Y’all know I’m from Oklahoma, proper? I grew up consuming cowboy caviar, additionally referred to as Texas caviar. It’s a traditional bean salad recipe standard within the South. You may serve it as a facet salad or as salsa. Both means, individuals go loopy for cowboy caviar at potlucks.
Cowboy caviar is made with black-eyed peas and black beans, chopped tomatoes, corn, bell pepper, onion and cilantro tossed in tangy Italian dressing. I usually consider cowboy caviar as a heat climate salad, nevertheless it’s made with components which are available year-round.
Cowboy caviar is definitely good for New 12 months’s should you’re craving one thing recent but hearty, and making an attempt to hit your black-eyed pea quota!
I’ve one problem with most cowboy caviar recipes—they’re usually swimming in store-bought Italian salad dressing. As such, they are often means too oily and comprise some pointless preservatives. As an alternative, I whisked collectively a easy, homemade Italian dressing from scratch. It’s simple to do and tastes implausible.
This recipe yields a giant bowl of dip, however I don’t suppose you’ll have any hassle sharpening it off. I hope you get pleasure from this cheekily titled delight!
Cowboy Caviar Elements
You’ll discover the complete recipe beneath. The Italian dressing is made with pantry components. Right here’s what it is advisable to know in regards to the recent components:
Black-Eyed Peas and Black Beans
Beans type the spine of this wholesome salad. Canned beans are high-quality to make use of, or you may cook dinner your individual should you’d like. One can is equal to at least one and a half cups cooked beans.
Tip: Drain your beans and corn very nicely earlier than including them to the bowl. In the event that they’re watery, they’ll dilute the flavour of the French dressing.
Corn
Relying on the season and availability, you may desire to shuck recent corn, or use frozen corn (merely soak it in cool water till absolutely defrosted), or open a can of corn.
Tomatoes
Ripe pink tomatoes are preferrred. When tomatoes aren’t in season, I attain for Roma tomatoes (three to 4 of them) or cherry tomatoes (one pint can be good for this recipe). You would use canned tomatoes, however it can change the flavour and the vibe a bit. Contemporary is greatest.
Bell Pepper and Jalapeño
Pink, orange or yellow bell pepper will do. If you happen to can tolerate a little bit warmth, you’ll love the jalapeños. If you happen to’re nervous in regards to the jalapeño, you may cut back the spiciness through the use of simply one among them, and being positive to take away the seeds and membranes earlier than chopping.
Pink Onion and Cilantro
I do know these components could be polarizing and I promise there’s not an excessive amount of of both in them on this recipe. Don’t skip them!
Tip: Take care to cut your components small to maintain with the “caviar” textural theme.
Optionally available Avocado
Whereas untraditional, ripe avocado is a welcome addition to this bean salad. Wait so as to add avocado simply earlier than serving so it doesn’t brown, or serve particular person parts with a couple of strips of avocado on high.
Watch Easy methods to Make Cowboy Caviar
Easy methods to Serve Texas Caviar
Serve your cowboy caviar as a bean salad or as a dip with sturdy tortilla chips. This recipe occurs to be vegan and gluten free, so it can please everybody at a celebration. It’s additionally an ideal wholesome snack to maintain within the fridge and retains nicely for a number of days.
Cowboy caviar is gorgeous for lunch with a sandwich or quesadilla, and even for breakfast with scrambled or fried eggs and a heat tortilla.
You can too flip this dip right into a inexperienced salad by serving it on lettuce. Add a squeeze of lime, some crumbled feta and a sprinkle of crushed corn chips or toasted pepitas (inexperienced pumpkin seeds).
Extra Contemporary Bean Salads to Make
Love this cowboy caviar? You’ll additionally get pleasure from these vibrant bean salads.
Please let me know the way your cowboy caviar seems within the feedback! I like listening to from you.
Wholesome Cowboy Caviar
- Creator:
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Whole Time: half-hour
- Yield: 8 cups 1x
- Class: Appetizer
- Methodology: By hand
- Delicacies: Southern
- Food plan: Vegan
This cowboy caviar recipe (also referred to as Texas caviar) is comprised of scratch with all-natural components! Serve it as a dip, salsa or salad—it’ll be successful at your subsequent get together. Recipe yields a variety of “caviar,” about 8 cups.
Scale
Elements
Cowboy caviar
- 2 cans (14 ounces every) black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained, or 3 cups cooked black-eyed peas
- 1 can (14 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked black beans
- 1 ½ cups recent or defrosted frozen corn kernels (about 2 ears of corn), or 1 can (14 ounces) corn, drained
- 1 ½ cups chopped ripe tomatoes (about ¾ pound)
- 1 medium pink, orange or yellow bell pepper, chopped
- ¾ cup chopped pink onion (about ½ small pink onion)
- ½ cup chopped cilantro, leaves and stems
- 1 to 2 jalapeños, ribs eliminated, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 avocado (non-obligatory)
Italian dressing
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons pink wine vinegar or lime juice
- 2 medium cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons salt, to style
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
- ⅛ teaspoon pink pepper flakes
- Freshly floor black pepper, to style
Directions
- In a big serving bowl, mix the drained black-eyed peas, black beans, corn, chopped tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, cilantro and jalapeño. If you happen to’ll be together with avocado, wait to cube it till you’re able to serve the dip, so it doesn’t flip brown within the meantime.
- In a cup, whisk collectively the dressing components till nicely blended. Drizzle the dressing over the serving bowl and toss till nicely combined. Season to style with further salt and pepper. If you happen to’d just like the salad to have extra of a pickled taste, add one other tablespoon of vinegar, or for extra richness, add one other tablespoon or two of olive oil.
- For greatest taste, let the combination marinate for at the least 20 minutes earlier than serving. If you happen to’re including avocado, combine it in simply earlier than serving.
Notes
Serving strategies: Don’t overlook the chips! I additionally like to show this dip right into a inexperienced salad by serving it on lettuce with a squeeze of lime, some crumbled feta and a sprinkle of crushed corn chips or toasted pepitas.
Storage strategies: This dip retains nicely within the fridge, coated, for as much as 4 days.
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