Are you looking for an addictive appetizer that doesn't require any complicated cooking techniques? Trust me, this crowd-pleasing cowboy caviar recipe you'll want to make for your next event.
If you love eating cowboy caviar, you'll want try our recipes for copycat Chipotle corn salsa and Chipotle fresh tomato salsa.
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Ingredients
This easy cowboy caviar (a.k.a Texas Caviar) is made from scratch with all natural ingredients, so you won't find store bought Italian salad dressings in this recipe.
- Beans: We used canned black-eyed peas and black beans.
- Vegetables: We used bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, corn, jalapeño peppers and garlic.
- Vinaigrette: We used olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lime juice and jalapeño brine.
- Sweetener: White granulated sugar is used, but can be swapped with honey or maple syrup.
- Spices: We used cumin, chili powder, salt, black pepper and cilantro.
How to Make
Prep all your ingredients ahead of time for this cowboy caviar recipe. Cut the vegetables so they are small and similar in size. Drain and rinse the canned beans and corn.
- Place the shoepeg corn, black-eyed peas, and the black beans in a large bowl, then add the red, orange, and yellow bell peppers, jalapeños, cherry tomatoes, and red onion.
2. Stir all the beans and veggies together, so they are well combined.
3. To make the homemade dressing, place all the ingredients in a bowl.
4. Whisk them together until they are well blended.
5. Pour the homemade dressing over the chopped vegetables and beans, then stir until everything is well coated in the dressing. Cover the cowboy caviar with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 1 or 2 hours, so the flavors can meld.
6. Just before serving, squeeze on some more lime juice and add the chopped cilantro.
7. Stir well and adjust the seasonings to taste if desired.
8. Serve this cowboy caviar recipe cold with tortilla chips.
Recipe FAQs
Why is it called cowboy caviar?
In the 1940's, Helen Corbitt, a Neiman-Marcus chef, gets credit for making the first Texas caviar recipe. She first served it at a Houston country club and then served it on New Year's Eve at the Driskill Hotel in Austin, Texas with ingredients that grew in Texas. She add black eyed peas so her guests would have good luck in the new year, a tradition that is popular in the Southern U.S. Cowboy caviar and Texas caviar are both popular names for this dish.
What is cowboy caviar made of?
The classic dish is made from black eyed peas, black beans, corn, tomatoes, red onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, cilantro and a vinaigrette style dressing. This recipe isn't complete unless it has freshly squeezed lime juice. It is the secret ingredient, so don't leave it out.
What can I use instead of black eyed peas in cowboy caviar?
If you can't find canned black eyed peas at your local grocery store you can substitute with pinto beans, white navy beans or cannelini beans.
Is this recipe healthy?
Yes, it is. Half of a cup of cowboy caviar will give you 38% of your daily requirement for vitamin C, and 16% of your daily fiber intake. This recipe is also gluten free and vegan.
A ½ cup serving size of cowboy caviar is 180 calories and has 21.7g of carbs. For more nutritional information, scroll to the bottom of the recipe card.
Serve
Cowboy caviar is a versatile appetizer that can be served in many ways, but the most popular is with tortilla chips. Here are some other suggestions.
- Salsa: grilled chicken or fish
- Salad: on top of fresh green lettuce with feta cheese
- Side Dish: with scrambled eggs, on top of tacos
- Main Course: burrito bowl with rice, avocado, and taco sauce
Make ahead: If you want to make cowboy caviar the night before, only add the beans with the dressing. A few hours before serving, stir in the chopped vegetables. This way everything is the right texture and not too soft.
Store
- Storage: Refrigerate the cowboy caviar in an airtight container for up to two days. Keep in mind that tomatoes and avocados taste best fresh, so add those just before serving if you can. Stir before serving, taste and adjust seasonings.
- Freeze: Cowboy caviar doesn't freeze well with the tomatoes and avocado (if you decide to use).
- Leftovers: Give this new life by serving it in an omelet, over grilled steak or mix it into to cold, cooked rice.
Expert Tips
- Like it mild? The fresh jalapeños don't add any heat, only extra crunch. Leave in the seeds and membranes for a spicy kick.
- In a hurry? You can skip the chilling time, but cowboy caviar does taste better when it has time to marinate because the flavors meld together.
- Making for a dip? Cut the vegetables small, the size of a bean, so they can fit easily on a chip, and make sure that all of the ingredients the same size.
- Need a substitute for shoepeg corn? You can substitute sweet yellow corn (fresh, canned, or frozen).
- Need lower sodium? Use no salt black eyed peas and black beans, and frozen or fresh corn instead of canned.
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Recipe
Cowboy Caviar Recipe
Ingredients
Salad
- 15 ounce can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
- 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 11 ounce can white shoepeg corn, drained and rinsed
- 8.5 ounces grape tomatoes, finely chopped
- ½ rounded cup red onion, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup orange bell pepper, chopped
- ⅓ cup red bell pepper, chopped
- ⅓ cup yellow bell pepper, chopped
- ⅓ cup jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 medium lime, freshly squeezed
Dressing
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lime juice, from 3 medium limes
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon pickled jalapeño brine
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
Instructions
- Place all the salad ingredients except the cilantro in a large bowl and stir to combine.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, jalapeño brine, freshly squeezed lime juice, sugar, garlic, and spices until well combined. Alternatively, place in a mason jar and shake.
- Slowly pour dressing over the salad and stir well. Adjust seasonings to taste. Some people like it with more vinegar, sugar, salt, or lime juice.
- Cover the bowl and chill the cowboy caviar for 1 to 4 hours.
- Add the cilantro and more fresh lime juice before serving. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
- Cowboy caviar tastes best chilled with scoop-style tortilla chips.
Notes
- Want more spice? The fresh jalapeños only provide extra crunch, but if the seeds are left you'll have a spicy kick.
- Squeeze the lime juice fresh with a citrus press or reamer for the best flavor.
- Want the best texture? Cut the vegetables small and the same size, the size of a bean.
- Need a substitute for shoepeg corn? You can substitute sweet yellow corn (fresh, canned, or frozen).
- Need lower sodium? Use no salt black eyed peas and black beans, and frozen or fresh corn instead of canned.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on May 28, 2018 and was republished on January 24, 2020 and January 15, 2022 with reformatted content, additional information, and refreshed photos.
Carol S.
I’ve made this recipe several times over the last couple of years. Always a hit. I love that it’s gluten-free. Thank you!
Emma
We're thrilled that you enjoy this recipe so much, Carol! You're very welcome.
Alex
This caviar is so good! The garlic in it is delicious, the beans are tasty, and the peppers are crunchy. The cilantro adds flavor too. I could eat this almost every day--each bite is full of goodness.
Emma
Cowboy caviar is really tasty! thanks, Alex!
Beth
Cowboy caviar is super refreshing and delightfully crunchy. The onions and peppers are crunchy, and the beans, tomatoes, and corn are soft. It has a nice touch of flavor from the cilantro and lime. After marinating, the flavors are intense and tangy. I would definitely eat this anytime!
Emma
I love healthy, colorful, crunchy veggie salads like this, too!