Cowboy caviar is a bean salad filled with black beans, black eyed peas, avocado, corn, tomatoes, jalapenos, and more. It makes the perfect appetizer when served with tortilla chips!
Never heard of cowboy caviar before? It's a bean salad that's filled with fresh veggies and tossed in a vinaigrette dressing. Similar to a salsa or dip, it's most often served with tortilla chips.
This recipe is perfect for those warm weather months. It's served chilled, requires no cooking, and is a great way to use up that seasonal summer produce!
Serve this bright, refreshing bean salad at your next summer party or potluck along with a bag of tortilla chips. It also makes a great taco topping or side dish for your next meal!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Beans - I like to use a combination of black beans and black eyed peas for variety and visual appeal. However, you're welcome to use any type of cooked beans you have on hand, like pinto beans.
- Veggies - I added red onion, jalapeno peppers, bell pepper, corn, tomatoes, and avocado to my cowboy caviar. For less heat, substitute the jalapenos with an additional bell pepper - try adding an orange bell pepper for more color variety! Roma tomatoes can be substituted with halved cherry tomatoes. Corn can be canned, frozen, or cut off the cob.
- Cilantro - Adds significant flavor to the salad. If you dislike cilantro, it can be substituted with parsley instead.
- Oil - I recommend extra virgin olive oil for the base of your dressing.
- Lime - You'll need the juice of about 1 lime for the dressing. Lime juice can be substituted with about 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or additional red wine vinegar if needed (this will alter the flavor slightly).
- Red wine vinegar - Adds flavor and acidity to the dressing.
- Seasoning - Fresh minced garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano add a mild, savory flavor to the dressing. Two cloves of garlic can be substituted with about ½ teaspoon of garlic powder if desired.
- Honey - Adds just a hint of sweetness to balance with the tart, savory flavors in the dressing. Honey can be substituted with maple syrup to make this recipe vegan friendly.
Tips and tricks
Dice veggies evenly - Treat your cowboy caviar like a salsa. Dice your veggies into small, similar sized pieces.
Make ahead - I suggest making your cowboy caviar at least 30 minutes ahead of time to allow the flavors to meld in the refrigerator. This salad keeps well and can be made up to one day ahead of time. Store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
How to prevent avocado browning - The dressing helps prevent the avocado from browning, but it's not 100% effective. If you'd like to take an extra step to prevent browning, slice it and toss it in just before serving. This is only a concern if you're making it a day ahead of time.
Storage
Cowboy caviar will keep for 3-4 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
Frequently asked questions
I don't recommend freezing cowboy caviar because it contains several veggies that get mushy and release water when thawed, creating an unappetizing texture.
Yes, cowboy caviar can be made up to a day ahead of time. Store, covered, in the refrigerator and give it a quick toss just before serving to reincorporate any dressing that may have settled at the bottom.
The most common way to serve cowboy caviar is with tortilla chips, like a salsa. It can also be served on its own as a side dish, over a bed of lettuce as a salad, or as a taco topping.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Cowboy Caviar
Ingredients
Salad
- 14 ounces canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 14 ounces canned black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 2 jalapeno peppers, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup corn kernels
- 4 roma tomatoes, diced
- 1 avocado, diced
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice, juice of 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon oregano
Instructions
- In a very large bowl, add your rinsed beans and prepared onions, peppers, corn, tomatoes, avocado, and cilantro. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, add all of your dressing ingredients: olive oil, lime juice, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, honey, salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano. Whisk to combine.
- Pour dressing over your prepared salad ingredients and gently toss until evenly coated.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Black beans and black eyed peas can be substituted with any other cooked beans.
- Cowboy caviar can be made a day ahead, and is best served within a day of preparing. Salad will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
- Fresh corn, or frozen, thawed corn is recommended. If your corn is still frozen, feel free to toss it straight into the salad as long as you're not serving it immediately. The small kernels of corn thaw quickly.
- Cilantro can be substituted with parsley.
- The dressing can be substituted with your favorite vinaigrette or Italian dressing instead.
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