This tasty easy Cowboy Caviar Recipe is a black bean salad with black-eyed peas, fresh corn, sweet red onion, tomatoes, bell pepper, and jalapenos, all in a slightly spicy sweet lime vinaigrette. The flavors come together so well, and it tastes amazing on tacos, quesadillas, and omelets.
Did you know that eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day is supposed to bring you prosperity and good luck? As a matter of fact, you should eat 365 of them. One for each day of the New Year. That being said, this bean salad is the perfect anytime snack for picnics, potlucks, reunions, and barbecues. Make a big batch because everyone loves it!
What is Cowboy Caviar?
It is a Southern twist on caviar without the expensive price tag and the fish eggs. This Texas caviar is a fun mixture of black beans, black-eyed peas, fresh corn, red onion, tomatoes, jalapeño, bell peppers, and cilantro, all in a fresh lime vinaigrette. Enjoy this bean salsa as a side dish, or dip to scoop with corn chips or tortilla chips. Use it like salsa and spoon over tacos, burritos, enchiladas, grilled chicken or fish, and omelets. Serve as a healthy side salad. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination.
How do you make Cowboy Caviar?
Start by whisking together the olive oil, lime juice, chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, ground cayenne, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Then in a large bowl, combine the black bean, black-eyed peas, corn, red onion, tomatoes, jalapeño, bell pepper, and cilantro. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the veggies and toss to coat. Store covered in the fridge until 30 minutes prior to serving, then remove to take the chill off. Toss again right before serving.
Recipe notes and helpful tips
- Use any colored bell pepper, or use a variety of peppers for color.
- Chop the vegetables fairly fine so a little bit of everything ends up in a chip full or a spoonful.
- Drain and rinse the beans to remove all the added sodium.
- If the season permits, use fresh corn cut right off the cob.
- Mix up to 1 day in advance but hold the chopped cilantro until about an hour before.
- In a hurry? Skip the dressing and add 1/2 cup of zesty Italian salad dressing.
- Feel free to add finely diced avocado. However, if you are preparing this in advance, add the avocado right before serving.
- Feel free to substitute pinto beans for the black beans.
- Store leftovers for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Other appetizer recipes you will love!
Cowboy Caviar Recipe
Tasty Cowboy Caviar is made with beans, black-eyed peas, and fresh vegetables, all in a spicy lime vinaigrette. Serve as a dip, or spoon over grilled fish, grilled chicken, omelets, tacos, burritos, and enchiladas.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings
- Category: appetizer
- Method: bowl and spoon
- Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients
Lime Vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (juice of 1 lime)
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Cowboy Caviar
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 ounce) can black eyed peas drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ cups fresh corn kernels
- ¼ cup red onion finely chopped
- 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes quartered
- 1 jalapeño minced
- 1 bell pepper finely diced ( I used ½ red and ½ orange)
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, ground cayenne, and red pepper flakes.
- In a large bowl, combine the black bean, black-eyed peas, corn, red onion, tomatoes, jalapeno, bell pepper, and cilantro.
- Drizzle the vinaigrette over the caviar and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Store covered in the fridge until 30 minutes before serving. Toss again right before serving.
Notes
- Use any colored bell pepper, or use a variety of peppers for color.
- Chop the vegetables fairly fine so a little bit of everything ends up in a chip full or a spoonful.
- Drain and rinse the beans to remove all the added sodium.
- If the season permits, use fresh corn cut right off the cob.
- Mix up to 1 day in advance but hold the chopped cilantro until about an hour before.
- In a hurry? Skip the dressing and add 1/2 cup of zesty Italian salad dressing.
- Feel free to add finely diced avocado. However, if you are preparing this in advance, add the avocado right before serving.
- Feel free to substitute pinto beans for the black beans.
- Store leftovers for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Keywords: cowboy caviar dip, how to make cowboy caviar, cowboy caviar recipe
On the hunt for more delicious recipes? Follow Small Town Woman on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Ntensibe Edgar
This is very nutritious caviar! I want to try it out with my grilled fish one day. Thank you for sharing it.
knycx journeying
Love this from the name, the color, and ingredients to how easy it is to make – thanks for the recipe and I am looking forward to trying it!
