Healthy Cowboy Caviar
This homemade cowboy caviar recipe is made with all-natural ingredients! Serve it as salad or dip—it'll be a hit at your next party. Vegan and gluten free.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Active time
- 30 min
- Yield
- 8, 8 cups
- Difficulty
- Medium
Ingredients and Constraints
Ingredients
- Optional
Ingredient watchpoints14 watchpoints
Short requirements and tradeoffs to check while gathering ingredients; detailed source notes stay expandable.
Black-Eyed Peas
2 cans (14 ounces each) black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained, or 3 cups cooked black-eyed peas
The source row includes a form, size, temperature, preparation, or handling detail.
Details and source
Source: Cowboy Caviar
Black Beans
1 can (14 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans
The source row includes a form, size, temperature, preparation, or handling detail.
Details and source
Source: Cowboy Caviar
Corn Kernels
1 1/2 cups fresh or defrosted frozen corn kernels (about 2 ears of corn), or 1 can (14 ounces) corn, drained
The source row includes a form, size, temperature, preparation, or handling detail.
Details and source
Source: Cowboy Caviar
Tomatoes
1 1/2 cups chopped ripe tomatoes (about 3/4 pound)
The source row includes a form, size, temperature, preparation, or handling detail.
Details and source
Source: Cowboy Caviar
Bell Pepper
1 medium red, orange or yellow bell pepper, chopped
The source row includes a form, size, temperature, preparation, or handling detail.
Details and source
Source: Cowboy Caviar
Red Onion
3/4 cup chopped red onion (about 1/2 small red onion)
The source row includes a form, size, temperature, preparation, or handling detail.
Details and source
Source: Cowboy Caviar
Cilantro
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, leaves and stems
The source row includes a form, size, temperature, preparation, or handling detail.
Details and source
Source: Cowboy Caviar
Jalapeño Pepper
1 to 2 jalapeños, ribs removed, seeded and finely chopped
The source row includes a form, size, temperature, preparation, or handling detail.
Details and source
Source: Cowboy Caviar
Avocado
1 avocado (optional)
The source row includes a form, size, temperature, preparation, or handling detail.
Details and source
Source: Cowboy Caviar
Red Wine Vinegar
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar or lime juice
The source ingredient row lists alternatives.
Details and source
Acceptable alternatives: Lime Juice
Source: Cowboy Caviar
Garlic
2 medium cloves garlic, pressed or minced
The source row includes a form, size, temperature, preparation, or handling detail.
Details and source
Source: Cowboy Caviar
Salt
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, to taste
The source row includes a form, size, temperature, preparation, or handling detail.
Details and source
Source: Cowboy Caviar
Maple Syrup
1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
The source ingredient row lists alternatives.
Details and source
Acceptable alternatives: Honey
Source: Cowboy Caviar
Black Pepper
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
The source row includes a form, size, temperature, preparation, or handling detail.
Details and source
Source: Cowboy Caviar
Additional ingredient notes
Cowboy Caviar Ingredients
Required setup
Techniques
Method Overview
Structured method notes that are separate from the step timeline.
Black-Eyed Peas and Black Beans
Bell Pepper and Jalapeño
Red Onion and Cilantro
Method Timeline
Prep
ActivePrep
30 min
Prep time from the source recipe card.
Total
PassiveTotal
30 min
Total time from the source recipe card.
Step 1
In a large serving bowl, combine the drained black-eyed peas, black beans, corn, chopped tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, cilantro and jalapeño. If you'll be including avocado, wait to dice it until you're ready to serve the dip, so it doesn't turn brown in the meantime.
Image detailshow to make cowboy caviarCookie And Kate · Cowboy CaviarDev reference Visual cue
until you're ready to serve the dip, so it doesn't turn brown in the meantime.
Checks2
Visual cueInfoVisualuntil you're ready to serve the dip, so it doesn't turn brown in the meantime.
Expected state: until you're ready to serve the dip, so it doesn't turn brown in the meantime.
ServiceMain recipeSource service instruction
In a large serving bowl, combine the drained black-eyed peas, black beans, corn, chopped tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, cilantro and jalapeño. If you'll be including avocado, wait to dice it until you're ready to serve the dip, so it doesn't turn brown in the meantime.
Inputs and tools8
Uses
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 avocado (optional)
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, leaves and stems
- 3/4 cup chopped red onion (about 1/2 small red onion)
- 1 medium red, orange or yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups chopped ripe tomatoes (about 3/4 pound)
- 1 can (14 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans
- 2 cans (14 ounces each) black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained, or 3 cups cooked black-eyed peas
Why and source
This step has reviewed source-backed guidance.
- Source: Cowboy Caviar
Step 2
In a cup, whisk together the dressing ingredients until well blended. Drizzle the dressing over the serving bowl and toss until well mixed. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. If you'd like the salad to have more of a pickled flavor, add another tablespoon of vinegar, or for more richness, add another tablespoon or two of olive oil.
Step 3
For best flavor, let the mixture marinate for at least 20 minutes before serving. If you're adding avocado, mix it in just before serving.
Handling and Storage
Reviewed hold, storage, make-ahead, and service-timing guidance.
Optional Avocado
How to Serve Texas Caviar
Notes
Learn More
Extra cooking notes, tests, and source details kept out of the step-by-step method.
Why this works
Quick kitchen reasons behind the main choices.
Corn
Tomatoes
More Fresh Bean Salads to Make
Article photos
Photos used with the article notes.
Source: Cowboy Caviar
Recipe structure
Components and intermediate outputs created by the method.
Main recipe
Recipe card ingredients and steps.
8, 8 cups
Dressing
Source step 2 creates or uses dressing.
Mixture
Source step 3 creates or uses mixture.
Extra useful notes
Short source-backed recommendations and facts that do not need a step.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Don’t forget the chips!
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Don’t forget the chips! I also like to turn this dip into a green salad by serving it on lettuce with a squeeze of lime, some crumbled feta and a sprinkle of crushed corn chips or toasted pepitas.
STORAGE SUGGESTIONS: This dip keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days.
STORAGE SUGGESTIONS: This dip keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days.
Recipe Utilities
Account actions, source details, export, and reporting stay available without interrupting the cooking flow.
Source and Origin
Origin declaration
Adapted from source
Imported from the cookie-and-kate page for dev review.
Copy risk: Unchecked
Cowboy Caviar
Article
View source
My Kitchen Actions
Login is required.
My Kitchen keeps saved recipes, private notes, adaptations, cooking logs, imports, and exports tied to your account.
Export
Public recipe exports include only approved public content. Personal backup exports require login.
Export history
No exports yet.