Zucchini Salsa (How to Make Salsa with Zucchini)

This easy recipe for Zucchini Salsa is a great way to use up all of that extra zucchini growing in your summer garden. Fresh Zucchini Corn Salsa would make a great appetizer or snack, but with the added protein from the black beans, you can also serve it as a light lunch. I’m including 7 ways to serve this unique salsa recipe!

Creating this Zucchini Salsa Recipe

Summer is coming to an end and school has already started here, but thanks to my backyard garden, however, I am still savoring the tastes of summer.

We have a monster of a zucchini plant this year and it has showed no sign of slowing its veggie production down. The kids and I are picking one or two good sized zucchinis off the plant almost every day.

I’ve had to get pretty creative in the kitchen to keep up with all the fresh produce coming off the vines.

We’ve been enjoying a Roasted Corn, Zucchini, Tomato Pasta for dinner more than once a week, but at the rate this zucchini keeps popping off the vine, I need to incorporate it into lunch too!

Fresh Summer Produce

There are so many seasonal fruits and vegetables to enjoy during the summer season. Check out my full summer produce guide, including a list of summer fruits and vegetables and 115 summer recipes if you need more recipe ideas this summer.  

What I Love About this Recipe for Zucchini Salsa

I’ve been enjoying this Fresh Zucchini Corn Salsa for lunch lately and it is a total winner.

This salsa recipe would make a great appetizer or snack, but with the added protein from the black beans, it also makes a perfect light and healthy lunch.

I love that this zucchini salsa recipe is also flexible. If you have fresh veggies in the garden or from the market, they taste great and enhance the flavor.

However, this would still be quite tasty with frozen or even canned corn and tomatoes. And, you can always adapt it to your tastes and needs – I’ve included some ideas in this post!

Ingredients in this Salsa with Fresh Zucchini

Here’s what you’ll need to prepare this zucchini corn salsa recipe:

• Corn
• Zucchini
• Fresh Tomatoes
• Black Beans
• Fresh Cilantro
• Red Wine Vinegar
• Lime Juice
• Olive Oil
• Garlic Powder
• Salt

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

How to Make Zucchini Salsa

First, cook the fresh corn. Then, cut the corn off the cob and set aside in a large bowl. While the corn cooks, prepare the zucchini by sautéing it on the stove in a large skillet.

After that, combine the cilantro, vinegar, like juice, olive oil, salt, and garlic powder to make the dressing. Then, whisk to combine.

Lastly, add the zucchini, beans, tomatoes, and dressing to the bowl with the corn and stir to combine.

The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.

Recipe Adaptations

Here are a few suggestions to tweak this zucchini salsa recipe according to your personal preferences:

Like spice? For spice add your favorite chili peppers, such as jalapeño peppers, green chilis, poblano peppers, anaheim peppers, etc. Peppers are best finely diced in this recipe. Keep the seeds for extra heat, or scrape them out for a milder spice flavor. Or, make roasted peppers for a slightly smoky spicy flavor.

Don’t like cilantro? If you’re one of the up to 15% of people who find that cilantro tastes like soap (it’s a genetic thing), try adding some fresh parsley in place of the cilantro.

Got garden bell peppers? Try adding some diced green peppers or red peppers for extra veggies and color if you need help using them up.

Ways to Serve this Tasty Zucchini Salsa

• Chips and Dip — enjoy this zucchini salsa with store bought or homemade tortilla chips.
• Try an Easy Burrito Bowl Main Dish — serve Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken atop steamed white rice. Then, spoon this black bean salad on top of the chicken and include whatever extra burrito bowl toppings you like.
• Mexican Breakfast Eggs — add this zucchini corn salsa in an omelet or on top of scrambled eggs. Then, serve with sliced avocado and a dash of hot sauce.
• Easy Side Dish — toss this salsa recipe with chilled couscous or quinoa; sprinkle with cotija or other cheese of choice.
• As a Topping for Grilled Meats — this zucchini and corn salsa is delicious on grilled flank steak (one of my favorite marinade recipes!) if you’re looking for bold flavor with your meat
• Make Veggie Tacos — one of my favorite things is steaming flour or corn tortillas and fill them with this zucchini salsa recipe, cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and avocado or guacamole.
• Make a Fresh Salad — serve on top of a bed of lettuce or mixed greens for a simple, Mexican-inspired salad. Make it a main dish salad by adding some grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken.

Try this Easy Zucchini Corn Salsa Recipe!

Next time you’re looking for a way to use up that summer zucchini, give this fresh zucchini salsa a try!

Did you think it was a fun and unique recipe? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of this zucchini recipe.

On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see your photo of this fresh zucchini corn salsa!

More Zucchini Recipes to Try

This Zucchini Tomato Basil Salad with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette is a light and refreshing summertime salad and perfect when your garden is exploding with tomatoes, basil, and zucchini in the later summer months. And, since it’s a raw zucchini salad, you won’t have to turn the oven on those hot summer days.

Dried Cherry Muffins are on the healthier side and are packed with cherries, grated zucchini, and topped with a streusel topping.

Italian Chicken, Mushroom, and Zucchini Skillet is a super easy dinner recipe for busy school nights. It features pan seared chicken tenderloins, zucchini and sliced mushrooms in garlicky herbed tomato sauce.

In these Foil Packet Pesto Pork Chops, fresh, summertime vegetables are tossed in pesto and balsamic and cooked with boneless pork chops. You’ll love this makeover version of the classic foil dinners from childhood. 

Zucchini Apple Spice Muffins are perfect for the transition space between summer and fall. Use the loads of summer zucchini that are laying around in your garden, the grocery store, or at the farmer’s marker, while savoring the fall spice flavors and a hint of apple.

Mini Zucchini Frittata Muffins are the perfect way to use up the garden’s abundance of zucchini. Make a big batch now and freeze for later!

Don’t see what you’re looking for here? You can always head over to check out the recipe index to look for more recipes.

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 Recipe and photos are by Allison Ruth of Some the Wiser, a former contributor at Good Life Eats (published September 12, 2013). This post has been updated to include additional information.