★★★★
Elizabeth Flores
Now this made my mouth water. I have yet to try Caviar but I think I would enjoy this a lot more. You cant go wrong with a nice dish that you can enjoy with some chips.
★★★★★
Ebony
This recipe is amazing! I added everything as written, and I also added some onion powder and a mixed batch our white kernels for this tasty salad. Definitely a keeper!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Ebony! Do glad that you liked it.
Gervin Khan
Wow! This dish looks absolutely delicious and very yummy! Plus it’s a healthy meal for everyone to enjoy and love! Totally love it!
★★★★★
Luna S
This looks so good, all of those flavor profiles are fantastic together! I will have to make this for our next BBQ night with the family.
Tweenselmom
What a burst of flavors. We really enjoyed this. I served it with some homemade tortilla chips!
★★★★★
Stephanie
I never had Cowboy Caviar until I moved to Texas. Now it seems to be a staple at any potluck I go to! It’s so easy to throw together and so yummy.
★★★★★
Faith Stephenson
This recipe is so new to me!!! I will definitely try it. Looks so good 👍
★★★★★
Keath
That’s an interesting recipe and I love the name of this dish. I will keep this for our next house party in the weekends and I think many guests would love that.
★★★★
Marysa
I have heard about this before, and it sounds quite delicious! So many delicious and flavorful ingredients. What a perfect summertime salad!
Neely Moldovan
One of our favorite things to make for parties! Always a huge hit!
Irena
What a perfect summer snack! Tasty ingredients especially with tortilla chips
★★★★★
jen schreiner
This sounds addictingly good. I can not wait to try this. I love a healthy snack.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Jen! Enjoy!!
Tweenselmom
Yum yum yum! Been so long since I had some cowboy caviar. This is one of my favorite recipes!
★★★★★
Fransic verso
This was delicious and easy. I served it with some homemade tortillas chips and my guests really loved it.
Beth Pierce
Thanks! So happy that they liked it!
MyLitBag
These types of dips are so easy to make for parties and get together. So yummy! Love the name, super cute.
Katherine
Yum! So many fresh flavors and textures in one dish!
★★★★★
Helen
So fresh and tasty! Thanks for this great recipe.
★★★★★
Amanda Wren-Grimwood
I can see so many ways we’ll be eating this , this summer. Such a great recipe!
★★★★★
Julie
I love all the flavors in this and that it’s do versatile. Dip some chips in half of it and throw the other half on some chicken. Perfect!
★★★★★
Beth
I could literally eat the bowl! So easy colorful and delicious!
★★★★★
Maria
I love how colorful this is. I can tell it’s not only healthy but tasty as well.
★★★★★
Jessica Formicola
Omg this is my favorite kind of dip! It has all of my favorite things combined into one. Definitely making for the Super Bowl!
★★★★★
Claudia Lamascolo
I am loving the freshness of this and everything in it we love, I am going to make this tomorrow it looks fantastic!
★★★★★
Jenn
I love the colors and flavors in this dish. It’s a hit every time I make it!
★★★★★
Sandra
I love it! So fresh and delish!!
★★★★★
Catalina
Oh my goodness! All these delicious ingredients in one dish! Looks amazing!
★★★★★
Cathy
Love the spices in this recipe!
Allyson Zea
This is our favorite New Year’s Eve recipe!
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert
This Cowboy Caviar looks totally awesome!
★★★★★
Kimberly
LOVE this stuff, it’s one of my favorite snacks!
★★★★★
Amanda
I love this idea, I cannot wait to try it!
Jeannette
I love how fun this is! So many fresh ingredients come together to make an incredibly exciting dish. Just wonderful!
★★★★★
Anjali
Omg I LOVE cowboy caviar but I’ve never made it at home before!! I can’t wait to try your version – it looks absolutely delicious and I love how healthy it is too!
★★★★★
Gabby
This is awesome! We’re trying to increase our plant-based meals so I will be adding this to my meal planner. Such a delicious mix of flavours!
★★★★★
adriana
This is my kind of food, colorful, easy to make, and fresh. Perfect for snacking too.
★★★★★
Cathleen
I have heard of cowboy caviar, but I have never actually tried it. This looks so perfect, I am definitely going to give this a go over the holidays. Thank you so much for the recipe 🙂
★★★★★