Cowboy Caviar, also known as Texas Caviar, is a zesty and flavorful salsa-style dip that combines a variety of colorful vegetables, beans, and a tangy dressing. It's perfect for serving as a side dish, a dip for tortilla chips, or even as a filling for tacos.
Prep Time 2 minutesminutes
Total Time 2 minutesminutes
Servings 4
Ingredients
For the salad:
1can (15 oz)black beansdrained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz)black-eyed peasdrained and rinsed
1 cupcorn kernelscanned, fresh, or frozen
1cupcherry tomatoesdiced
1/2cupred bell pepperdiced
1/2cupgreen bell pepperdiced
1/2cupred onionfinely chopped
1/4cupfresh cilantrochopped
1jalapeño pepperseeded and diced
For the dressing:
1/4 cupextra virgin olive oil
1/4cupred wine vinegar
1 tsphoney
1tspchili powder
1/2tspgarlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained and rinsed black beans, black-eyed peas, corn kernels, diced cherry tomatoes, diced red and green bell peppers, finely chopped red onion, chopped cilantro, and the optional diced jalapeño pepper (for those who enjoy some heat). Gently toss the ingredients together to ensure even distribution.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, fresh lime juice, honey (or agave nectar), ground cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Adjust the seasonings to your taste preferences, adding more lime juice for tang or more honey for sweetness.
Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss everything together until all the ingredients are well coated with the dressing.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or transfer the Cowboy Caviar to an airtight container. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld together. For even better results, refrigerate it overnight.
Before serving, give the Cowboy Caviar a gentle stir to redistribute the dressing and flavors. Garnish with additional cilantro leaves if desired.
Notes
Serve the Cowboy Caviar as a side dish alongside grilled meats, or as a flavorful dip with tortilla chips. You can also enjoy it as a filling for tacos or alongside grilled chicken or fish.