A fresh, tangy, colorful bean salad or dip perfect for hot summer days. Bring this versatile, budget-friendly dish to your next tailgate or potluck. Vegan and Gluten-free.

I’m guessing your TikTok is also filled with endless recipe variations of cowboy caviar. Shay Mitchell and Bria Lem aren’t the only people obsessed with this recipe.

Or maybe you have seen the jarred cowboy caviar salsa from Trader Joes and thought… “Hmm how does that taste?!”

Initially, I wasn’t sure about this ingredient combo, but the fresh produce and lime vinaigrette pair perfectly with a side of salty, crunchy chips.  

Have a bunch of produce leftover at the end of the week? Turn it into cowboy caviar!

If you enjoy this fresh, summer recipe, you’ll love my Healthy Chicken Salad as well.

Why is it Called Cowboy Caviar?

Cowboy Caviar mixed together in a white bow. It is full of bell peppers, onion, beans, corn, avocado, fresh herbs, and a flavorful dressing. There are a few tortilla chips that are sitting on the side of the bowl.

Cowboy caviar, also known as Texas caviar, is a southern version of salsa and bean salad. Texan American chef, Helen Corbitt, aimed to make a dish that only used Texas-based ingredients.

Some say the name is inspired by the black-eyed peas in the recipe that resemble caviar. Others say the dish is called cowboy caviar because it’s a poor man’s version of real caviar.

Texas caviar is frequently served at barbecues and social gatherings in the south. This pickled salad is super versatile and has many interchangeable ingredients.

What is Texas caviar made of?

That’s the best thing about this recipe: it’s super customizable.

Ordinarily, the main ingredients are canned beans, corn, tomatoes, peppers, and onions – food most of us have at hand in our kitchen. It’s meant to be a super low-maintenance recipe.

However, I’ve seen countless recipe adaptations. I saw Bria Lem add pineapple to her latest recipe and thought that fruit could be a great way to add sweetness to the vinaigrette and veggies.

In addition to the original ingredients, have fun experimenting with adding nuts, dried fruit, proteins, and whatever produce you have in your fridge.

The possibilities are endless!

Ingredients for Cowboy Caviar

Cowboy Caviar is full of fresh, nutrient-dense produce and legumes!

Caviar Mix

Tomatoes, diced

Bell pepper, diced

Small red onion, finely diced

Jalapeno pepper, seeds removed & finely diced

Corn, drained, unsweetened, & unsalted)

Black beans, rinsed and rained

Avocado, pitted and diced

Cilantro, chopped

Dressing

Olive oil

Red wine vinegar

Chili powder

Cumin

Sugar or maple syrup

Garlic, minced

Lime juice

Sea salt

Sides

Tortilla chips

How to Make Cowboy Caviar

The recipe is fairly straightforward! No cooking, baking, or sautéing is needed.

Begin by combining the diced tomatoes, bell peppers, red onions, jalapeno peppers, corn, black beans, avocado, and cilantro.

Then, if you are serving fresh, wait to add in the avocado so that it stays nice and colorful!

Then, mix the olive oil, red wine vinegar, chili powder, cumin, sugar or maple syrup, garlic, lime juice, and salt in a small bowl or container.

Finally, add the dressing to the caviar and mix right before serving.

Make this recipe a couple of hours before an event for extra fresh flavors!

How to Store Cowboy Caviar

Though this dish tastes best fresh, you can also store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days and it still tastes great.

I like to keep the dressing separate if I’m storing it and then mix it into the salad before serving.

If you are always on the go, you could store these in meal prep containers for the week also! It is the perfect healthy treat to enjoy while on the go, or at work!

How to Serve Cowboy Caviar

The traditional method of serving cowboy caviar is like a dip with tortilla chips. Make a big bowl and share it with your friends and family.

Another fun way to enjoy this is over a baked potato!

Or, if you are feeling fun… Put the caviar in a tortilla and enjoy it as a vegan taco!

You can also have cowboy caviar as a salad or side to your proteins or entrees. This would be a great recipe to meal prep all your veggies for the week.

Whatever you choose to pair it with, I know it’ll be delicious!

I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR CREATIONS! YOU CAN USE “TRIED IT” ON PINTEREST OR SHARE ON INSTAGRAM BY TAGGING #SHUANGYSEATS

The top image shows the cowboy caviar mixed together in a bowl with tortilla chips on the side. The bottom image shows all of the prepped and chopped ingredients laid out.

Other fresh recipes you might like this summer:

Chinese Cucumber Salad

Fig Arugula Salad with Candied Walnuts

Baked Spinach Artichoke Dip

Cowboy Caviar mixed together in a white bow. It is full of bell peppers, onion, beans, corn, avocado, fresh herbs, and a flavorful dressing. There are a few tortilla chips that are sitting on the side of the bowl.

Get the recipe:Cowboy Caviar

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
A fresh, tangy, colorful bean salad or dip perfect for hot summer days.
5 stars (1 review)
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Ingredients

Caviar

  • Tomatoes diced
  • 1 bell pepper diced
  • 1 small red onion, finely diced)
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, finely diced
  • 1 15 oz can of corn drained, unsweetened, unsalted
  • 1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and rained
  • 2 avocado, pitted and diced *
  • ½ cup chopped cilantro

Dressing

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2-3 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tbsp sugar or maple syrup
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • Juice of 1-2 limes, ~3 tbsp
  • 1 tsp sea salt or to taste

Instructions 

  • Cut and combine the diced tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, jalapeno pepper, corn, black beans, avocado, and cilantro.
  • Mix the olive oil, red wine vinegar, chili powder, cumin, sugar or maple syrup, garlic, lime juice, and salt in a small container.
  • Add to the caviar before serving and mix.

Notes

*Use Avocado if serving it fresh, otherwise the avocado will turn brown
** You can also use ½ cup light Italian dressing

The Nutrition Facts above are specific to the ingredients I chose to use for this recipe, which may vary.

Author: Shuang Shuang Liang
Course: dip
Cuisine: American