Charred Corn Black Bean & Shrimp Salsa

This chunky salsa takes full advantage of summer-fresh vegetables, herbs, seasoned shrimp, and a honey lime drizzle in the most delicious and addictive way!

Did you ever make something that was so good that you ate the whole thing before anyone else got to it?

… me neither

until THIS recipe…

This chunky salsa is something I have been making for decades.  Growing up, we grew almost all of our vegetables – acres of it really. Gardening, making our own foods, and canning them was a way we didn’t have to worry about what to eat when we didn’t have money. And honestly, that was more often than not.

Now as a kid, getting me to eat onions or tomatoes was a huge “nope, not gonna happen” so the thought of salsa was a hard no for me. So Mom would make “mock salsas” with stuff in it that I would eat – like corn with potatoes and cheese. THANKFULLY as I grew up, and became a Chef, my pallet matured.  I took Mom’s “add corn” idea to a more fresh and summery level.

Grab Your Ingredients

Aside from the seasoning blend (seriously, you NEED this in your life), the rest of the items are pretty straightforward:

• Vegetables – corn, black beans, radishes, onions, peppers, and tomatoes *optional
• Herbs
• Seasoning – 2 Gringo’s Chupacabra Fajita Seasoning
• Drizzle

Seriously, Grab This Seasoning

This recipe isn’t sponsored by 2 Gringo’s Chupacabra seasoning but it uses their Fajita seasoning. Honestly, I am in LOVE with their blends!

You’ll get 15% off your order if you use MY LINK. Right now I’m crushing on their Fajita Seasoning, Cluckalicious, and Chop Haus.

Charring Your Corn

So when I char my corn I do it in 2 stages. I cook the corn first as this helps tenderize the kernels and then I char it.

1. Heat the grill to 400F/med-heat. I’ll put the corn directly on the grill – yes, husk and all.
2. Grill for 15-20 minutes per side. The husk will dry and get crisp, the floss will almost melt fully away.
3. Remove the corn from the grill and allow it to rest for about 10 minutes or until it’s cool enough to handle.
4. Remove the husk and any floss. Add the husked corn directly to the grill and char for a few minutes on each side.
5. Once the corn is cool enough to hold, cut the corn off of the cob. It’s OK to leave some of the cuts in chunks.

Assemble the Summer Salsa

For the onions and jalapeno peppers, you want to mince them. Well okay, you don’t have to do it, but I do as I don’t like huge chunks of them.  The radishes I chopped small and the tomatoes (if using) I cut into halves or thirds.

For the shrimp, I use cooked jumbo shrimp and cut them into smaller pieces. You want them small enough so that when you take a scoop you can get a bit of everything on the chip.

1. To a large bowl add the drained & rinsed beans, charred corn, chopped onions, radishes, jalapenos, and cut tomatoes.
2. Add your chopped shrimp.

 

3. Sprinkle over the Fajita Seasoning and lime zest; mix to combine.

Make the Honey Lime Drizzle

1. To a jar, add the juice of one lime, olive oil, and honey. Whisk to combine

Yes, it’s that easy. I don’t add any seasoning to the drizzle and honestly, the fajita seasoning blend I use is absolutely perfect.

 

Drizzle, Sprinkle, & Mix!

One final step is just to pour the drizzle over, add the chopped cilantro, mix it together and… and yep, you guessed it, wait. LOL

Just like most dips or salsa, it’s always best to let it rest in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. Simply cover, set it in the fridge and work on getting your chips and drinks ready.

Serve & Enjoy!

I love serving this with various types of tortilla chips and scoops…or a spoon into my mouth.

Seriously, this recipe, the first time I made it eons ago, I ate the ENTIRE thing before anyone knew it existed. I was supposed to take this to a party that night but unfortunately, I ate the whole thing AND ended up being that person that only took bags of chips to a party.  I say/write it that was as being a chef I’m expected to bring something homemade.

 

Have Chip Will Dip

I honestly forgot about this recipe until 2 weeks ago when our neighbors invited us over to hang out. I was super short on time and could not show up empty-handed. I saw corn, the pantry ingredients, and herbs and immediately knew what I had to make.  This salsa was a HUGE hit with our friends as there was almost none left at the end of the night. Like we’re talking maybe 1/4 of a cup.

I knew then I just had to share the recipe with my TKW Family!

Ways to Serve This Salsa

So chips or corn chip scoops are a given but you know me, I have to give you other ways.

1. Wrap – add this filling to either lettuce or tortilla wrap for an amazing lunch! A little drizzle of crema or chipotle sauce sends this over the top!
2. Pizza Topping – Yes, really!  Make an oil-brushed pizza crust with some melted mozzarella or feta. When it comes out, add on the summer salsa, some fresh crumbled feta, and cilantro.
3. Buddha Bowl – to a bowl of cooked rice (any style or even cauliflower), add the salsa and extra honey lime drizzle. And yes, you can absolutely add cheese if you want.

Storing Summer Salsa

Well if you’re me, it’s stored in your belly. For the rest of you, store covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Recipe Additions

This recipe is so customizable and can take on more things. Here are my suggestions:

• Veggies – chopped avocado, Persian cucumbers, different beans, chickpeas, bell peppers, jicama
• Cheese – crumble feta or cotija works really well
• Protein – chopped chicken, crumbled chorizo, cooked quinoa
• Frozen Corn – Yes you can use it but make sure it’s thoroughly defrosted and charred in a skillet with some butter/olive oil and sea salt

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