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This Easy Cowboy Caviar Recipe is loaded with beans, black-eyed peas, and fresh vegetables tossed in a delicious homemade dressing. Enjoy this colorful and hearty dip with plenty of tortilla chips.

Super easy cowboy caviar recipe image with text overlay

I have no idea why I haven’t ever made this Cowboy Caviar dip before! Recently I had this dip, also called Texas Caviar, at a summer BBQ and was in heaven. This hearty and healthy dip is serious eats! I kept going back for more and noticed that I wasn’t even using the chips, just a spoon to eat this!

While the Cowboy Caviar is technically a dip to serve on any occasion you want, it can be a salad or even a hearty lunch. The vinaigrette dressing is infused with honey and pickled jalapenos and then tossed over the fresh vegetables and beans. So good.

Farmers Market Week
What is Cowboy Caviar?
Variations of Texas Caviar
Is Cowboy Caviar Healthy?
How do you store cowboy caviar dip?
Ingredients
How to Make this Easy Cowboy Caviar Recipe
- Step 1
- Step 2
- Step 3
Tips, Tricks, and FAQs
Printable Cowboy Caviar Recipe
Other Easy Dips to Make
More Farmers Market Recipes

Farmers Market Week

Texas Caviar dip is made with a few foods I can easily grab at the Farmer’s Market so this seems like the perfect recipe to start this week off with. Several of my food blogger friends and I are celebrating all things made from the Farmers Market this week. There are over fifteen bloggers sharing over 50 recipes this week. Be sure to follow along the three days with us and find new recipes to add to your arsenal.

What is Cowboy Caviar?

Cowboy Caviar is simply a medley of vegetables and legumes tossed with a zingy dressing. It can be served as a dip, side dish, or salad. It was invented in the 1950s by Helen Corbitt, (the famed 1950s Neiman Marcus food director), who first served it as “pickled black-eyed peas” on New Year’s Eve at the Houston Country Club. Soon after, it was dubbed “Texas caviar.” It has also been called Cowboy Salsa as it resembles a Pico de Gallo of sorts.

Variations of Texas Caviar

Add diced avocados and mix in with the vegetables.
Instead of using the dressing in the recipe, some people use their favorite Italian dressing.
Try adding red onion, minced garlic, and green bell pepper instead of red, feta cheese, or black olives.

delicious servindelicious serving bowl of texas caviar dipg bowl of texas caviar dip — A great recipe to take to your next potluck.

Is Cowboy Caviar Healthy?

Cowboy Caviar is indeed healthy as it’s loaded with vegetables and beans. No guilt when eating this dip since it contains magnesium, iron, protein, fiber, folate, vitamin B6, selenium, vitamin C, vitamin K, and more!

How do you store cowboy caviar dip?

The best way to store this dip is in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container. The longer it sits, the more the flavors meld together. For that reason, when making the cowboy caviar, it’s best to make it ahead of time – at least 2-3 hours.

cowboy caviar in serving bowl with tortilla chips — Colorful Cowboy Cavier Dip

Ingredients

For the dressing:

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons finely chopped pickled jalapeno plus 1 tablespoon brine
1 teaspoon honey
Salt and black pepper, to taste
5 tablespoons olive oil

For the salad:

1 (15 ounce) can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn, thawed (can use fresh corn)
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 green onions, sliced
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

Tortilla chips, for serving

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How to Make this Easy Cowboy Caviar Recipe

Throwing together this cowboy salsa is so simple, and it only takes a few minutes of prep work. The rest is waiting for all the flavors to blend together as it chills.

Step 1

In a small bowl or jar, mix together the ingredients for the dressing.

Step 2

In a large bowl, toss together the ingredients for the salad. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir to combine.

glass bowl filled with fresh ingredients for Texas caviar dip — Prep time is minimal with this recipe.

Step 3

Cover the salad and refrigerate for 2 -3 hours. Give it a good mix before serving. Serve with tortilla or corn chips.

cowboy caviar mixed in bowl with zesty dressing — Chill this simple dip for a couple of hours before serving.

Tips, Tricks, and FAQs

Prepare cowboy caviar a couple of hours in advance or a day ahead. The flavors need to meld together and it’s best served chilled.
Add diced avocados to the mix.
You can use fresh sweet corn in place of the frozen.
Change out the green onions for diced red onion.
Use your favorite Italian dressing in place of the homemade.
Serve suggestions other than a dip include, a side dish, or salad. The cowboy caviar is also great as a topper for chicken, fish, and steak.
Use in a filling for burritos (add rice), or make rice bowls.
Sandwich idea: use the Texas caviar in a lettuce wrap.
Not a cilantro fan? Omit it.

dipping tortilla chip into the cowboy caviar — Serve this up for a healthy appetizer.

Cowboy Caviar in bowl surrounded by fresh veggies and chips — Fresh ingredients make a difference!

Printable Cowboy Caviar Recipe