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!
Cowboy Caviar
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
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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My hole family love this recipe. it’s just amazing how good it is.
I really recommend this recipe ❤️
Ma’am. That’s called ceviche.
We make ceviche with seafood, most often shrimp, scallops or shrimp!
lol no sir, it isn’t
I love this recipe and it’s a crowd pleaser each time. I did add a smidge more garlic and salt but it’s pretty perfect as written. Thank you for all your wonderful recipes.
This is great as written. I like to add some tajin to mine; as well as cumin and a touch of chipotle spice!
That would be delicious! Thanks for sharing.
So pico de gallo with a twist? Lmao I’ll try it but give credit where it’s due
This is quite different (both in ingredients and the dressing) compared to our pico de Gallo recipe, but equally delicious!
This is a great recipe as written. If you are watching your sugar, you can omit the sugar from the dressing, you won’t miss it especially if you use sweet corn :) To add a little extra Southwest flavor try putting a quarter teaspoon of cumin in the dressing. If you like it hotter, add some extra diced jalapeno or serrano peppers! This is a great topping addition to chicken burrito bowls too!
So so good!
This recipe is super bland. Only half a teaspoon of salt? I ended up doubling if not tripling pretty much all the seasoning.
Thanks for sharing, Caroline! You can definitely adjust the seasoning to your preference.
Crowd favorite. Friends loved it
Really good but I would add diced jalapenos
That would be a delicious addition, Bob! Thanks for sharing.
How much is a serving?
Each serving would be approximately ¼ cup.
So many great recipes on this site, but we did find this disappointing. As great as the combination of ingredients was, it was pretty darn tasteless. Even the teens left it. Sorry
Sorry to hear that, Mike! Thanks for trying this recipe.
I used this recipe as I had a bunch of leftover corn on the cob, and made it to use throughout the week. I didn’t add tomatoes or avocados so it could keep longer, but the flavor is spectacular!!! Will definitely be a staple in my fridge. ❤️
So it’s salsa
This is a great basic recipe. I made this a day ahead hoping the flavors would meld and ended up adding seasoning and lime juice. Also, the avocado will darken with time, I recommend adding it the day you plan to serve it if making ahead.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing your tips :)
When you made it ahead of time , did you add the dressing too?
Without modifications this would be a 4-star rating. I found it bland so I added additional (probably doubled) salt, lime, jalapeño and garlic powder. Then it was perfect!! So good and refreshing for a summer snack!❤️
Very good. I did add diced up peaches, black beans, black olives and didn’t have cilantro but added fresh basil. Will definitely make again!
So yummy and such a good refreshing summer dip!
i made this tonight for a shared dinner with my neighbor. it was super hot here in seattle, and i didnt want to heat up my kitchen. anyway, it turned out great and we both loved it. thank you for the recipe
Absolutely perfect recipe! Made it for a family get together and everyone said it was delicious. I did add a little more salt and garlic powder than the recipe called for but just barely. Spend with Pennie’s is my go to and always pulls through with the best recipes ever!
Thank you Vivian, so glad everyone loved this as much as we do!