Cowboy caviar, also known as Texas caviar, is a Southern dish that combines black-eyed peas, sweet corn, bell peppers, onions, jalapenos, tomatoes, and black beans into an unforgettable dip that can be served at your dinner party or game day.
Combined with a zesty vinaigrette dressing, this flavorful salsa dip will be a welcome addition to your next tailgate party or family gathering.
Our cowboy caviar is packed with fresh vegetables and a little heat. This versatile dish can be served with corn chips or as a side salad at summer gatherings.
You’ll love this combination of ingredients; it’s bright and colorful and bursting with flavor. After one bite, you’ll agree that this is the best Texas caviar you’ve ever made.
Our cowboy caviar recipe is easily adaptable. It can be made with the ingredients you enjoy eating, so have fun making this Southern classic.
If you enjoyed this delicious dip, try our eggplant caponata recipe; it’s another delicious dip your whole family will enjoy.
Ingredients
Gather the ingredients to prepare our cowboy caviar recipe. Culinary professionals call this the “Mise en Place,” which means “everything in its Place.”
Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also ensures you have all the necessary ingredients on hand to make the recipe.
Can I use other ingredients to make Cowboy Caviar?
Absolutely. If you’re not a fan of black beans, you can use pinto beans, chili beans, or your favorite canned beans. If you prefer, you can make our Texas caviar recipe with green bell peppers or red bell peppers.
White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar can be used instead of red wine vinegar. For a flavor boost, you can also substitute ¼ of the vinegar of your choice with balsamic vinegar.
I used regular fresh tomatoes to make this dip, but Roma tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, or grape tomatoes can also be used. You can also use canned diced roasted tomatoes to make this delicious dip; just make sure to drain off the excess juice.
You can change up the seasonings by adding chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, or black pepper. Add a little cayenne pepper if you’d like to turn up the heat. Use your favorite seasonings and fresh herbs to create the flavor profile you enjoy eating.
How to make Cowboy Caviar
Follow along with my simple step-by-step instructions to learn how to make cowboy caviar in your home kitchen.
Dice the bell pepper, jalapeño pepper, red onion, and tomato, and set the chopped fresh veggies aside until needed.
- In a small bowl, add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime juice, garlic, salt, smoked paprika, and cumin.
- Whisk to thoroughly combine the ingredients, and set aside until needed.
- Drain and rinse the black-eyed peas and black beans and add them to a large bowl. Drain the can of sweet corn and add it to the same bowl. Then, add the diced fresh vegetables to the bean and corn mixture.
- Stir to combine the ingredients.
- Pour the dressing over top of the vegetable bean mixture.
- Gently stir to thoroughly combine the dressing with the dip ingredients.
*If time permits, cover the Texas caviar with plastic wrap and refrigerate for two hours or until ready to serve.
Serve the cowboy caviar with your favorite tortilla chips or other dipper favorites like pita chips, bagel chips, or pretzel chips.
I promise this simple dip is sure to be a hit whether you serve it at a dinner party, game day, or potluck.
Save any leftover Texas caviar refrigerated in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Recipe FAQ’s
The zesty vinaigrette dressing is one of the main reasons this delicious dip is hard to resist. Its combination with tortilla chips, crackers, and other dippers, as well as its use as a condiment on tacos and burritos, makes it extremely popular.
This flavorful dip is usually served cold or at room temperature, making it the perfect dish for tailgating, picnics, and potlucks.
Yes, the basic recipe is vegan and gluten-free, suitable for a wide range of dietary preferences.
More Recipes You’ll Love!
Cowboy Caviar Recipe (Texas Caviar)
Ingredients
- 16 oz black eyed peas rinsed and drained (one can)
- 16 oz black beans rinsed and drained
- 16 oz sweet corn drained (one can) – frozen corn can be used
- 2 medium tomatoes diced
- 1 bell pepper diced – orange for color
- 1-2 small jalapenos diced (this is optional if you're not a fan of heat)
- 1 cup red onion diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic finely diced
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika or sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro finely chopped for garnish (or chopped Italian parsley)
Instructions
Dressing
- Dice the tomatoes, bell pepper, jalapeno, and red onion and set aside until needed.
- Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime juice, garlic, salt, smoked paprika, and cumin into a small bowl and whisk to thoroughly combine. Set aside until needed.
- Drain and rinse the black-eyed peas and black beans and add them to a large bowl. Drain the can of sweet corn and add it to the same bowl.
- Add the diced vegetables to the bean and corn mixture and stir to combine.
- Pour the dressing over top of the vegetable bean mixture and gently stir to thoroughly combine.
- If time allows, cover the Texas caviar with plastic wrap and refrigerate for two hours or until ready to serve. It can be made up to 12-24 hours in advance but will be at its best after 2-4 hours after assembling the dip.
- Serve with your favorite tortilla chips or other dipper favorites like pita chips, bagel chips, or pretzel chips.
Lisa B says
Spot on dish! Made with just Black Beans, turned out great. Thanks for another great recipe Chef.
Serena Cheng says
This is a fabulous blog post. Thanks for sharing it!