Easy Cowboy Caviar is a hearty tortilla chip dip made with black eyed peas, black beans and sweet corn with tomatoes and avocado added for freshness.
This easy cowboy caviar, or black-eyed pea salsa, is such a versatile recipe. You can serve it as a side salad, appetizer or even as a topping for tacos. If you're looking for healthy chip dip, you're going to love this one!
What makes this appetizer so easy is you can use canned goods for the base. Then, you add as much fresh produce as you want. When I make cowboy caviar in the summer, I'll throw in fresh tomatoes, avocados and jalapeno peppers. If I'm lucky, I can get tomatoes and jalapenos straight from the garden.
If you want to keep this as easy as possible, you could use a can of diced tomatoes or even Ro-Tel or something similar. If you're one of many people who think cilantro tastes like soap, leave it out. I love this stuff, so in it goes!
You can also leave out the avocados, but I think you get a lot more flavor by keeping them in. It's totally up to you, though. Like I said, this recipe is very versatile!
What do You Serve with Cowboy Caviar?
Serve it as a dip with tortilla chips or Fritos. You can also use it as a topping for tacos, burritos or taco pasta. We sometimes add black eyed pea salsa to pulled pork sandwiches -- especially for New Year's Day! It's perfect for game days and parties and other holidays too!
How to Make Black Eyed Pea Salsa
Start out by draining and rinsing the canned black beans, black eyed peas and corn. Then add them to a large mixing bowl.
Next, chop up your fresh produce, and add that to the bowl, as well. You'll want to save the avocados for last.
Whisk all of the dressing ingredients together in a small mixing bowl. To save time, you can use a cup or so of Italian salad dressing or your favorite vinaigrette.
Add the avocados last, and pour the dressing over everything. Mix everything together, and you're good to go.
Pop it in the fridge for about an hour or so before serving. The flavor gets better the longer it sits!
I think the cowboy caviar is even better the next day, since the flavors have even more time to blend together. But, if you're making this for the next day, I'd add the avocados in later just so they don't get mushy.
Pin this recipe to save it!
Cowboy Caviar Dip Recipe
Easy Cowboy Caviar
Ingredients
- 1 15-oz can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15-oz can black-eyed peas drained and rinsed
- 1 15-oz can sweet corn or shoepeg corn drained and rinsed
- 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and diced
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 2 Roma tomatoes diced
- ½ cup red onion diced
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- 2 small avocados diced
Dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil or vegetable oil
- Juice of 2 limes
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the black beans, corn and black-eyed peas, and add to serving bowl
- Add the diced jalapeno pepper, bell pepper, tomatoes and onion
- Add the cilantro and avocados, and pour dressing over everything. Stir well, cover and refrigerate for about an hour before serving
Dressing
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice and vinegar. Whisk in remaining ingredients.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe was originally published in 2016 and updated in 2019
James says
Love this stuff! We have made it twice in the past few days! Easy and what flavor.
Miz Helen says
Hi Dee,
We will just love your Cowboy Caviar, it looks awesome! Thank you so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday and have a great day!
Come Back Soon,
Miz Helen
Anita Gregersen says
My mouth won't stop watering! This sounds amazing 🙂 Thanks for sharing on Full Plate Thursday!
Ivy and Elephants says
I think I will have to do this Super Bowl Sunday. Awesomeness! I would love for you to share this at our What's it Wednesday Linky Party! Fantastic way to start the year with inspiration.
Paula
ivyandelephants.blogspot.com