Cowboy Caviar

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In this cowboy caviar recipe veggies, beans, herbs and spices are tossed in a delicious homemade dressing. Also known as Texas caviar, this recipe is light, flavorful, quick & easy appetizer or side dish!

a bowl of Cowboy Caviar surrounded by chips


This cowboy caviar (also known as Texas caviar) is a delicious and healthy appetizer to serve any time of the year.

Beans, veggies, herbs and spices are tossed in the most delicious homemade dressing for an irresistible dip perfect to feed a crowd!

It’s light and fresh and best served with your favorite tortilla chips! Plus, it’s gluten and dairy free, so it’s a great appetizer for guests with dietary restrictions!

up close photo of Cowboy Caviar

Cowboy Caviar Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions

overhead view of the ingredients in this Cowboy Caviar Recipe
  • Black Beans/Back Eyed Peas. You can choose 30 oz (about 3 cups) of your favorite beans including chickpeas, kidney beans, northern beans, etc.
  • Cherry tomatoes. You can use full-sized tomatoes such as heirloom, Roma, etc. but dice them into small pieces.
  • Red onion. Green onion, yellow onion, or white onion are great substitutes.
  • Sweet corn. fresh corn cooked and cut off the cob, or thawed frozen corn both work well in this recipe
  • Olive oil. avocado oil is a good substitute.
  • Lime juice. Fresh or bottled are both great choices.
  • White wine vinegar. You can substitute any vinegar you’d like here – my recommendations are red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
  • Honey. you can use sugar or maple syrup in place of honey.
  • Mustard. use your favorite variety – we prefer Dijon.
  • Optional: for heat you can add jalapeño, chili powder or cayenne pepper. We prefer the mild version
a bowl of cowboy caviar with a chip in it and surrounding it

How to Make Cowboy Caviar

Let’s walk through how to make Texas caviar step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.

Make the Dressing

Begin by making the dressing by whisking together all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl, then, set the dressing aside.

cowboy caviar dressing being whisked together in a small bowl

Assemble

Next, in a large bowl, combine all the cowboy caviar ingredients (including spices), except for the avocado.

Cowboy Caviar Recipe ingredients in a mixing bowl

Then, pour the dressing over the mixture. Stir until all the mixture in homogeneous- uniform throughout.

dressing being poured over the Cowboy Caviar in a large bowl

Once the cowboy caviar is well-mixed, taste and adjust spices (especially salt and pepper) to your liking.

Then, cover the bowl and chill for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Cowboy Caviar Recipe after being stirred

When you’re ready to serve, stir in the diced avocado, then transfer the cowboy caviar to a serving dish.

Once it’s situated in the serving bowl, garnish the Texas caviar with cilantro and enjoy with chips.

avocado being added to the cowboy caviar in a mixing bowl

Serve

Serve this cowboy caviar recipe chilled as an appetizer or side to your favorite dishes, here are some suggestions:

Cowboy Caviar in a serving bowl

How to Store Texas Caviar

Store leftover cowboy caviar in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

I don’t recommend freezing this recipe.

Cowboy Caviar in a serving bowl

Cowboy Caviar Recipe FAQs

Are cowboy caviar and Texas caviar the same?

Yes, they are two different names referring to the same recipe!

How long will Cowboy Caviar keep?

It lasts for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Can I make cowboy caviar spicy?

To add heat you can include jalapeño, chili powder or cayenne pepper. We prefer the mild version

a chip being dipped into Cowboy Caviar in a serving bowl

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Cowboy Caviar Recipe (Texas Caviar)

Laura
In this cowboy caviar recipe veggies, beans, herbs and spices are tossed in a delicious homemade dressing. Also known as Texas caviar, this recipe is light, flavorful, quick & easy appetizer or side dish!
5 from 3 votes
Course Appetizer, dip, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Mexican
Servings 16 Servings
Calories 229
Prep Time5 minutes
Chilling1 hour
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients 
 

  • 15 oz black beans drained and rinsed
  • 15 oz black eyed peas drained and rinsed
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
  • ½ cup red onion finely diced
  • 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 cups sweet corn
  • 1 red bell pepper finely diced
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon coriander
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 avocados diced

Dressing:

Instructions 

Make the dressing

  • Whisk together dressing ingredients in a small bowl, set aside.

Assemble the Cowboy Caviar

  • In a large bowl, combine all the cowboy caviar ingredients (including spices), except for the avocado.
  • Pour the dressing over the mixture and stir until evenly distributed.
  • Once the cowboy caviar is well-mixed, taste and adjust spices (especially salt and pepper) to your liking.
  • Cover and chill for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.
  • When you’re ready to serve, stir in the diced avocado, then transfer the cowboy caviar to a serving dish. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy with chips!

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions
  • Black Beans/Back Eyed Peas. You can choose 30 oz (about 3 cups) of your favorite beans including chickpeas, kidney beans, northern beans, etc.
  • Cherry tomatoes. Full-sized tomatoes such as heirloom, Roma, etc. can be used – just dice them into small pieces.
  • Red onion. Green onion, yellow onion, or white onion are great substitutes.
  • Sweet corn. Use fresh corn cooked and cut off the cob, or frozen corn that has been thawed.
  • Olive oil. avocado oil is a good substitute.
  • Lime juice. Fresh or bottled are both great choices.
  • White wine vinegar. You can substitute any vinegar you’d like here – my recommendations are red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
  • Honey. sugar or maple syrup can be used in place of honey.
  • Mustard. use your favorite variety – we prefer Dijon.
  • Optional: for heat you can add jalapeño, chili powder or cayenne pepper. We prefer the mild version.
Store
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 229kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 160mg | Potassium: 654mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 517IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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1 Comment

  1. 5 stars
    We have neighbors coming over tonight for a cook out so I thought I would make this…oh my gosh I am so sorry they won’t be able to try it, since apparently I am eating it all by myself instead right now.