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Cowboy Caviar

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a bowl of Cowboy Caviar with tortilla chips
Plenty of colorful veggies, beans, and a tangy vinaigrette makes this cowboy caviar a tasty dip to serve at gatherings or any time a chip craving arises.
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Table of Contents
  1. Cowboy Caviar Ingredients
  2. Substitutions And Additions
  3. How To Make This Cowboy Caviar Recipe
  4. How To Serve This Cowboy Caviar Dip
  5. Storing This Cowboy Salsa
  6. Why We Love This Recipe
  7. Frequently Asked Questions
  8. More Recipes You’ll Love
  9. JUMP TO RECIPE

When planning a party, nothing sounds more appetizing than a bowl full of salsa and chips, and this cowboy caviar is just that, but with a twist! Way better than traditional salsa, this dip boasts twelve different types of beans and colorful vegetables tossed with a simple vinaigrette.

a bowl of Cowboy Caviar with tortilla chips

Cowboy Caviar Ingredients

Cowboy Caviar raw ingredients that are labeled
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Cowboy caviar is a vibrant Southwestern salad bursting with flavor. It combines diced Roma tomatoes, sweet corn, creamy black beans, buttery avocados, crunchy bell peppers, spicy jalapeño, and aromatic cilantro.

The zesty dressing made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, and a touch of sugar ties everything together, creating a blend of sweet, spicy, creamy, and tangy.

You’ll need:

For The Salad:

  • 6 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced (3½ cups)
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can of yellow corn, drained
  • 1 (15.25-ounce) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 avocados, peeled, seeded, and diced
  • 1 red pepper, seeded and diced (1½ cups)
  • 1 orange bell pepper, seeded and diced (1½ cups)
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
  • ½ cup of red onion, finely diced (½ medium-sized red onion)
  • ½ cup of sweet yellow onion, finely diced (½ medium-sized onion)
  • 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1 tablespoon of fresh minced garlic
  • 4 tablespoons of fresh lime juice

For The Dressing:

  • ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup of red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon of fresh cracked pepper

PRO TIP:

If you don’t feel like chopping all those fresh veggies, canned vegetables work just as well in this easy cowboy caviar.

Substitutions And Additions

PEPPERS: You can use any color of bell peppers you wish in this simple salsa.

SPICY: If you enjoy very spicy salsa, you can use two finely diced jalapeños or even a dash of hot sauce in this recipe.

DRESSING: You can substitute zesty Italian salad dressing for the red wine vinegar dressing.

CILANTRO: If you are not a fan of cilantro, you can substitute green onions instead.

ONIONS: Customize the onion flavor by using shallots for a milder, slightly sweet taste or green onions for a mild, fresh crunch.

Red onions can be substituted with white or yellow onions if that’s what you have on hand.

BLACK BEANS: If you’re looking to switch things up, consider using pinto beans or kidney beans instead of black beans.

LIME JUICE: Lemon juice can be used as an alternative to lime juice. It provides a similar tangy zing but with a slightly different citrusy flavor.

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL: For a unique twist, experiment with flavored olive oils like garlic-infused or chili-infused olive oil to add an extra layer of complexity to the dressing.

RED WINE VINEGAR: Swap out red wine vinegar with apple cider vinegar for a sweeter, milder tang.

Balsamic vinegar can also work if you’re aiming for a deeper, richer flavor profile.

How To Make This Cowboy Caviar Recipe

To make this recipe, toss together all of the ingredients before adding the dressing and giving all of the flavors time to mingle.

PRO TIP:

This dip tastes better the longer it sits, so feel free to make it the night before and keep it refrigerated overnight, ready to serve the next day. 

For The Salad

STEP ONE: Using a large bowl, add the diced tomatoes, canned corn, canned black beans, diced avocados, bell peppers, jalapeño, finely diced onions, chopped fresh cilantro, fresh minced garlic and lime juice.

Stir just until all the ingredients are evenly combined.

salad ingredients in a bowl

For the Dressing

STEP ONE: Using a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, kosher salt, and fresh cracked pepper until well incorporated.

extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, kosher salt, and fresh cracked pepper combined in a bowl

STEP TWO: Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Stir just until well incorporated. 

