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A juicy Santa Maria tri-tip steak, expertly grilled and ready to be served.

Smoky Tri-Tip & Chipotle Corn Salsa

This recipe combines juicy tri-tip with a vibrant chipotle corn salsa, perfect as a topping, side dish, or dip. It's a quick and flavorful way to utilize leftover grilled tri-tip or create a fresh new meal.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 280 kcal

Equipment

  • Medium bowl
  • Saucepan
  • Colander

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients

  • 1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)
  • 1/2 red bell pepper finely diced
  • 1/4 red onion finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
  • 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers
  • 1/2 lime juiced
  • Salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup cooked and diced Santa Maria tri-tip (from previous BBQ, if available, or freshly grilled)

Instructions
 

Preparation

  • If using fresh corn, blanch it in boiling water for 2 minutes, then immediately plunge into ice water to cool and drain well.

Mixing

  • In a medium bowl, combine the corn kernels, diced red bell pepper, diced red onion, and chopped cilantro.
  • Add the adobo sauce and fresh lime juice to the bowl, then stir gently to combine all ingredients.
  • Season with salt and black pepper to taste, starting with a pinch of each and adjusting as needed.

Serving

  • Gently fold in the diced Santa Maria tri-tip.
  • Serve immediately as a topping for tacos, alongside grilled meats, or as a flavorful dip with tortilla chips.

Notes

For best results, allow the salsa to sit for 10-15 minutes before serving to let the flavors meld. Adjust the amount of adobo sauce to your preferred spice level.