Cowboy Caviar Recipe – Oh Candy Basil

This cowboy caviar recipe is the final word straightforward, wholesome dip— loaded with black beans, black-eyed peas, avocado, corn, bell peppers, and daring Southwest flavors. It’s the proper make-ahead appetizer, potluck aspect dish, or perhaps a gentle vegetarian meal. Whereas everybody appears to have their very own spin on cowboy caviar, I’ve to say, this one’s the very best! It’s recent, colourful, filled with plant-based protein, and completely crowd-pleasing.

Watch this How Cowboy Caviar is Made…

The primary time I ever had cowboy caviar was truthfully a bit of embarrassing. Cade and I had been broke newlyweds at a perform with individuals we barely knew, and I used to be totally ready to take pleasure in a beneficiant unfold with out spending a dime. However then I noticed a giant bowl of what seemed like… a bunch of bizarre beans. I hesitated.

Cade, then again, scooped up an enormous serving to and devoured it prefer it was the very best factor he’d ever eaten. So I gave it a strive, after which went again for seconds… and thirds. That’s when issues acquired a bit of awkward. A candy lady throughout the room smiled and stated, “I can see you actually love that! Let me provide the recipe!” And, nicely, she wasn’t improper. I’ve been making it ever since.

What I Love About This Recipe

This recipe is completely versatile. If I’m quick on one sort of bean, I simply double up on one other. You’ll be able to follow the traditional model or make it your personal with no matter you’ve acquired readily available. It’s easy, scrumptious, and all the time a success.

I like that you just get that creamy coolness from the avocados with some crunch from the peppers. I like the candy and the little trace of spicy… mmmmm so yummy. And, it’s straightforward, which is nice for while you need one thing actually tasty however you don’t have a number of time to place one thing tremendous fancy collectively. It’s simply easy and scrumptious. Simply the way it must be.

What’s Cowboy Caviar?

Okay, again to the recipe! Cowboy caviar, or Texas caviar, is a salad with black beans, black-eyed peas, recent corn kernels, Roma tomatoes, and a lightweight vinaigrette-style dressing. Plenty of recent greens (diced small) are combined with the beans. It’s imagined to look much like caviar, with all of the elements being related in dimension to the beans. It’s the excellent factor to convey to a summer season BBQ as a dip, appetizer, or the proper summer season aspect dish! Be ready to be requested to convey it to each occasion from right here on out.

Is This Cowboy Caviar Recipe Wholesome?

On the subject of dip recipes, that is nearly as wholesome because it will get. It’s vegan and gluten-free, and oh so scrumptious! Beans are an incredible supply of protein, and all these recent greens are filled with nutritional vitamins and vitamins. In case you are involved about fats or energy, you could possibly reduce the Italian dressing that you just add or omit the avocados. Although avocados are the very best sort of fats! Mmmmmm…I like them!

What Goes in This Cowboy Caviar Recipe?

You’ll begin your grocery buying on the canned items aisle after which find yourself spending most of your time within the produce part. I completely love how recent and wholesome this dip is! Here’s what you will have:

Recent Produce

• Bell Pepper: Any shade works nice or a mix of colours… so fairly!
• Diced Roma Tomatoes or Grape Tomatoes: Use Italian or Mexican-style tomatoes when you use canned, and make sure to drain them nicely.
• Purple Onion: Cube it up pretty small.
• Avocados: Search for ripe avocados. I like to chop them small whereas nonetheless within the pores and skin after which scoop them out.
• Cilantro: Chop it up good and small.
• Lime: You’ll use the zest and juice. It provides the very best punch of taste!

Pantry Items

• Black Olives: We wish to get the medium dimension after which slice them up.
• Frozen Corn or Hominy: You’ll be able to add the corn in frozen. It doesn’t take lengthy to thaw in any respect.
• Black-eyed Peas: It would be best to drain and rinse them nicely.
• Black Beans: We additionally use canned beans, however you possibly can completely make your personal if you wish to use dried beans. Simply make sure that they’ve cooled utterly.
• Italian Dressing: Be happy to decide on your favourite store-bought model, or you may make it from scratch with olive oil, pink wine vinegar, and a few fundamental pantry seasonings.
• Diced Inexperienced Chiles: You’ll be able to play with the warmth a bit of right here and get gentle, medium, or scorching chiles.
• Cumin: Simply the tiniest little bit of cumin provides the very best taste.
• Salt and Pepper: Style as you go as you add the S & P and season to style.

