If there were ever a recipe that deserved a spot in every refrigerator during the warmer months, Cowboy Caviar would be it. Colorful, fresh, and packed with flavor, this crowd-pleasing favorite is part salad, part dip, and part meal-prep superstar.

Despite its name, Cowboy Caviar doesn’t contain any caviar at all. The dish is believed to have originated in Texas as a simple bean salad and has since become a staple at potlucks, cookouts, tailgates, and family gatherings across the country. With black beans, black-eyed peas, sweet corn, tomatoes, peppers, and a zesty homemade dressing, every bite delivers a satisfying combination of textures and flavors.

Cowboy Caviar

Dressing

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 TBS sugar
  • Juice of 1 lime

Ingredients

  • 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 15 oz can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
  • 11 oz can of sweet corn, drained
  • 1 pint of cherry tomatoes (halved)
  • 1 small red onion, diced
  • 1 orange pepper, diced
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • ¾ cup feta cheese

Directions

  1. Prepare dressing and set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, add the remaining ingredients.
  3. Add dressing to bowl and mix well.
  4. Refrigerate for several hours before serving.

Meal Prep Ideas

This recipe will feed a crowd, but you may also consider repurposing the dip. Set aside a portion to dip with chips. Use as a topping for tacos. Make pasta salad.

  • Pasta Salad: Prepare 1 pound of your favorite pasta according to directions. I recommend shells, small bowtie, ditalini or small rotini. Rinse pasta to stop cooking process. Add at least ¾ of the Cowboy Caviar prepared recipe. Add extra dressing as listed below.
  • Prepare extra dressing
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 TBS sugar
  • Juice of 1 lime
Search ingredients at FOOD CITY.

Dishing It Out is a place for Aneisa Rolen to share favorite recipes that require minimal preparation, limited culinary knowledge, yet provide maximum flavor, designed for the hesitant cook who loves good food but isn’t particularly a culinary enthusiast. The recipes provided will accompany the videos, making cooking accessible even to the most reluctant chefs.

Comments may be sent to dishingitoutktt@gmail.com and follow Aneisa on Instagram for more recipe ideas @ aneisarolen

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