Are you looking for a vegan appetizer that doesn't require any complicated cooking techniques? Our crowd-pleasing cowboy caviar recipe is so tasty you'll want to make it 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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Why This Recipe Works
- For the best texture, chop all your vegetables the same size, about the size of a bean. This way it will stay on your chip or Scoops corn chips.
- We use a delicious homemade dressing, so put those thoughts of using store bought out of your head.
- Chill the cowboy caviar for an hour or two, so the flavors can meld and improve.
- Add freshly squeezed lime juice and freshly chopped cilantro just before serving for brightness and a Tex-Mex flavor.
- It makes a big batch, so it's perfect for parties.
Ingredients
Our 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, grape 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 fresh cilantro.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
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.
- In a large bowl, place the following ingredients: the shoepeg corn, black-eyed peas, and the black beans, then add the red, orange, and yellow bell peppers, jalapeños, cherry tomatoes, and red onion.
- Stir all the beans and veggies together, so they are well combined.
- To make the homemade dressing, place all the ingredients in a bowl or in a large mason jar.
- Whisk them together until they are well blended, if placed in a bowl. Shake vigorously, if the dressing is in a mason jar.
- 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.
- Just before serving, squeeze the lime juice and add the chopped cilantro.
- Stir well and adjust the seasonings to taste if desired.
- Serve this cowboy caviar recipe cold with tortilla chips.
Recipe FAQs
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. She used Texas-grown ingredients, and added black eyed peas so her guests would have good luck in the new year. Cowboy caviar and Texas caviar are both popular names for this dish.
The classic dish is made from black eyed peas, black beans, corn, tomatoes, red onion, bell pepper, jalapeño, 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.
If you can't find canned black eyed peas at your local grocery store, you can substitute with pinto beans, white navy beans, or cannellini beans.
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 or with Scoops corn chips.
Here are some other creative suggestions. Serve it as a salsa with grilled chicken, fish or steak. It also tastes amazing with scrambled eggs or on top of tacos or in a burrito bowl. Make it a main course salad by adding shredded chicken.
If you're looking for other appetizers to serve with this recipe, try our recipes for sloppy joe sliders, boiled peanuts, dill pickle dip, refrigerator dill pickles, and buttermilk ranch dressing.
Store
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.
Storage: Refrigerate the cowboy caviar in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Keep in mind that tomatoes 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.
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, about the size of a bean, so they can fit easily on a chip, and make sure that all of the ingredients are the same size.
- Need a substitute for shoepeg corn? You can substitute sweet yellow corn.
- Need lower sodium? Use "no salt added" black eyed peas and black beans, and frozen or fresh corn instead of canned.
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Recipe
Cowboy Caviar
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
- 1 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
Equipment
Instructions
- Place all the salad ingredients except the cilantro in a large bowl and stir to combine.
- 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.
- Serve cold with tortilla chips or scoop chips and enjoy!
Notes
- Want more spice? The fresh jalapeños only provide extra crunch, but if the seeds are left in 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.
- Need lower sodium? Use no salt black eyed peas and black beans, and frozen or fresh corn instead of canned.
Nutrition
Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.
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!