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Cowboy Caviar is an easy-to-make colorful, healthy dip that is deliciously nutritious. Filled with fresh ingredients and tossed in a homemade sauce, it's perfect for a party or potluck!
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This easy recipe for Cowboy Caviar (a.k.a. Texas Caviar or Mexican Caviar) is healthy and hearty and filled with a simple but flavorful blend of wholesome ingredients.

It takes mere minutes to combine beans with a colorful medley of fresh vegetables and avocado, toss it in a tangy dressing, and then serve it as a party dip, a fun side, or a salad topper.

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What is Cowboy Caviar Dip?

Cowboy Caviar, a.k.a Texas Caviar, is a vibrant, fresh dip that’s made in minutes with canned beans, corn, tomatoes, peppers and onions. It’s a delicious topping for fish, chicken or as a flavor-packed salsa.

Cowboy Caviar has been around for generations. It’s a zesty blend of beans, tomatoes, onions, peppers and corn that can be served as an appetizer, side dish or even a main course. It’s great to feed a crowd at parties or just to have on hand in the fridge.

Is Cowboy Caviar healthy?

Cowboy Caviar is generally considered healthy as it is loaded with nutrient-rich ingredients like beans, vegetables, and herbs, providing fiber, vitamins, and minerals. However, the healthiness may vary depending on the specific recipe and the amount of added salt or dressing.

Why we love this Easy Cowboy Caviar Recipe

  • Quick and easy to make simply by dicing, mixing and tossing.
  • Uses wholesome, healthy ingredients that are nutrient-rich.
  • Gluten-free, vegetarian, dairy-free recipe to meet many dietary restrictions.
  • Colorful, full of fresh flavor and texture, and easy to customize.
  • Perfect side dish for a picnic, potluck, or party, and is a great way to use up your summer produce.
cowboy caviar ingredients

Easy Cowboy Caviar Ingredients

  • Roma tomatoes
  • Canned yellow corn
  • Canned black beans
  • Avocados
  • Red bell pepper
  • Orange bell pepper
  • Jalapeno
  • Red onion
  • Sweet yellow onion
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Fresh minced garlic
  • Lime juice
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Red wine vinegar
  • Granulated sugar
  • Kosher salt
  • Fresh cracked pepper

Cowboy Caviar Dip substitutions and additions

  • Pick Your Pepper: You can make your Cowboy Caviar with red, orange, yellow, and even green bell pepper. Or use a combination!
  • Add Some Spice: Cumin and cayenne can add complexity and extra heat to your Cowboy Caviar.
  • Beans: Feel free to substitute other types of beans instead of black beans, like pinto beans and black eyed peas.
  • Make It A Meal: While I typically serve my Cowboy Caviar as a dip, it’s always fun to add more ingredients and turn it into a meal! There are so many different ways to customize your caviar. Add a protein, like cooked chicken or small shrimp, and then serve it as salad. You can even stir in some bacon before serving.
  • Best Dressed: Your caviar tastes best when you like the dressing. You can substitute rice wine vinegar for red wine vinegar or use zesty Italian dressing instead of red wine vinegar dressing.
cowboy caviar in a spoon

Easy Cowboy Caviar Recipe Tools

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Small mixing bowl
  • Measuring tools
  • Sharp knife for dicing and chopping
  • Whisk
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How to Make Cowboy Caviar

  1. Combine tomatoes, corn, black beans, avocados, bell peppers, jalapeno, onions, cilantro, garlic, and lime juice in a large mixing bowl.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, salt and cracked pepper until well incorporated.
  3. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and stir just until well incorporated. 
  4. Enjoy!
cowboy caviar collage process

Cowboy Caviar Recipe Easy tips

  • You can easily mix up the Cowboy Caviar ahead of time to allow the flavors to combine. 
  • If making this dish in advance, leave out the avocado until you are ready to serve.
  • You can use any color of bell peppers you prefer. 
  • If you enjoy very spicy salsa, you can use 2 finely diced jalapenos.
  • You can serve the salsa with tortilla chips, pita chips, potato chips or even stuffed in a burrito. 

What to eat with Cowboy Caviar

Serve it as a side dish, a dip for chips, as a topper for Taco Pie, stuffed inside a Breakfast Burrito or as part of a Burrito Bowl, or spooned over a salad. No matter how you eat it, it’s a delicious make-ahead dish for potlucks and parties.

How to store this Easy Cowboy Caviar

  • To Store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Can you freeze Cowboy Caviar?

It is not recommended to freeze Cowboy Caviar as the texture and taste of the fresh vegetables and herbs may be compromised after thawing. It is best enjoyed fresh or refrigerated for a few days for optimal taste and texture.

More Easy Dip Recipe

tortilla chips dipped into the caviar

Cowboy Caviar Recipe FAQs

Can I make Cowboy Caviar in advance?

Cowboy caviar can be made up to 8 hours before you plan to serve it. If you’re making this dish in advance, omit the avocado, and stir it in right before serving.

Can I freeze Cowboy Caviar?

I would not recommend freezing this Cowboy Caviar. Although the beans will hold up just fine in the freezer, the tomatoes and avocado will not fare as well. I’d recommend simply making your dip a few days before your party to save prep time, then store it tightly covered in the refrigerator.

Is Cowboy Caviar healthy?

Cowboy Caviar is deliciously nutritious! It is loaded with health benefits and contains so many vitamins and minerals, like magnesium, iron, protein, fiber, folate, vitamin B6, selenium, vitamin C, vitamin K, and so much more.

cowboy caviar in a bowl

More Delicious Recipes

5 from 4 votes
cowboy caviar featured image

Easy Cowboy Dip Recipe (Cowboy Caviar)

Serves — 12
Cowboy Caviar is an easy-to-make colorful, healthy dip that is deliciously nutritious. Filled with fresh ingredients and tossed in a homemade sauce, it's perfect for a party or potluck!
Prep Time 25 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients
  

Salad

  • 6 roma tomatoes seeded and diced (3 ½ cups)
  • 14.5 ounce canned yellow corn drained
  • 15.25 ounce canned black beans drained and rinsed
  • 2 avocados peeled, seeded and diced
  • 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced (1 ½ cups)
  • 1 orange bell pepper seeded and diced (1 ½ cups)
  • 1 jalapeno 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 chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic
  • 4 tablespoons lime juice

Dressing

  • ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 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.

Jenn’s Notes

Storage:
Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Tips:
  • You can easily mix up the Cowboy Caviar ahead of time to allow the flavors to combine. 
  • If making this dish in advance, leave out the avocado until you are ready to serve.
    You can use any color of bell peppers you prefer.
  • If you enjoy very spicy salsa, you can use 2 finely diced jalapenos.
  • You can serve the salsa with tortilla chips, pita chips, potato chips or even stuffed in a burrito. 

Nutrition Info

Calories: 176kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 344mg | Potassium: 515mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1014IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1mg

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