as an appetizer with any of my Mexican style mains.
Ingredients For the Corn Pico de Gallo Recipe
You'll need just a few simple ingredients to make this Mexican corn salsa.
PinFresh sweet corn: I started off with just about a cup of fresh corn kernels that I stripped off from the corn on the cob.
Tomato: Fresh, ripe tomatoes are the essence of this corn salsa. Choose garden tomatoes that have just the right amount of juiciness.
Onion: I used red onion, because it lends a nice bit of crunchiness and pungent flavor that works so well along with the other ingredients.
Jalapeño: Chopped jalapeños are an absolute must to lend the corn Pico de Gallo that spicy kick.
Lime juice: Lime juice brings in that nice citrusy flavor that brightens up the salsa.
Garlic: Just a teeny bit of minced or grated garlic can add an incredible amount of flavor to this easy corn Pico de Gallo.
Olive oil: I would recommend using extra virgin olive oil to add some flavor to the salsa and to tie all the flavors together.
Cilantro: Chopped cilantro brings a beautiful freshness to the salsa.
Seasonings: I’ve used simple seasonings of salt and crushed black pepper. You can also add some red chili powder or paprika or Tajin spice mix if you want to.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Corn Pico de Gallo
Once you have the ingredients for corn Pico de Gallo ready, here's what you'll need to do to make the recipe.
PinFinely dice the tomatoes, onions and jalapenos and add them all to a large bowl with your seasonings and the corn.
PinAdd a drizzle of olive oil and combine the diced veggies with the seasonings.
PinServe and enjoy!
Substitutions & Variations
- If you don’t have cilantro, you can use some chopped coriander leaves instead. Flat leaf parsley is another great herb like cilantro that you could add into the salsa.
- If you don’t have jalapenos, or are looking for some extra spice, serranos are a great option.
💭Top Tip
To make the salsa healthier, you can also chop up a ripe avocado and add it into the mix.
PinEquipment
How to Store the Leftover Corn Pico de Gallo
If you have any leftovers, you can refrigerate them in an airtight container. They should stay good for up to 2 days.
I would not recommend storing the salsa beyond that point, as it can start to get really watery.
Freezing Pico de Gallo or any other salsa for that matter is again a big no-no. I’ve put together a detailed post about just that.
Also Read: What to Do With Leftover Pico de Gallo - 10+ Ideas
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- To add some extra flavor to the homemade Pico de Gallo, you can use pickled onions instead of the chopped red onions that the recipe calls for.
- Another great idea is to use grilled corn instead of the regular corn kernels for this recipe. This will lend the salsa a nice smoky aroma thanks to that lovely char.
- To enhance the flavor of this Mexican corn salsa, use Kosher salt or sea salt instead of your regular salt.
- To add some extra tang to the salsa, you can also add some lime zest into it.
- Remember to dice all the fresh ingredients using a sharp knife, and ideally, keep all them equally sized.
- Just like with any other salsa, you might want to let this rest in the refrigerator for a few minutes before serving to enhance its flavors.
PinHow to Serve the Corn Pico de Gallo
Ready to put this fresh salsa to use? Here are some good ideas and serving suggestions to help you out.
On Tacos
This flavorful salsa can be used as a topping over your favorite tacos along with some sour cream and a tangy condiment of your choice. It’s perfect for a taco night!
I love serving it with my grilled chicken tacos with a dash of Cholula or my favorite Chamoy sauce.
With Tortilla Chips
Chips and salsa is a no-fail combination that works every single time, whether you’re looking for an easy snack or a party food to put together, and this corn Pico de Gallo works wonderfully there.
You can serve it as a dip with a big bowl of nachos or corn tortilla chips- it’s sooo good.
With Grilled Meat
You can also spoon some of this delicious corn Pico de Gallo over your tostadas or your grilled chicken and other grilled meats.
It can, in fact, also be a great addition to your burrito filling or any other Mexican food for that matter.
FAQs
You can use frozen corn for this corn salsa recipe. Just remember to thaw it and cook it first before you add it in.
I would highly recommend that you use fresh cooked corn as opposed to the canned variety. If you really want to, you can make do with the canned version too- just remember to drain all the excess liquid away before you use it for the recipe.
This is a great recipe to try out when it is corn season and you’ve picked up more than a few ears of corn than you can handle. In addition to this, you can also use up the bright yellow veggie to make some skillet charred corn or a creamy Elote casserole.
Related Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Corn Pico de Gallo
Ingredients
- 1 cup sweet corn kernels
- ½ cup tomatoes chopped
- ½ cup red onion chopped
- 2 jalapenos chopped
- 2 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 1 teaspoon garlic grated
- 1 tablespoon cilantro chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper crushed
Instructions
- Finely dice the tomatoes, onions and jalapenos and add them all to a large bowl with your seasonings and the corn.
- Add a drizzle of olive oil and combine the diced veggies with the seasonings.
- Serve and enjoy!
