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Cowboy Caviar

Cowboy caviar (Texas caviar) is a vibrant black bean corn salad with cherry tomatoes, avocado, and jalapeño tossed in a zesty lime-cilantro vinaigrette. This easy party dip is chilled for at least 1 hour so every bite tastes tangy, fresh, and colorful.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 310
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cowboy caviar base
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans Drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 oz) black-eyed peas Drained and rinsed
  • 2 cup corn kernels Fresh or frozen, thawed
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes Quartered
  • 2 avocados Ripe, diced
  • 0.5 red onion Finely diced
  • 1 red bell pepper Diced
  • 1 jalapeños Seeded and finely minced (use 1–2 to taste)
  • 0.25 cup fresh cilantro Chopped
Lime-cilantro dressing
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 salt To taste
  • 1 pepper To taste
For serving
  • 1 tortilla chips As needed

Method
 

Make the dressing
  1. Whisk together olive oil, fresh lime juice, red wine vinegar, honey, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until combined, looking for a smooth, evenly blended dressing.
Build the salad
  1. Combine black beans, black-eyed peas, corn kernels, cherry tomatoes, red onion, red bell pepper, jalapeño, and fresh cilantro in a large bowl and stir until the colors are evenly distributed.
Dress and finish
  1. Pour the dressing over the bean mixture and toss gently until evenly coated, making sure no dry spots remain.
  2. Fold in diced avocados carefully so the pieces stay intact and don’t turn mushy.
Chill and serve
  1. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let the flavors meld; during the last few minutes, taste and adjust salt, lime juice, or jalapeño heat.
  2. Serve cowboy caviar chilled with tortilla chips for scooping, with the avocado and tomato pieces still clearly visible on top.

Notes

For the cleanest texture, dice and fold in the avocados right before chilling, and keep the bowl covered so the surface doesn’t dry out. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days; freezing is not recommended because avocado and tomatoes can soften and weep. For a lower-sodium swap, use reduced-sodium beans if available and season to taste after chilling.