Cowboy Caviar

Meggan Hill

4.96 from 603 votes

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There are endless ways to make Cowboy Caviar, but I’ve got the most popular recipe around. I grew up eating this tried-and-true version in the Midwest, and now I’m sharing the secret ingredients with you.

Cowboy caviar in a bowl on a white plate with tortilla chips.


 

Meggan’s notes

In the Midwest, we make our Cowboy Caviar with a hint of sugar in the chili dressing, and in my opinion, that makes all the difference. That’s just how we like it! But for everyone else, feel free to omit the sugar and enjoy your Tex-Mex style fresh bean salsa with all the tortilla chips you can scoop.

With almost 600 5-star ratings and hundreds of comments on the post, Cowboy Caviar remains one of the most popular recipes on Culinary Hill. And with good reason! This version is easy to make, fully customizable, and ready fast. Make it today and thank me later.

Table of Contents

  1. Meggan’s notes
  2. Cowboy Caviar ingredients
  3. How to make Cowboy Caviar Dip
  4. Recipe tips and variations
  5. How to serve this Recipe for Cowboy Caviar
  6. Storing Texas Caviar
  7. Frequently Asked Questions
  8. More From Culinary Hill
  9. Cowboy Caviar Recipe Recipe

Cowboy Caviar ingredients

Labeled ingredients for cowboy caviar.

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

  • Olive oil
  • Sugar: The recipe reflects how we make it in my family. But YES, it has a lot of sugar. Please feel free to reduce it or omit it entirely. If you want to reduce it, mix the dressing with just a tablespoon of sugar to start, taste it, and go from there.
  • White wine vinegar: Or substitute apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, or even lime juice.
  • Chili powder: To set your face on fire, substitute Chipotle chili powder.
  • Salt
  • Tomatoes
  • Black-eyed peas
  • Black beans
  • Corn: Regular canned sweet corn or frozen corn may be substituted for the extra sweet “shoepeg” corn. The closest measurement for either option is ¾ cup, but feel free to use the whole 15-ounce can of corn.
  • Onion: I love the color of red onion, but any kind of onion works.
  • Green and red bell peppers: You just need 2 peppers total, whatever color you want.
  • Cilantro: Leave this out if you hate cilantro or substitute minced fresh parsley.

How to make Cowboy Caviar Dip

  1. To make the dressing, in a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, sugar, white wine vinegar, chili powder, and salt to taste (I like 1 teaspoon). 
Cowboy Caviar salad dressing in a clear glass bowl with a whisk in the background.
  1. In a large bowl, add tomatoes, black-eyed peas, black beans, corn, red onion, bell peppers, and cilantro.
Cowboy caviar ingredients in a bowl before being mixed.
  1. Drizzle with the dressing and stir to combine. Cover and chill until serving time.
Cowboy caviar in a bowl on a white plate with tortilla chips.

Recipe tips and variations

  • Yield: This recipe makes about 12 cups of Cowboy Caviar (more or less depending on the size of your bell peppers). It’s enough for 24 servings, ½ cup each.
  • Make ahead: You can make the dressing up to 3 days in advance. You can assemble the full recipe a day in advance too, but the bell peppers might soften a bit in the dressing.
  • Avocado: Avocado is good with everything. The avocados may darken over time, so the salad may not last as long in the refrigerator.
  • Italian dressing: Many readers like to use a store-bought or homemade Italian dressing in Cowboy Caviar. Start with about 1 cup of dressing, taste it, and see if you want more.

How to serve this Recipe for Cowboy Caviar

The spicy-sweet dressing in Cowboy Caviar pairs perfectly with crunchy, salty tortilla chips. Or enjoy it as a salad on the side of your favorite grilled proteins like fish, chicken, pork, and shrimp. It’s also delicious stirred it into cooked rice for an impromptu side dish packed with color and flavor.

Storing Texas Caviar

This recipe keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use dried beans in Cowboy Caviar?

Dried beans are extremely economical and much lower in sodium. Cook each bean variety separately, as cooking times may vary depending on size and age of the dried bean. How many dried beans makes a can? You need to cook ½ to ¾ cup of dried beans for every 15-ounce can of beans the recipe calls for.

