Texas Cowboy Caviar Recipe

Served with tortilla chips or fresh veggies, this Texas Cowboy Caviar recipe crowd pleaser is the perfect summer appetizer. 

A cross between Pico de Gallo and black bean salad, this easy Cowboy Caviar dip will be a big hit at your next party!

Although most recipes have a ‘hero flavor’ that carries the dish, this flavorful dip perfectly balances sweet corn, earthy beans, tangy tomatoes, rich avocados, bitter onions, and zesty homemade dressing for a cohesive, but explosive, flavor punch.

From the first time you taste it, this hearty dip entices you to take another bite. And another. And another. I just can’t get enough of this scrumptious mix of lively flavors.

Capture the yum! Pin this pretty picture to your favorites board on Pinterest and come back to this great recipe whenever you yearn for a heavenly, yet healthy, side dish! 

We often make this colorful cowboy caviar in the summer because it tastes so refreshing. I also keep it up my sleeve as a go-to, easy recipe for game day parties, potlucks, barbecues, the Fourth of July, and New Year’s Day.

This is such a fantastic party appetizer that will pair wonderfully with our Hawaiian Rolls Cheeseburger Sliders or it might be perfect to serve before dinner when you make our No Peek Beef Tips recipe.

FAQs

Why is it called Texas caviar?

No surprises here! Helen Corbitt invented this culinary creation in about 1940. She served it for the first time on New Year’s Eve at the Houston Country Club. Eventually, she provided this now-famous dish to the Driskill Hotel in Austin, where it was jokingly given the nickname “Texas caviar” because it looks vaguely similar to caviar, tastes divine, and carries a much lower pricetag than actual caviar.

What is the original recipe?

Helen’s first Texas caviar recipe included black-eyed peas, red onion, chili pepper, bell pepper, tomato, cilantro, scallion, and garlic, tossed in a vinaigrette dressing. So simple, yet genius! You go, Helen.

Can I make cowboy caviar dip ahead of time?

You can certainly make this recipe the night before! It can taste even better after chilling when all the flavors really come together. However, making this more than a day or two ahead of time won’t improve the flavor. It usually starts to taste less fresh and feel mushy after a couple days.

Supplies for this easy recipe:

• Large bowl
• Small bowl
• Cutting board
• Large knife 
• Food chopper
• Measuring spoon
• Ingredient Shot

Texas Cowboy Caviar Recipe

Ingredients for our Easy Cowboy Caviar Recipe:

• 1 15.5 oz can black beans
• 1 11 oz can white shoepeg corn
• 1 15 oz can black-eyed peas 
• 3 tomatoes, diced
• 2 avocados, diced
• 1/3 cup red onion, diced
• 1/4 cup green onion, chopped
• cilantro, chopped, to taste
• salt and pepper, to taste

Cowboy Caviar Dressing:

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 1 envelope Italian dressing
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions on how to make this colorful cowboy caviar:

1. Pour red wine vinegar, olive oil, and fresh lime juice into a small bowl. Add the envelope of Italian salad dressing and stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Using a large knife, roughly chop green onions and cilantro.

3. Using a food chopper, dice the red onions, tomatoes, and avocados.

4. Add the diced ingredients, plus the corn, black-eyed peas, and black beans, to the large bowl. Top with cilantro and scallions.

5. Give the vinaigrette dressing another good stir, then pour it over the other ingredients.

6. Mix it all together until each morsel is coated in dressing and all the yummy colors look evenly distributed.

Serve immediately, or after chilling.

Variations:

• Add chopped bell peppers to your colorful cowboy caviar. Green bell pepper and red bell pepper are both great additions (they just don’t like me, so I leave them out).
• Call the fire department! For a spicy version of our Texas caviar recipe, add a dash (or more!) of chili powder.
• Other legit legumes: Canned black beans, pinto beans, and black eyed peas all work well. Canned beans make this super easy, but you can use home-cooked beans if you prefer.
• Get corny: Any canned corn, fresh corn cut, or sweet corn will do. I love white shoepeg corn by Green Giant found at your local grocery store. I purchased mine at Walmart.
• Shake up the vinegar: I prefer to make my vinaigrette-style dressing with red wine vinegar, but apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, and balsamic vinegar will all work.
• Tomayto, tomahto: Use Roma tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, or grape tomatoes in this easy dip recipe.

Tips and Tricks

• Using a food chopper instead of a knife and cutting board for diced ingredients can seriously cut down on prep time.
• Store this flavorful dip in an airtight container for up to two days. I think it tastes best after about 12 hours of chilling, but after 48 hours that major yum window is over. It is still safe to eat for a week or more, but the texture may be off.
• If making ahead of time, save the avocados until right before serving. Even though the vinaigrette-style dressing helps keep them from browning, cutting them immediately beforehand remains the safest way to avoid that oxidization.

I can’t get over this simple dip. It might even be the best dip I’ve ever made for a party! What’s not to love about a crazy delicious crowd pleaser that costs so little and only requires a short prep? 

Ready for that next potluck? Craving a healthy snack? Just toss all the ingredients together, bust out some tortilla chips, and watch that tasty dip disappear.

Is Texas caviar the new caviar? If you loved this recipe, we’d love your support! Give it a 5-star rating and spread the goodness by sharing it on Facebook.

Don’t forget to pin that mouthwatering image to your favorites board on Pinterest for later!

Texas Cowboy Caviar Recipe

Yield: 20

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Served with tortilla chips or fresh veggies, this Texas Cowboy Caviar recipe crowd pleaser is the perfect summer appetizer. 

A cross between Pico de Gallo and black bean salad, this easy Cowboy Caviar dip will be a big hit at your next party! Perfect for all occasions, this easy salsa recipe also works great as a pre-dinner snack and will go really well with steak, chicken or salmon!

Print

Ingredients

• 1 15.5 oz can black beans
• 1 11 oz can white shoepeg corn
• 1 15 oz can black-eyed peas 
• 3 tomatoes, diced
• 2 avocados, diced
• 1/3 cup red onion, diced
• 1/4 cup green onion, chopped
• cilantro, chopped, to taste
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Pour red wine vinegar, olive oil, and fresh lime juice into a small bowl. Add the envelope of Italian salad dressing and stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Using a large knife, roughly chop green onions and cilantro.

3. Using a food chopper, dice the red onions, tomatoes, and avocados.

4. Add the diced ingredients, plus the corn, black-eyed peas, and black beans, to the large bowl. Top with cilantro and scallions.

5. Give the vinaigrette dressing another good stir, then pour it over the other ingredients.

6. Mix it all together until each morsel is coated in dressing and all the yummy colors look evenly distributed.

Serve immediately, or after chilling.

Notes

• Using a food chopper instead of a knife and cutting board for diced ingredients can seriously cut down on prep time.
• Store this flavorful dip in an airtight container for up to two days. I think it tastes best after about 12 hours of chilling, but after 48 hours that major yum window is over. It is still safe to eat for a week or more, but the texture may be off.
• If making ahead of time, save the avocados until right before serving. Even though the vinaigrette-style dressing helps keep them from browning, cutting them immediately beforehand remains the safest way to avoid that oxidization.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 20 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 99Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 108mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 5gSugar: 2gProtein: 4g

*This calculation is just an estimate ~ results may vary!