<p>Straw return can supplement soil nutrients, improve soil structure, and increase nutrient utilization and soil retention. However, quantitatively tracing the release and fate of straw-derived N of different straw return methods in a corn-soil system of Black Soils in Northeast China is poorly understood. In this study, the ¹⁵N labeled corn straw was used as ¹⁵N carrier, and we designed different straw return treatments including CK-a control with no straw, SM-straw mulching, SS-straw incorporation to surface soil and SD-straw enrichment deep incorporation, to investigate the utilization and soil retention of straw-derived ¹⁵N for three consecutive years. The results showed that the average annual ¹⁵NUE (%) (straw-derived ¹⁵N utilization efficiency of crops) reached about 4% and almost 90% of detectable ¹⁵N remained in soil: SM had the highest ¹⁵NUE (%) in the first year (5.22%), while SS had the highest ¹⁵NUE (%) (4.34–4.43%) in the second and third year. Due to the complete soil-straw mixing and favorable decomposition conditions, SS showed the highest accumulated ¹⁵NUE (%) (12.89%) and ¹⁵NRR (%) for three consecutive years. ¹⁵NUE (%) and ¹⁵NRR (%) were closely related to the contact degree of straw and soil, and the depth of straw application. This study demonstrated the straw-derived N utilization characteristics in the Black Soils of Northeast China and provided important parameters for long-term straw return applications in agricultural ecosystems.</p>