Sweet Corn Salsa
Published Aug 09, 2012•Updated Mar 03, 2025
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All you need to make Sweet Corn Salsa are a few ears of corn, a bell pepper and a handful of spices. This sweet, tangy, super simple salsa is perfect with chips, but you can also spoon it over salads, marinated chicken, and tacos.
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Sweet Corn Salsa
All you need to make this sweet and spicy corn salsa are a few ears of corn, a bell pepper and a handful of spices. This recipe is perfect with chips, but you can also spoon it over salads, marinated chicken, and tacos. This recipe makes 3-4 cups (about 8 servings)
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Mason Jars
- Slotted Spoon
- Sharp Knife
Ingredients
- 1 cup distilled white vinegar
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust, using more or less depending on your spice preference)
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 1/2 cups diced red onion
- 4 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup diced red bell pepper
Instructions
- In a saucepan that is large enough to hold all of the ingredients, combine the vinegar, sugar, water, mustard seeds, red pepper flakes, and cumin seeds. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the liquid to a low simmer.
- To the simmering liquid, add the diced onion. Simmer until the onion is translucent, 6 to 7 minutes.
- Stir in the corn and red pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the corn salsa to a glass jar, pressing down lightly to pack the corn. Gently pour the remaining cooking liquid from the saucepan over the packed salsa just until it is covered.
- Refrigerate the salsa for at least a day (to allow the flavors to develop) and up to 3 weeks.
- Serve with chips for dipping.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 154kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Sodium: 176mg | Potassium: 202mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 696IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I would so love to know about canning this recipe. Once I’ve tried it a couple of times, and had it taste tested by my DIL who always has the TJ on hand…I would live to mak s large batch of this to can and fill my pantry for gift-giving to guests who drop by.
Will this recipe can? Thank you.
I don’t know a single thing about coriander, but I suspect it’s the mystery ingredient I’m tasting in Sprout’s Farmers Market corn salsa. If I used coriander in this recipe, would I use whole? ground? How much?
The coriander really makes it!
Has anyone tried canning this recipe? The Trader Joe’s product is canned so I would think it would work but I’d like to know if anyone has tried it.
Jess, we have entered fresh corn season in the south and I love making a copy of Trader Joe’s corn salsa to can and enjoy all year. I am not going to be one of those people who tell you I loved your version but then proceeds to tell you the 100 changes I made to it. What I will say, is your recipe was a FANTASTIC base for me to jump off and make my own version that I think can go toe to toe with Trader Joes. First, I added fresh jalapenos, I think TJ uses jalapenos??? I loved your idea to pickle the red onion and jalapeno in vinegar/sugar mix. It took the edge off both ingredients. I use apple cider vinegar and champagne vinegar. An option for people who want to shake it up sometime. The other change I made was changing the cumin to coriander to match the jar ingredients of TJ. Now, you might say this is not your recipe at all, but your recipe gave me the quantities and the base to make my slightly altered version, super yummy. thank you
Awesome Kerry!!! I love the adaptations and will definitely try these. I think you’re right on the coriander – I have to try it that way. AND with the jalapeños. yum!
Thanks for making this copy cat, I have to say, I was shocked how close to the original it was! Love it, and can’t wait to make a second batch.
So glad you liked it Barbara! I really wanted it to taste just like the original. 😉 Even though I now have a TJ’s just up the street, I still make the homemade version all the time – it’s so easy!
Can you freeze this recipe when cooled?
Yes – definitely, Becky. It should be just fine in the freezer for a couple months.
Just a stupid question, is the corn cooked or uncooked? I’m assuming cooked but want to be sure.
Hi Carol – start with uncooked corn cut straight off the fresh cobs. The kernels will simmer in the liquid which will cook them just the right amount to have a bit of bite in the finished salsa. Hope that helps!
I love the Trader Joe’s salsa too, and this is the closest recipe I’ve found to it. All the recipes I’ve seen, though, have one thing in common with this one: they call for mustard and cumin seeds. The TJ salsa has mustard and coriander seeds. I love cumin, but for that particular salsa, the coriander seeds are essential.
Thanks so much for your note – I’ll definitely use the coriander seeds in the next batch – great suggestion!
great recipe, I do feel the coriander is a unique flavor in the original
here is the original ingredient listing:
corn, sugar, onions, red bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, distilled vinegar, crushed red pepper, black pepper, coriander seed, mustard seed, salt, guar gum.
definitely think the coriander is a key flavor and a onion and jalapeno are noticeable too.
Also, I used about 3 Cups frozen (or 1 lb bag) corn, since the cob variety is not in season.
So this is awesome! And, unlike the Trader Joe’s version that I’ve loved, not too salty (in fact, salt free). We love to rinse pintos or kidney beans from the can, and top romaine or other greens with beans, this salsa, and avocado. Great salad/side to go with enchiladas, tortilla soup, etc. Thanks for this version of the salsa!