How do I make Cowboy Caviar spicy?

Add a few chopped seeded jalapeños or serrano chiles to the salad for a little kick. Cayenne pepper or Chipotle chili powder will do the job, too!

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Cowboy caviar in a bowl on a white plate with tortilla chips.

Cowboy Caviar Recipe

By Meggan Hill
This easy recipe for Cowboy Caviar is fun, fresh, colorful, and endlessly adaptable. It makes a great dip, salad, side dish, or even a topping for grilled meats. Always a potluck favorite!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 24 servings (½ cup each)
Course Appetizer, Salad
Cuisine American
Calories 80
4.96 from 603 votes
ReviewPrint

Ingredients 

For the dressing:

For the vegetables:

  • 1 pound Roma tomatoes seeded and diced
  • 1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 (11-ounce) can sweet corn drained (see note 3)
  • 1 red onion peeled and diced
  • 1 green bell pepper stemmed, seeded, and diced
  • 1 red bell pepper stemmed, seeded, and diced
  • 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro or fresh parsley, from 1 bunch

Instructions 

  • To make the dressing, in a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, sugar, white wine vinegar, chili powder, and salt to taste (I like 1 teaspoon). 
  • In a large bowl, add tomatoes, black-eyed peas, black beans, corn, red onion, bell peppers, and cilantro. Drizzle with the dressing and stir to combine. Cover and chill until serving time.

Recipe Video

Notes

  1. Sugar: The recipe reflects how we make it in my family. But YES, it has a lot of sugar. Please feel free to reduce it or omit it entirely. If you want to reduce it, mix the dressing with just a tablespoon of sugar to start, taste it, and go from there.
  2. White wine vinegar: Or substitute apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, or even lime juice.
  3. Corn: Regular canned sweet corn or frozen corn may be substituted for the extra sweet “shoepeg” corn. The closest measurement for either option is ¾ c., but feel free to use the whole 15-oz. can of corn.
  4. Yield: This recipe makes about 12 c. of Cowboy Caviar (more or less depending on the size of your bell peppers). It’s enough for 24 servings, ½ c. each.
  5. Storage: This recipe keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cupCalories: 80kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 2gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 4mgPotassium: 140mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 402IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 10mgIron: 1mg
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4.96 from 603 votes (445 ratings without comment)

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Comments

    1. Hi Denny, thank you for the question! I am not sure it would hold up well. The flavors would be fine, but I suspect the texture (especially the tomatoes) would be quite mushy after freezing and thawing. I wouldn’t really recommend it. Take care! – Meggan

  3. We’ve made this several times – always a hit! My husband hates cilantro and I don’t think I used fresh parsley last time either (I rarely have fresh hers on hand). Any substitution to the fresh herbs? Or can they be left out?

    Thank you!5 stars

    Reply

    1. Hi Megan, you can totally leave them out. The best part of this recipe is how customizable it is! – Meggan

  4. This is the first time I made Texas Caviar. I’m going to a Salad Social. This recipe is so good. Eating it making yummy sounds. When I look up recipes I google “Award Winning” what ever I’m making. This time it is Texas Caviar! I could eat the complete bowl this made. I highly recommend. So easy and delicious! Thank you from PA.5 stars

    Reply

  6. This is absolutely delicious!! My daughter would request it whenever she came home from college.
    She just graduated and home…just made it!!5 stars

    Reply

  7. Made it with the chili powder which is listed in the recipe and it was delicious! But was just curious if it is supposed to be made with paprika like it shows in the picture of the ingredients?

    Reply

    1. Hi Bri, thank you so much for pointing that out. It’s a mistake in the photo, the chili powder is correct. So glad you enjoyed and thanks again for pointing that out! – Meggan

  8. Tried this for the first time today and it was AMAZING! I am so looking forward to having it again.5 stars

    Reply

  9. Absolutely delicious! We use it for appies, omelets and taco filling – friends are requesting more taco nights to come!!! Thank you, Meggan! Absolutely love your site and look forward to my daily “recipe email.!” Love that you have so many plant-based (non-meat) options!!!

    Trish5 stars

    Reply