PRO TIP:

Serve as a dip or topping for tacos or as a hearty salad.

salad dressing drizzled on top of a bowl of salad

How To Serve This Cowboy Caviar Dip

You can serve this cowboy salsa with tortilla chips, pita chips, corn chips, potato chips, or even in a burrito or on top of tacos.

This great dip would go well alongside other chip dips or taco toppings, including our salsa and guacamole. It would also be a great topping for our burrito bowl.

Elevate a simple grilled chicken salad by adding cowboy caviar as a topping. The combination of the salad’s greens and protein, along with the caviar’s bright and zesty profile, creates a satisfying and wholesome meal.

We have plenty of great recipes that are perfect for serving a crowd. Our baked burritos, Rotel dip and jalapeño popper dip are two dishes that always get rave reviews.

Storing This Cowboy Salsa

Whether you’re planning for a future gathering or have leftovers to enjoy, here’s what you need to know:

MAKE AHEAD: Cowboy caviar is a fantastic make-ahead dish. In fact, it often tastes even better after it has had some time to marinate in the fridge.

To make it ahead, simply prepare the salad without the avocado and dressing. Store the prepped ingredients separately in airtight containers in the fridge.

When you’re ready to serve, add the diced avocado and dressing, and give it a good mix to coat everything evenly.

IN THE FRIDGE: Store any leftovers of this bean salsa in an airtight container for up to three days.

IN THE FREEZER: We don’t recommend freezing this dip.

a bowl of Cowboy Caviar with a spoonful

Why We Love This Recipe

There are plenty of reasons to love this fantastic dip:

FLAVOR EXPLOSION: This cowboy caviar is a flavor-packed sensation. With a blend of fresh tomatoes, creamy avocados, hearty beans, and zesty dressing, every bite is a burst of textures and tastes.

COLORFUL AND INVITING: Its vibrant colors and inviting presentation make it an eye-catching addition to any table or gathering.

In a hurry? This recipe for cowboy caviar, sometimes known as Texas caviar or Mexican caviar, will have you eating your favorite dip full of fresh ingredients in under 15 minutes! This fantastic dip will be a big hit at your next gathering and just as yummy if you are looking for a quick snack on your own.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use fresh vegetables, or can I use canned?

For this easy recipe, you can use either fresh or canned veggies. To save time, canned vegetables are an easy choice.

Can I double this recipe?

If you are feeding a big crowd and need to make a big batch of this dip, you can absolutely double this recipe as needed.

Can I make this dip ahead of time?

It is a good idea to make this dip ahead of time so that the flavors have time to mingle and blend together before serving.

More Recipes You’ll Love

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a bowl of Cowboy Caviar with tortilla chips

Cowboy Caviar

5 from 2 votes
Plenty of colorful veggies, beans, and a tangy vinaigrette makes this cowboy caviar a tasty dip to serve at gatherings or any time a chip craving arises.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

Salad

  • 6 Roma tomatoes seeded and diced (3½ cups)
  • 14.5 ounces yellow corn drained
  • 15.25 ounces black beans drained and rinsed
  • 2 avocados peeled, seeded and diced
  • 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced (1½ cups)
  • 1 orange bell pepper seeded and diced (1½ cups)
  • 1 jalapeño seeded and finely diced
  • ½ cup red onion finely diced (½ medium-sized red onion)
  • ½ cup sweet yellow onion finely diced (½ medium-sized onion)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh garlic minced
  • 4 tablespoons lime juice

Dressing

  • ¼ cup olive oil extra virgin
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

Instructions
 

Salad

  • Using a large mixing bowl, add the diced tomatoes, canned corn, canned black beans, diced avocados, bell peppers, jalapeno, finely diced onions, chopped fresh cilantro, fresh minced garlic and lime juice. Stir just until all the ingredients are evenly combined.

Dressing

  • Using a small mixing bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper until well incorporated.
  • Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Stir just until well incorporated.

Notes

  • If you don’t feel like chopping all those fresh veggies, canned vegetables work just as well in this easy cowboy caviar.
  • This dip tastes better the longer it sits, so feel free to make it the night before and keep it refrigerated overnight, ready to serve the next day. 
  • Serve as a dip or topping for tacos or as a hearty salad.

Nutrition

Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 202mg | Potassium: 550mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 951IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 2mg
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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

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    • Layne Kangas says

      Hi, Rita – you could omit them or try another bean – however, I’ve never made it without them so I can’t speak from experience. Let me know if you try it, enjoy!

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