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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.
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
Cowboy Caviar ingredients
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
- 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 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
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.
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 Recipe
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar or to taste (see note 1)
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar (see note 2)
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Salt
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Storage: This recipe keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Does this stay nice & fresh if I make the day ahead?
Hi Amy, I would say the veggies (the peppers, mostly) lose some of their crunch if they sit over night. But, I still think it tastes delicious. If anything, you could mix the salad dressing part separately and assemble a bowl of all the beans and veggies, and just toss it together at the last minute. That should preserve the freshness! Thanks!
Sounds fantastic. I was at a grad party and the host served this but instead of sugar, she added one can of crushed pineapple for the sweetness. It was very delicious!
THAT sounds like a genius idea. It’s perfect, it really is. It would give the sweetness plus pineapple is just delicious. Great idea!
I am making this now. A friend brought this recipe to a group and everyone loved it! 🙂 I was wondering how long will it keep in the fridge? I am the only person in my home that will eat it. So I am just wondering if I can have a week of lunches or if I need to share before it spoils. Thank you!
Hi Carmen! It should be fine for 3-4 days in the fridge. So maybe not quite a week? I’m so glad you loved it though! Have a lovely weekend. 🙂
I love this as is..yummerz…wouldnt change a thing..ty
Thanks Jill, you and I are obviously on the same page here. 🙂 Have a great weekend!
I tried this recipe for dinner last night, and it was so refreshing! My husband even enjoyed it. Thank you!
Thank you so much, Laurie! I am so happy to hear that. It’s a huge favorite in our house. 🙂 Have a great week!
Yum! Made this today for a potluck–doubled the recipe except kept the dressing the same–it is delicious!
Thank you for this keeper!
I am so delighted to hear, that Sue! Yes, I don’t think you’d need to double the dressing if you’re doubling the recipe. I hope everyone loved it. It’s definitely a hit in my house! Have a great weekend. 🙂
Does anyone have nutritional information on this.
I made this today. (left out the sugar) My husband ate a bowl as is. I sprinkled a little crumbled goat cheese into it. YUM! And so healthy. Thank you!
Thank you so much for the update Nell! I’m sure it would be delicious without the sugar (I love black bean salsa which is similar). And goat cheese… YES! Amazing! Thanks for letting me know it worked out for you. 🙂
I made this last night and it was a HUGE hit with my husband, 6 year old, and especially my 18 month old! We loved it! It was delicious and so easy to make! Thank you for the recipe!
Awwww yay Leah! I’m so happy to hear that! It’s a huge hit in our house and I’m so happy to share the joy. 🙂 Have a great weekend!
Just used this as a starter recipe, changed quantities and a couple of things and…. Wow fantastic! Really good base dressing idea and a really flexible recipe! One to keep. Likewise, did limited sugar, because the corn gave that sweetness.
Great, Frances! I’m so happy to hear that. 🙂 You’re right, the corn gives sweetness. Glad you could make it work for you!