This Cowboy Caviar is a wonderfully fresh, healthy, and easy-to-make dip. It’s loaded with tomatoes, avocado, beans, corn, and the best dressing infusing every bite. This recipe is popular for good reason and we make this salsa all year long.
Just like classic Pico de Gallo and Guacamole, this is one of those appetizers you’ll make over and over. Watch the video tutorial and you’ll be craving this ‘Texas Caviar’ until you finally make it.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Cowboy Caviar
If you are looking to spice up your ordinary summer cookout, you have to add this to your menu. Serve it as a side dish with crispy tortilla chips or Scoops corn chips, or pair it as a side with Hamburgers and Homemade Lemonade.
This cowboy caviar is a crowd-pleaser and always disappears fast! There are many recipes for cowboy caviar, but we really love this delicious version that my classmate, Annie from nursing school, shared with me years ago. It makes a big batch so it is an ideal potluck or party appetizer; right up there with Spinach Artichoke Dip and Ceviche!
Cowboy Caviar Video Tutorial
Watch the video tutorial and see just how easy it is to make this Cowboy Caviar. If you enjoy our videos, subscribe to our and click the bell icon so you will be the first to know when we post a new video!
What is Cowboy Caviar?
According to the stories, in the 1950’s Neiman Marcus’ food director, Helen Corbitt, introduced this dish at a party in Houston, Texas. Because of its “humble” ingredients, guests dubbed it “Cowboy Caviar”.
Is it a salsa? A dip? Or is it a black bean salad? Call it what you will, I call it delicious. Cowboy Caviar, also known as “Texas Caviar,” is a beefed-up Pico De Gallo type salsa, but unique because it’s loaded with beans, avocado, and corn and is dressed with our special ingredient, Italian dressing.
It’s so colorful with all of the fresh vegetables and those black beans add a great source of protein. Today, stores such as Costco and Trader Joe’s sell packaged versions of this popular dish, but we, of course, think fresh is best.
Time-Saving Tip: Save time by using our favorite food chopper for cutting up the tomatoes, jalapeños, avocado, onion, and bell pepper.
Ingredients
This cowboy caviar salsa is so colorful, loaded, and satisfying. This salsa tastes best in Summer when you can get fresh and garden-grown veggies but it’s delicious with store-bought ingredients as well.
- Tomatoes – Fresh tomatoes are the tastiest in season, but the beauty of this salsa is it can be made all year long.
- Beans – We love home-cooked beans or canned black beans or black-eyed peas. Be sure they are rinsed and well-drained. We often interchange these two beans based on what we have on hand and either one works great.
- Corn – During the winter months, we use canned or frozen corn and in the summer months, we add freshly cooked Corn on the Cob.
- Avocado – Adds an irresistible creaminess. I’ve been known to sneak in extra avocado.
- Bell Pepper – We have used red, orange, yellow, and even green bell pepper. Any kind will work.
- Onion – Adds great flavor and crunch to every bite.
- Jalapeños – Don’t be intimidated by the jalapeños – the Italian dressing mellows it out and even the kids love it!
- Italian Salad Dressing – This surprising ingredient infuses every bite with incredible flavor. We love Newman’s Own brand, but you can use your favorite one or try our Homemade Italian Dressing.
- Limes, garlic, and salt – Use fresh lime juice and garlic for the best flavor.
- Cilantro – salsa would not be complete without it!
Pro Tip: Wear a glove when handling the jalapeño, and scrape out the seeds with a spoon to reduce the heat.
How to Make Cowboy Caviar
- Chop the fresh ingredients – tomatoes, avocados, onion, jalapeños, bell pepper, cilantro, fresh corn. Mince the garlic and add everything to a large bowl.
- Rinse and Drain – Black beans (and corn if using canned corn). Add to the bowl.
- Combine – Add Italian dressing, lime juice, and salt. Stir to combine and enjoy!
It really is that easy. You can make it several hours ahead and the leftovers are still great the next day.
Pro Tip: Make this side dish a complete meal by adding shredded chicken and/or cooked pasta such as penne, macaroni, or fusilli just before you mix all of the ingredients together. To make it a totally simple, no-cooking-required meal, purchase a rotisserie chicken from the deli and omit the pasta.
