This is the ULTIMATE, best ever, flavor-loaded cowboy caviar dip. And if you’ve never tried cowboy caviar before (also known as Texas caviar) then this will be a new favorite recipe!
Cowboy caviar has a lot of tasty characteristics: it’s made from lots of fresh ingredients and is a healthy mix of vegetables that even the pickiest eaters will love. It’s sweet and savory, light and satisfying.
Plus it’s just so pretty! Those colors (yum)!
This dip along with our Crockpot Hamburger Cheese Dip are party favorites. They’re both go to options to make ahead and bring.
Why Is It Called Cowboy Caviar?
Cowboy caviar gets its name from its Texas origins. It was invented by a woman in the 1940’s in Texas apparently as a way to add flavor to eating black eyed peas, which are traditionally eaten for good luck on New Year’s Eve.
All of the ingredients in cowboy caviar are chopped small to mimic true caviar, though the tastes are very different! If you’d like to learn more about its origins, here’s a quick read.
What Is Cowboy Caviar Dip?
Cowboy caviar is a mix of fresh vegetables (like onions, tomatoes, and bell peppers) mixed with black beans, black eyed peas and corn and dressed in a light vinaigrette. This recipe uses a white wine vinegar, olive oil and sugar dressing.
One of the hallmarks of cowboy caviar is black eyed peas! But most of the other ingredients change slightly from recipe to recipe. Some recipes are spicier than others or favor one ingredient over another.
About this recipe: this recipe has low spice levels and an even mix of ingredients. It tastes fresh and sweet, which is the perfect pair to a salty tortilla chip!
This recipe is also made without avocados, so that you don’t have to worry about them turning brown if you need to make this recipe ahead of time.
Cowboy Caviar dip is a popular choice for parties and watching games. It’s easy to make ahead and always a crowd-pleaser. It looks pretty on a table at a party and tastes as good as it looks! Yee-haw.
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Cowboy Caviar Dip
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
Description
It’s sweet and savory, light and satisfying. This pretty cowboy caviar dip tastes as good as it looks.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/8 cup sugar
- 1 lime (juiced)
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 roma tomatoes (seeded and diced)
- 1 15 oz can black eyed peas (drained and rinsed)
- 1 15 oz can black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 1/2 cups sweet corn
- 1/2 cup red onion (diced)
- 1/2 cup green bell pepper (diced)
- 1 jalapeno (diced)
- 1/2 cup cilantro (chopped, optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, sugar, lime juice, white wine vinegar, 1/4 tsp garlic powder and salt.
- Add remaining ingredients. Stir to mix.
- Sitr in cilantro. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: American
? Produce Delivery For More Fresh Ingredients:
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This is delicious!!! I like that it’s healthy too. Great recipe, thank you!
★★★★★
Thank you! So glad that you enjoyed it!!
I have everything this calls for except white wine vinegar. Could white distilled or apple cider vinegar be substituted?
Yes, you can substitute either! 🙂
I substituted with champagne vinegar and it worked great!
Yum!! That is such a good idea!!
This was a huge hit at our family picnic recently! Thanks!
★★★★★
So glad you enjoyed it!! 🙂
Looks delicious!! Making it right now. Do you drain the corn? TIA
Yes, it’s best to drain the corn! Hope you enjoy the recipe!!
Could I use canned diced jalapeño? I hate cutting them…. would this make it less appealing, or more hot? I never make anything with jalapeños because of one bad experience …hahaha … but my husband has had this type of dip and loved it, so i would like to give it a try.
Yes, you could used canned diced jalapeno 🙂 The flavor will be a little different than using fresh jalapeno and usually canned is less spicy!
You can also skip the jalapeno completely and it’s still delicious!!
This recipe is so delicious. My husband had 2 servings. Thanks fo sharing.
★★★★★
Loved this! Only subbed an orange pepper for the green. Will be making again.
★★★★★
I can no longer see the recipe! This is a favorite for my family, but I haven’t memorized the ingredients just yet. I hope it comes back soon.
Hi Sarah!
I’m so glad you and your family enjoy this recipe! I apologize you couldn’t see the recipe when you looked again. I’ve looked from my end and it does look like it’s still there! Let me know if you’re still having any troubles. If so, I can send the recipe to you in the meantime. Thank you!
My family hasn’t had anything like this, and it was a hit! Love it!
★★★★★
I’m so glad you and your family loved the recipe! Thank you for your comment!
Wonderful recipe! My family loved it!
★★★★★
Thank you! I’m so happy you and your family loved it 🙂
This is a family favorite. I can’t make enough of this!!! Thank you for sharing!
★★★★★
Of course! Thank you for trying it! Glad you and you’re family love it.
This is a great potluck dish for an outside event. I’m always thinking about food safety and this is such a good option from a safety and crowd acceptance standpoint. When I attend a potluck event, my friends expect me to bring this. It is always a hit! Thank you for a tried and true recipe that never disappoints.
★★★★★
You’re definitely right! Thank you for your kind comment. So glad you and your friends love this recipe
This is delicious. It was a great hit at a potluck we had recently. I didn’t have the jalapeño or green pepper… subbed red bell pepper and put just a little franks hot sauce in the dressing… I can’t take it very hot. I used some celery greens instead of cilantro. for the vinegar I used half cider and half white.Other than that I followed the recipe. It’s great thank you.
★★★★★
Outstanding recipe. I was introduced to Cowboy Caviar about 12 years ago at a baby shower. I’ve made several different takes on this dish, and this is the best! Followed exactly and the results were sublime!! Hubs LOVED with tortilla chips! Thank you for posting! Devine!!!
★★★★★