Cowboy Caviar is one recipe everyone raves about!
A fresh, simple dip that can be thrown together in under 15 minutes!
This Cowboy Caviar makes a great side dish for any picnic, potluck, or party, and is a great way to use up your summer produce!
I tried cowboy caviar for the first time at a potluck last summer and was instantly obsessed
I didn’t expect it from this unassuming, summery dip that at first glance I confused with chunky salsa or pico de gallo, but one bite and I knew that I was hooked for life.
The saltiness of the chips combined with the freshness of the tomatoes, the crispness of the pepper, the subtle heat of the jalapeno, the faint hint of lime and garlic…. It was heaven.
A replication of the highest order was necessary, and since that first fateful bite last year, I have perfected my own recipe for cowboy caviar and I am so excited to share it with you today.
I made this cowboy caviar for my family last weekend for Easter, and after baking both my signature carrot cake and coffee cake for brunch, I wanted something a little less sweet, and definitely something that wouldn’t require turning on the oven.
This cowboy caviar is easy to make, just a matter of chopping your veggies and tossing everything together.
If you ask me, the trick to the best possible cowboy caviar is to dice the ingredients that need dicing (the tomatoes, onion, pepper, etc — not the beans!) very small, the smaller the better. Try to keep your tomato and avocado pieces petite rather than big and chunky (about bean-sized works great!). An easy way to do this is with my favorite chopper, including for the tomatoes!
To easily cut my avocado, I like to slice it in half and then score it into small pieces using my knife, then just scoop everything out into the bowl with a large spoon!
Everyone who tried this cowboy caviar loved it and the bowl was scraped clean in record time.
P.S. As you can see in the pictures, I love serving these with tortilla chips, but cowboy caviar also tastes amazing eaten straight by the spoon!
Ingredients
- 3 Roma tomatoes seeds removed, diced
- 2 avocados diced
- ⅓ cup diced red onion
- 15 ounces canned black beans 1 can, rinsed and drained
- 15 ounces canned black eyed peas 1 can, rinsed and drained
- 1 ½ cups frozen corn kernels thawed
- 1 bell pepper diced, any color
- 1 jalapeño seeds removed, finely diced
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Tortilla chips for serving
DRESSING
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Combine tomatoes, avocado, onion, black beans, black eyed peas, corn, pepper, jalapeno pepper, and cilantro in a large bowl. Toss/stir well so that ingredients are well-combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, red wine vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Pour dressing over other ingredients and stir/toss very well.
- Keep refrigerated. If not serving immediately, be sure to toss/stir well before serving.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Appetizer
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Easy, delicious and healthy! Better second day!3
I made this and brought it to a family gathering. It was a huge hit. We loved it and next time I will have to double the recipe and make more. Thanks for this recipe.
Can this be frozen?
While you can freeze leftovers, the fresh vegetables will change texture when defrosted. If you do have frozen leftovers they’re great added to soups and chilis as they’re simmering.
Is this gluten free? Thank you
You will want to check your individual ingredients you are using to ensure they are gluten free but it should be.
I am even lazier. I use Italian dressing and it turns out great. no complaints from anyone!
I am happy to hear that! Thanks for trying our recipe, Kellie!
Not much flavor compared to others
I’ve been making this for years, everyone loves it and I don’t change a thing ❤️
This was a hit. It’s always a compliment when someone asks for your recipe, which happened at our get together today. So fresh and delicious.
I forgot red wine vinegar so i just used zesty italian dressing
I have made this 3x’s this week. My family can’t get enough of it. I’m excited to make it with fresh homegrown tomatoes and I think fresh corn “grilled” would be delicious too!
There is nothing I would change except I added a can of red beans in addition to the black beans and black eyed peas.
Great great recipe! Thank you so much for sharing this
<3
Perfect amount of spice and the avocado makes it so filling.
I love this recipe! I made it for Memorial Day and even the kids loved it!
Top notch
I don’t change a thing and it’s delicious! Actually I used canned corn just because that’s what I had. The longer it sits the tastier it is! Thank you!
Great recipe! I have tried many recipes by Holly and they have all turned out good.
It was a hit. Loved the Avocado in it.
A delicious fresh recipe that is very tasty and colorful. It has always been one of my favorites!
I’m giving this 5 stars even though I haven’t made it yet. I’ll be making it soon. I just want to leave this comment: Like a lot of “simple” recipes that can be “thrown together in under 15 minutes” – not by me. I cook from scratch, so I will be making two kinds of beans. It’s not difficult, but it does take a couple hours. I will also be shucking, cutting, and lightly cooking fresh corn.
Amazing!
Hi! I’m making this for a party. Any recommendations on how to keep the avocado without browning? Or will the lime juice in the dressing help prevent fast browning? This is my first time making this and I’m excited :)
You can make this 24 hours before serving. If making ahead of time, I recommend adding the avocado just before serving to help prevent it from browning.