Cowboy Caviar Recipe – Oh Candy Basil

This cowboy caviar recipe is the final word straightforward, wholesome dip— loaded with black beans, black-eyed peas, avocado, corn, bell peppers, and daring Southwest flavors. It’s the right make-ahead appetizer, potluck facet dish, or perhaps a mild vegetarian meal. Whereas everybody appears to have their very own spin on cowboy caviar, I’ve to say, this one’s the perfect! It’s recent, colourful, full of plant-based protein, and completely crowd-pleasing.

Watch this How Cowboy Caviar is Made…

a photo of a large white bowl full of cowboy caviar consisting of black beans, black eyed peas, diced tomatoes, avocados, green bell pepper, corn, black olives and fresh cilantro.

The primary time I ever had cowboy caviar was actually just a little embarrassing. Cade and I had been broke newlyweds at a operate with folks we barely knew, and I used to be totally ready to take pleasure in a beneficiant unfold with out spending a dime. However then I noticed a giant bowl of what seemed like… a bunch of bizarre beans. I hesitated.

Cade, alternatively, scooped up an enormous serving to and devoured it prefer it was the perfect factor he’d ever eaten. So I gave it a strive, after which went again for seconds… and thirds. That’s when issues acquired just a little awkward. A candy girl throughout the room smiled and mentioned, “I can see you actually love that! Let me provide the recipe!” And, effectively, she wasn’t unsuitable. I’ve been making it ever since.

a bowl of texas caviar loaded with beans, fresh vegetables all mixed with an Italian dressing.

What I Love About This Recipe

This recipe is completely versatile. If I’m quick on one sort of bean, I simply double up on one other. You possibly can keep on with the basic model or make it your individual with no matter you’ve acquired available. It’s easy, scrumptious, and all the time a success.

I really like that you simply get that creamy coolness from the avocados with some crunch from the peppers. I really like the candy and the little trace of spicy… mmmmm so yummy. And, it’s straightforward, which is nice for whenever you need one thing actually tasty however you don’t have quite a lot of time to place one thing tremendous fancy collectively. It’s simply easy and scrumptious. Simply the way it ought to be.

What’s Cowboy Caviar?

Okay, again to the recipe! Cowboy caviar, or Texas caviar, is a salad with black beans, black-eyed peas, recent corn kernels, Roma tomatoes, and a light-weight vinaigrette-style dressing. Numerous recent greens (diced small) are combined with the beans. It’s alleged to look just like caviar, with all of the components being comparable in measurement to the beans. It’s the excellent factor to deliver to a summer season BBQ as a dip, appetizer, or the right summer season facet dish! Be ready to be requested to deliver it to each occasion from right here on out.

Is This Cowboy Caviar Recipe Wholesome?

With regards to dip recipes, that is nearly as wholesome because it will get. It’s vegan and gluten-free, and oh so scrumptious! Beans are a terrific supply of protein, and all these recent greens are stuffed with nutritional vitamins and vitamins. In case you are involved about fats or energy, you possibly can reduce the Italian dressing that you simply add or omit the avocados. Although avocados are the perfect sort of fats! Mmmmmm…I really like them!

a large white serving bowl full of cowboy caviar consisting of beans, diced avocado, corn, sliced olives, diced bell pepper, tomatoes all topped with an Italian recipe.

What Goes in This Cowboy Caviar Recipe?

You’ll begin your grocery procuring on the canned items aisle after which find yourself spending most of your time within the produce part. I completely love how recent and wholesome this dip is! Here’s what you have to:

Contemporary Produce

Bell Pepper: Any shade works nice or a mixture of colours… so fairly!
Diced Roma Tomatoes or Grape Tomatoes: Use Italian or Mexican-style tomatoes when you use canned, and make sure you drain them effectively.
Pink Onion: Cube it up pretty small.
Avocados: Search for ripe avocados. I like to chop them small whereas nonetheless within the pores and skin after which scoop them out.
Cilantro: Chop it up good and small.
Lime: You’ll use the zest and juice. It provides the perfect punch of taste!

Pantry Items

Black Olives: We wish to get the medium measurement after which slice them up.
Frozen Corn or Hominy: You possibly can add the corn in frozen. It doesn’t take lengthy to thaw in any respect.
Black-eyed Peas: You’ll want to drain and rinse them effectively.
Black Beans: We additionally use canned beans, however you may completely make your individual if you wish to use dried beans. Simply make sure that they’ve cooled fully.
Italian Dressing: Be happy to decide on your favourite store-bought model, or you can also make it from scratch with olive oil, crimson wine vinegar, and a few primary pantry seasonings.
Diced Inexperienced Chiles: You possibly can play with the warmth just a little right here and get gentle, medium, or scorching chiles.
Cumin: Simply the tiniest little bit of cumin provides the perfect taste.
Salt and Pepper: Style as you go as you add the S & P and season to style.

