Cowboy Caviar (Texas Caviar Dip)

Everybody loves Cowboy Caviar! This simple dip made with fresh ingredients is ready in under 20 minutes and pairs perfectly with tortilla chips as an appetizer, salad, or side dish.

A Texas chef named Helen Corbitt had the idea to combine all of these Tex-Mex ingredients together to create a chunky salsa now known as Cowboy Caviar, and she deserves some serious kudos.

Because Cowboy Caviar might actually be the perfect food.

It’s made with fresh produce including ripe avocados, peppers, red onions, juicy tomatoes, and cilantro.

Then we add beans for protein and corn for sweetness before finishing it off with a bright and tangy dressing featuring fresh lime juice and olive oil.

You can eat Texas Caviar as a side dish or salad, or serve it as a dip with crunchy tortilla chips. The same goes for my tasty and cheesy Mexican Street Corn Salad.

If you need more dipping inspiration, try my Smoked Queso recipe. It’s also perfect with tortilla chips and easy to make in your outdoor smoker!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

1. It’s So Easy to Make – Just chop up your veggies and then stir everything together! It takes less than 15 minutes to create this dip, so it’s great for last-minute parties or days when you just don’t want to spend a lot of time cooking.
2. No Cooking Required – Canned beans and corn are combined with fresh, raw veggies to make cowboy caviar. It’s a wonderful summertime dish that won’t heat up your kitchen.
3. Versatile Recipe – Cowboy caviar can be a dip, a salad, or a topping for grilled meats, fish, or even tacos! It’s very versatile, and always delicious, no matter how you serve it.

Key Ingredients in Cowboy Caviar

Here’s what you need to make this delicious and easy dip/salad/side dish:

• Beans and Corn: To make things simple, use canned black beans, black eyed peas, and sweet corn. Be sure to drain and rinse the beans and corn well to remove excess liquid and sodium.
• Peppers: Bell peppers add crunch and jalapeno peppers add a bit of heat to the mix. Mince the jalapeno more finely than the green bell pepper, and be sure to remove the seeds.
• Avocado: One ripe avocado gives cowboy caviar a bit of creaminess in every bite.
• Tomatoes, Red Onion, and Cilantro: For more delicious and fresh Tex-Mex flavor!
• For the Dressing: You’ll need olive oil, vinegar, a bit of sugar, and the juice of one lime.

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

How To Make Cowboy Caviar

1. Make the Dressing: In a large salad bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, sugar, salt, and black pepper until the sugar is dissolved and the dressing is well combined.
2. Prepare the Cowboy Caviar: To the same bowl, add the black beans, black-eyed peas, corn kernels, green bell pepper, avocado, tomatoes, jalapeno, chopped cilantro, and red onion.
3. Dress: Toss everything together until well coated with the dressing.
4. Chill and Serve: Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to blend together. Stir again before serving.

Recipe Tips

• Fresh ingredients are key. Be sure that your avocado is perfectly ripe, and that your other produce is fresh. It’s also important to use fresh lime juice, not the stuff that comes from a bottle.
• Keep the avocado green. Don’t add the avocado to the salad until you’re ready to pour over the dressing. The lime juice will keep the avocado from browning too quickly.
• Any type of vinegar can be used in the dressing, but I suggest plain white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Others might have too much flavor that will overpower the dish.
• If you want extra spice, add more jalapeno, or add a dash of chili powder or hot sauce to the dressing.
• You can also skip the jalapeno altogether if you don’t want your dip to be spicy.
• I add a bit less sugar to this recipe than I’ve seen in other recipes. You can add more or less to taste.
• You can easily double this recipe if you’re serving a large crowd. Simply double all of the ingredients.
• I suggest chilling the salad for at least 30 minutes before eating it. The flavors meld together in that time in the best way!

Storing Tips

Cowboy Caviar can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, although it’s best when eaten fresh due to the avocado. If you plan to make it ahead, add the avocado just before serving to keep it from browning.

What To Serve With Cowboy Caviar

The easiest way to serve cowboy caviar is with a big bowl of corn tortilla chips on the side for dipping.

You can also use this fresh salsa like you might use pico de gallo, as a topping for tacos and nachos.

Try it with my Salmon Tacos, Grilled Shrimp Tacos, or Shredded Chicken Tacos.

Or serve it on the side of Carne Asada, Stuffed Poblano Peppers, Breakfast Burritos, or Fajita Chicken Kabobs.

Turn Cowboy Caviar into a hearty full-meal salad, and top it with grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken or Smoked Flank Steak

For a matching dessert, try Mexican Fruit Salad, Easy Churro Bites, or Sopapillas Cheesecake Squares!

Recipe FAQs

Can I make cowboy caviar ahead of time?

Yes, you can make this dip up to 3 days ahead of time. I suggest adding the avocado just before serving though.

Is there rice in cowboy caviar?

You can make a heartier dish, sometimes called Cowboy Rice Salad, by mixing this recipe with a cup or so of cold cooked rice.

Can I use dried beans in cowboy caviar?

While canned beans are convenient, dry beans are very inexpensive and lower in sodium. You can use dried beans, but you’ll need to cook them first.

Can this be made with fresh corn?

Yes! If you have fresh sweet corn, it will be delicious in cowboy caviar. Cook it first, then remove the kernels from the cobb. You’ll need about a cup of corn to replace the can.

It won’t take long for you to commit this easy recipe for Cowboy Caviar to memory, but for now, make sure to Pin it or save it so that you have all the details!