Let’s make cowboy caviar! This easy dip recipe combines colorful fresh veggies with a fresh chili lime dressing you’re going to LOVE.
This flavorful dip goes by a few names, but whether you call it Texas Caviar, Cowboy Caviar, or cowboy salsa, this fresh summer salad is always a big hit.
You can serve it as a simple side salad next to summer BBQ favorites, like honey lime grilled chicken, BBQ ribs, or burgers, or scoop it up with corn chips as a fun, fresh appetizer that’s perfect for a cookout, potluck, or party. The flavors are AMAZING!
Another thing to love? This easy cowboy caviar recipe is made from simple, fresh ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need to get started…
Gather Your Ingredients
One thing I LOVE about this recipe is how simple the ingredients list is! Let’s take a look:
- Black Beans. Some cowboy caviar recipes ONLY use black eyed peas, but I like a mix of black beans and black-eyed peas for color, texture, and flavor.
- Black-eyed Peas. Can’t find these? You can use a can of drained, rinsed pinto beans instead.
- Sweet Corn. Frozen corn, fresh corn, and canned corn all work here. Cook and cool frozen corn or fresh corn, or drain the canned corn completely before using here.
- Bell Peppers. I love to use an orange bell peppers for color, but you can use a yellow bell pepper or red bell pepper instead!
- Fresh Tomatoes. Seeded, diced tomatoes work best so they don’t make this salad soggy. To remove the seeds, cut the tomato in half, then use a knife or spoon to cut out or scoop the tomato seeds out of the tomato. I usually use Campari or Roma tomatoes, but use what you can find! (Using cherry tomatoes? I don’t bother to seed them!)
- Avocado. The cool creaminess of diced avocado is delightful!
- Red Onion. finely diced red onions add a pretty color and just enough flavor to this salad without overwhelming it. If you prefer, you can use sliced green onions instead.
- Cilantro. Fresh cilantro is a must here!
- Jalapeño. To keep your cowboy caviar from being too spicy, I recommend removing the seeds and white ribs from the jalapeño before dicing. Love a little heat? Leave them in!
- A Quick Chili Lime Dressing. Lastly, you’ll tie everything together with our cowboy caviar dressing, made from fresh lime juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, honey or agave, salt, chili powder, and black pepper.
How To Make Cowboy Caviar, Step By Step
As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.
- First, Make The Cowboy Caviar Dressing. In a small bowl, combine lime juice, vinegar, olive oil, honey or agave, salt, chili powder, and pepper. Whisk to combine well.
- Combine Salad Ingredients. In a large bowl, combine black beans, black-eyed peas, corn kernels, bell pepper, tomatoes, avocado, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeño.
- Dress The Salad. Drizzle the salad with salad dressing and gently give it a good stir to combine and coat the veggies evenly. Taste and add additional chili powder or cilantro, to taste.
- Serve & Store. Enjoy right away as a side dish or serve as an appetizer with tortilla chips. If not using right away, chill in an airtight container until ready to serve. The veggies will continue to soften with time, so this salad is best served within a few hours, but will keep in the fridge 2-3 days.
Extras & Variations To Try
We almost always make this colorful cowboy caviar exactly as written, but I *also* love to play with recipes like this. Here are a few ways to mix-it up for next time:
- Use Grilled Corn! Some charred or grilled corn adds a delicious smoky flavor and a touch of extra color to this salad. It’s fantastic, if you have the time!
- Add Lime Zest. To turn up the lime flavor, you can add the zest of 1/2 or 1 lime. It can be delicious!
- Try Tajín. I’m a BIG fan of Tajin seasoning! It’s made from dried chiles, lime, and salt. We’re already using those flavors in our dressing, but you can add extra for a little extra kick.
- Add Cotija. I love the salty, tangy flavor of this fresh cheese. It’s amazing in Mexican Street Corn Salad, and it works GREAT here, too!
- Try Jicama! It’s not as traditional, but adding some finely diced jicama can be DELICIOUS. It’s crunchy, fresh, and so good with the other Tex-Mex flavors in this salad.
- Add Garlic. Love the flavor of garlic? Feel free to add a garlic clove or a little garlic powder to the dressing along with the chili powder.
FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Cowboy Caviar
Can You Make Cowboy Caviar In Advance? YES! This is a GREAT make-ahead recipe since the salad can easily sit in the fridge for several hours before you serving. The flavors will only intensify with time! The acidity of the vinegar and lime juice should protect the avocado from browning, but do know that the veggies will soften somewhat and the salad will get “juicier” with time.
Is Cowboy Caviar a Salad or a Dip? BOTH! You can serve this tasty dip with salty tortilla chips as an appetizer, or serve it as a side salad. It’s delicious either way.
What Other Types of Beans Can I Use For Cowboy Caviar? While all black-eyed peas or a mix of black-eyed peas and black beans are most common, people have made all kinds of swaps with different canned beans when they’re in a pinch. I’ve seen this salad made with pinto beans, kidney beans, and even garbanzo beans (chickpeas).
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our classic Cowboy Caviar recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Cowboy Caviar
Ingredients
For The Cowboy Caviar Dressing:
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey or agave
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For The Salad:
- 1 14 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 14 oz. can blackeyed peas, drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups corn*
- 1 orange bell pepper diced*
- 1 cup diced seeded tomatoes*
- 1 avocado finely diced
- 1/3 cup finely diced red onion
- 1/3-1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 jalapeño seeded and finely diced
Instructions
- First, Make The Dressing. In a small bowl, combine lime juice, vinegar, olive oil, honey or agave, salt, chili powder, and pepper. Whisk to combine well.
- Combine Salad Ingredients. In a large bowl, combine black beans, blackeyed peas, corn, bell pepper, tomatoes, avocado, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeño.
- Dress The Salad. Drizzle the salad with dressing and gently stir to combine and coat the veggies evenly. Taste and add additional chili powder or cilantro, to taste.
- Serve & Store. Enjoy right away or chill until ready to serve. The veggies will continue to soften with time, so this salad is best served within a few hours, but will keep in the fridge 2-3 days.
Notes
- Corn. Frozen corn, fresh corn, and canned corn all work here. Cook and cool frozen corn or fresh corn, or drain the canned corn completely before using here.
- Tomatoes. Seeded, diced tomatoes work best so they don’t make this salad soggy. To remove the seeds, cut the tomato in half, then use a knife or spoon to cut out or scoop the tomato seeds out of the tomato. I usually use Campari or Roma tomatoes, but use what you can find!
- Jalapeño. To keep your cowboy caviar from being too spicy, I recommend removing the seeds and white ribs from the jalapeño before dicing. Love the heat? Leave them in!
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.
Find it Online:
https://www.onelovelylife.com/cowboy-caviar/Recipe originally shared August 2019. Fully updated with improved recipe notes, new photos, and video and republished March 2025.
This is a great recipe! Such a fresh side!
Can’t wait to make this when the garden is ready. We basically eat it for every meal when it is in the fridge. I like that you added a bit of hatch salsa, I can see it adding great flavor
It really does! It’s tough to beat. 🙂