The measurements of all of the elements will be discovered within the recipe card on the finish of the submit.

Methods to Make This Cowboy Caviar Recipe

It’s all about recent elements, brilliant flavors, and a fast prep that makes this straightforward cowboy caviar ideally suited for busy nights, potlucks, or snacky weekends at residence. Comply with these easy steps, and also you’ll have a colourful bowl of cowboy caviar able to go very quickly.

1. Drain: Rinse and drain the black beans, black-eyed peas, olives, and canned tomatoes (if utilizing).
2. Chop: Cube the bell peppers, onions, tomatoes (if recent), avocado, and cilantro into small items.
3. Toss: Add all of the veggies, beans, corn, and inexperienced chiles into a big bowl.
4. Season: Zest and juice the lime over the combination, then sprinkle within the cumin, salt, and pepper.
5. Costume: Pour Italian dressing over every thing and gently combine till nicely mixed.
6. Chill: Cowl and refrigerate for no less than half-hour to let the flavors come collectively.
7. Serve: Spoon it up with tortilla chips, add to tacos, or take pleasure in as a salad!

Extra detailed directions will be discovered within the recipe card under.

Variations for Texas Caviar

The truth is, you could possibly completely mess around with the flavors, too. Need extra chew? Add some jalapeños or a tsp of chili powder. Need half hominy and half corn? Go for it! When are these issues ever a foul factor? By no means! This recipe is completely versatile and will be custom-made to your liking. You’ll be able to omit belongings you don’t like or swap up something. Use pinto beans or kidney beans as an alternative of black beans.

How To Make This Cowboy Caviar Recipe right into a Meal

Cowboy caviar is likely to be mostly eaten as a dip with tortilla chips, however in our home, it’s a lot greater than that. I’ll fortunately eat it straight as a aspect dish, and if we’ve any left after dinner with mates, it’s 100% my lunch the following day! Pure heaven!! We’ve spooned it over tacos, burritos, and taco salads, combined it with rice for a hearty aspect, and even tossed it with lettuce to show it into a fast salad. On busy nights, it turns into a full meal.

I like piling it onto baked candy potatoes, tossing it with heat quinoa and feta, tucking it into wraps with grilled hen, or scooping it into crisp lettuce cups. It’s budget-friendly, versatile, and all the time satisfying! It’s a type of fridge staples I depend on once I want one thing straightforward that also feels recent and nourishing. Plus, it’s completely kid-friendly! 

How Lengthy Will This Cowboy Caviar Recipe Hold?

Cowboy caviar will hold as much as 5 days within the fridge. It must be coated with plastic wrap or positioned in an hermetic container. It doesn’t freeze nicely as a result of a number of the elements don’t maintain up within the freezer.

This can be a nice make-ahead recipe and really tastes higher after it sits for some time to let the flavors meld. You can also make it as much as 3-4 days forward of time, however when you can let it sit for a couple of hours (as much as in a single day) earlier than serving, that’s the actual candy spot! 

PRO TIP: Don’t add the avocados and cilantro till proper earlier than serving.

Suggestions for Making This Cowboy Caviar Recipe

• Let it relaxation: The magic actually occurs after it sits. Even simply half-hour of chill time helps the flavors soak into the beans and are available collectively fantastically. I normally make it a day forward and let it relaxation in a single day for the very best taste.
• Make it forward: This can be a lifesaver for giant occasions or holidays. You’ll be able to prep it as much as a day or two upfront, which makes entertaining a lot simpler.
• Wait on the avocado: Add the avocados simply earlier than serving to maintain them recent and vibrant. No person needs a brown avocado of their cowboy caviar!
• Stir nicely earlier than serving: The dressing tends to settle on the backside, so give it a very good combine to redistribute all that goodness.

Okay, right here it goes…I’m going there (use your greatest cowboy accent)…so saddle up, companion, and cargo up your plate filled with this right here scrumptious cowboy caviar. It’s recent, scrumptious, completely irresistible, and downright purdy with all these stunning, brilliant veggies! Yeeeeeeehaw!

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