The measurements of all of the components will be discovered within the recipe card on the finish of the submit.

a photo of a large white serving bowl full of cowboy caviar salsa.

Methods to Make This Cowboy Caviar Recipe

It’s all about recent components, vivid flavors, and a fast prep that makes this straightforward cowboy caviar supreme for busy nights, potlucks, or snacky weekends at dwelling. Comply with these easy steps, and also you’ll have a colourful bowl of cowboy caviar able to go very quickly.

Drain: Rinse and drain the black beans, black-eyed peas, olives, and canned tomatoes (if utilizing).
Chop: Cube the bell peppers, onions, tomatoes (if recent), avocado, and cilantro into small items.
Toss: Add all of the veggies, beans, corn, and inexperienced chiles into a big bowl.
Season: Zest and juice the lime over the combo, then sprinkle within the cumin, salt, and pepper.
Gown: Pour Italian dressing over every thing and gently combine till effectively mixed.
Chill: Cowl and refrigerate for at the least half-hour to let the flavors come collectively.
Serve: Spoon it up with tortilla chips, add to tacos, or take pleasure in as a salad!

Extra detailed directions will be discovered within the recipe card under.

Variations for Texas Caviar

In reality, you possibly can completely mess around with the flavors, too. Need extra chew? Add some jalapeños or a tsp of chili powder. Need half hominy and half corn? Go for it! When are these issues ever a nasty factor? By no means! This recipe is completely versatile and will be custom-made to your liking. You possibly can omit stuff you don’t like or change up something. Use pinto beans or kidney beans as an alternative of black beans.

a photo of a large white serving bowl full of all ingredients for bean salsa being stirred together with a metal spoon.

How To Make This Cowboy Caviar Recipe right into a Meal

Cowboy caviar is likely to be mostly eaten as a dip with tortilla chips, however in our home, it’s a lot greater than that. I’ll fortunately eat it straight as a facet dish, and if we’ve got any left after dinner with mates, it’s 100% my lunch the following day! Pure heaven!! We’ve spooned it over tacos, burritos, and taco salads, combined it with rice for a hearty facet, and even tossed it with lettuce to show it into a fast salad. On busy nights, it turns into a full meal.

I really like piling it onto baked candy potatoes, tossing it with heat quinoa and feta, tucking it into wraps with grilled hen, or scooping it into crisp lettuce cups. It’s budget-friendly, versatile, and all the time satisfying! It’s a kind of fridge staples I depend on after I want one thing straightforward that also feels recent and nourishing. Plus, it’s completely kid-friendly!

How Lengthy Will This Cowboy Caviar Recipe Hold?

Cowboy caviar will hold as much as 5 days within the fridge. It ought to be lined with plastic wrap or positioned in an hermetic container. It doesn’t freeze effectively as a result of a few of the components don’t maintain up within the freezer.

It is a nice make-ahead recipe and truly tastes higher after it sits for some time to let the flavors meld. You can also make it as much as 3-4 days forward of time, however when you can let it sit for just a few hours (as much as in a single day) earlier than serving, that’s the actual candy spot!

PRO TIP: Don’t add the avocados and cilantro till proper earlier than serving.

Suggestions for Making This Cowboy Caviar Recipe

Let it relaxation: The magic actually occurs after it sits. Even simply half-hour of chill time helps the flavors soak into the beans and are available collectively superbly. I often make it a day forward and let it relaxation in a single day for the perfect taste.
Make it forward: It is a lifesaver for large occasions or holidays. You possibly can prep it as much as a day or two upfront, which makes entertaining a lot simpler.
Wait on the avocado: Add the avocados simply earlier than serving to maintain them recent and vibrant. No one desires a brown avocado of their cowboy caviar!
Stir effectively earlier than serving: The dressing tends to settle on the backside, so give it a extremely good combine to redistribute all that goodness.

a photo of a large ceramic white bowl full of Texas salsa including black bean and black-eyed peas and chopped bell peppers, onions, corn, avocado, tomatoes and cilantro.

Okay, right here it goes…I’m going there (use your greatest cowboy accent)…so saddle up, companion, and cargo up your plate stuffed with this right here scrumptious cowboy caviar. It’s recent, scrumptious, completely irresistible, and downright purdy with all these lovely, vivid veggies! Yeeeeeeehaw!