This Texas Caviar Recipe (or Cowboy Caviar, whatever you like to call it!) is bound to be your new favorite dish! It’s incredibly easy and is filled with black beans, sweet corn, peppers, onions, and is seasoned to perfection.
Save This Recipe!
Enter your email and I'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you'll get new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Happy Healthy Mama.
If there is one recipe that is sure to be a summer staple, it’s this Texas caviar recipe! Why am I so convinced you are going to love it? Because it’s seriously the most versatile dish ever. You can eat it as a dip or slather it on a juicy burger, steak, fish, or chicken. Trust me here…you can’t go wrong!
Oh, and I haven’t even told you the best part yet. It comes together in just 10 minutes! So, whether you want to take this to a potluck at the last minute or you are planning ahead, this is what you need. I’ve been making different versions of this popular recipe this for years, so I’m not sure why I don’t have a recipe on my site for it yet. That all changes today!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
- Black Eyed Peas – While they taste great, they also offer valuable nutrients like magnesium, folate, iron, calcium, vitamin A, zinc, and more.
- Black Beans – Another fantastic source of nutrients is black beans. They are filled with folate, manganese, iron, fiber, and protein.
- Sweet Corn – The corn adds a touch of sweetness that is delicious.
- Bell Pepper – I prefer to use a combination of red and green bell peppers to add color and flavor.
- Red Onion – They are rich in antioxidants and also have vitamin C and vitamin B6.
- Cilantro – Potassium, folate, manganese, vitamin A, vitamin K, and vitamin C can all be found in cilantro.
- Jalapenos – Some jalapenos add a little bit of heat along with some antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
- Olive Oil – You can swap the olive oil with any of your favorite oil, but I love it with olive oil.
- Lime Juice – A little bit of lime juice is the perfect amount of zestiness to take this dish to the next level.
- Red Wine Vinegar – It will have you smacking your lips with its tangy flavor.
- Seasonings – You’ll need some garlic powder, chili powder, and ground cumin for the seasonings.
- Sugar – Don’t worry; you just need a little bit of sugar. It helps tone down some of the zestiness and heat just a bit. It’s the perfect combination of flavors.
- Avocado – You can always skip the avocados if you want, but if you add it, you will be getting some vitamin E, protein, healthy fat, potassium, and vitamin C.
HOW TO MAKE THIS TEXAS CAVIAR RECIPE
Take a look at these easy-to-follow directions for Texas caviar.
1. Combine the peas, black beans, sweet corn, bell peppers, onions, jalapenos, and cilantro together. Toss to mix well.
2. Mix the olive oil, vinegar, sugar, and spices together in a small bowl.
3. Pour the sauce over the corn mixture.
4. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes – 1 hour.
5. Serve with crackers, chips, or as a side to your favorite grilled meats. Enjoy!
TEXAS CAVIAR RECIPE FAQS
HOW LONG DOES TEXAS CAVIAR LAST?
You can store the caviar in the fridge for 3-4 days. Just be sure to keep it air-tight and refrigerated whenever you aren’t serving it. If you are taking it to a party or event, it’s best to keep it on ice, so it doesn’t start to spoil for sitting out too long.
DO I HAVE TO ADD CILANTRO?
No, if you don’t cilantro, it’s no problem! You can choose to omit it completely or swap it for parsley or oregano. Both are going to give you different results but will taste great. So do whatever works best for you, and you can’t go wrong.
CAN I USE COOKED BEANS INSTEAD OF CANNED?
Yep! I like to use canned beans when I’m in a rush. However, cooking beans is easy and can save you money, so if you have the time, go for it. Both options are great and will taste the same either way.
CAN I MAKE IT FOR A CROWD?
Yes, absolutely. It’s easy to double or triple the recipe depending on how many people you are serving. Because it lasts 3-4 days in the fridge, it’s easy to prep in advance, so whenever you need it, it’s ready to go.
IS IT OKAY TO EAT IT RIGHT AWAY?
While it’s not going to hurt you to eat it right away, I HIGHLY recommend chilling it for a minimum of 30 minutes. This is going to allow all the flavors to really blend and marry together. Then you will end up with a vibrant and delicious dish for any occasion. But eating it too soon, it may seem a little blander and not as appealing.
In the mood for more party food? Check out my Caramelized Onion Dip, Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip, and Dill Pickle Dip because they are all delicious. This recipe also pairs perfectly with the Best Margarita Recipe! If you’re making this for a summer gathering, add this Patriotic Sangria Recipe to your menu, too!
If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating below! It’s so helpful for other readers to see which recipes are tried and true! I’d also love to see it–share your photo of this dish and tag me on Instagram, and I’ll feature you!
Print
Texas Caviar Recipe
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This recipe originated in Texas, made with blackeyed peas, black beans, corn, red and green peppers, onion and dressing. Spice it up with some jalapeno and add some avocado for extra flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 15.5 ounce can black eyed peas, drained, rinsed and dried
- 1 15.5 ounce can black beans, drained, rinsed and dried
- 1 15 ounce can sweet corn, drained and dried
- ½ cup red bell pepper, diced small
- ½ cup green bell pepper, diced small
- ½ cup red onion, diced
- ½ cup cilantro leaves, chopped lightly
- 1–2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lime juice, fresh squeezed
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 avocado, diced OPTIONAL
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the blackeyed peas, beans, corn, red and green peppers, onion, jalapeno, and cilantro. Toss to combine.
- In a bowl mix the olive oil, vinegar, sugar and spices.
- Pour over the blackeyed pea mixture.
- Cover and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Serve with crackers or chips. Enjoy!
Notes
Tips:
- Drain the blackeyed peas, beans, and corn. Rinse, then pat dry with a paper towel.
- Add the vinaigrette and let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour to meld the flavors for best results.
- Can be served as a dip, an appetizer, or as a side dish. Great for BBQ’s and potlucks.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: recipes
- Method: mixing
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 422
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 240.4mg
- Fat: 15.8g
- Saturated Fat: 2.4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 56.9g
- Fiber: 11.5g
- Protein: 18.5g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
This post was very insightful. Appreciate the depth!
I made this today, I didn’t see in the recipe where you put the 1/4 cup of lime juice, I added to the vinegar mixture, Great dish
These adorable tiny things have really captured my attention!
The food looks so delicious and so amazing, I would love to enjoy such delicious food. The recipe is meticulous and worth learning to cook along. Please visit here: there will be many interesting things.
Thank you for sharing a great dish.
Drain the blackeyed peas, beans, and corn. Rinse, then pat dry with a paper towel – oh wow
Thank you for the helpful post