Common Questions
A bowl of fresh vegetables surely has great nutritional value. With black beans and/or black-eyed peas, this recipe is a great source of fiber and protein. Of course, you could choose a healthier option than tortilla chips for scooping, but I am not judging.
This recipe is so versatile and modifications based on personal preference or which ingredients you have on hand are so simple to make. Want to add red onion instead of white onion? Chili powder instead of jalapenos for an extra kick? Canned corn kernels instead of fresh corn on the cob? By all means… substitute. It is so simple and you really cannot go wrong.
Texas Caviar can easily be prepared up to two days ahead of time and be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Longer than two days, and the vegetables will start to lose their crispness. This recipe is also easily doubled or tripled for your party crowd.
How to Serve Cowboy Caviar
- Appetizer – We always serve Cowboy Caviar with tortilla chips as an appetizer. It’s perfect for parties because it makes a big batch. My husband and I often skip dinner and just make a big batch of this black bean salad in the evening with crunchy tortilla chips.
- Topping – If you are lucky enough to have leftovers, it can be served as a topping for Beef Tacos, burritos, Nachos, or over Pan-Seared Steak.
- Side Dish – You can serve this as a salad or side dish for a potluck. It is definitely a crowd-pleaser.
This recipe for Cowboy Caviar is a keeper. Make this once and you will make it again and again.
More Party Appetizers
These are our best appetizers, from salsas to dips and small bites. These are the top-rated recipes that always get rave reviews:
Cowboy Caviar Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 Roma tomatoes, diced
- 1 bell pepper, any color, seeded and diced
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely diced
- 1 large avocado , peeled, pitted and diced
- 15 oz can corn, drained (or from 1 cooked cob of corn)
- 15 oz can black beans, well rinsed and drained (or make your own)
- 1/2 bunch of cilantro, About 1/2 cup chopped
- 3-4 Tbsp lime juice
- 1/2 cup light Italian Dressing, *
- 4 medium garlic cloves, pressed
- 1 tsp sea salt or to taste
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine diced tomatoes, chopped onion and bell pepper, seeded and diced jalapeño, sliced avocado, fresh (or drained canned) corn, rinsed and drained black beans, and chopped cilantro.
- Stir in 3-4 Tbsp of lime juice, 1/2 cup of Italian dressing, 4 pressed garlic cloves, and 1 tsp of salt or season to taste. Mix everything together and serve with tortilla chips.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
How far ahead can I make this for a party? Worried about the avocados discoloring
Hi Jo, It will keep well for a few days in the refrigerator.
Can you substitute Roma tomatoes to cherry tomatoes? I was given a big batch & trying to use my them with recipes that call for tomatoes.
Hi Connie! Yes, that should be fine.
I make Texas caviar but instead of Italian dressing I use Tiger sauce.Takes it to a whole new level !
Btw I love your my recipes and enthusiasm !
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Diane! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
Wow! I read all the reviews for this recipe today. I got so hungry for this, I had to go shopping! I spent a tiny fortune, but oh my goodness, this recipe is amazing! Never had anything like it. The contrasting flavors are so vibrant! I am a vegetarian and plan to make this for years to come! Thank you again Natasha for sharing! 20 stars if I could !!!
Aww! Thank you, Laura. So glad you found and tried this recipe. I appreciate the review.
This also made a great burrito on day 3. I used a flour tortilla, added cowboy caviar, lots of shredded cheddar on top and microwaved it. Then added a generous amount of sour cream and some cracked pepper. Got the tortilla idea from comments below. Next I am making a quesidilla with it. Very versatile recipe. It can be a snack or a meal. I love it!
Love how you’re trying different recipes with it! Enjoy and I hope you’ll love the recipes that you will try.
Made your Cowboy caviar this past weekend and it was a huge hit with all our friends, rave reviews from everyone. My husband and I love watching your cleaver and entertaining videos!
Hi Cindy, lovely to hear that. Thank you for sharing!
Loved it!! So fresh tasting, hard to stop eating it. I love all your recipes. Praying for your family in Urkraine🙏
Thanks so much for your prayers and good feedback, Cheryl. We appreciate it!
Natasha, thank you very much for all your recipes! I use them all the time and every time it is a hit! We just had a cowboy party and I made cowboy caviar and chili . My husband and our friends loved it! They were perfect!
The perfect recipe for a Cowboy party! That sounds so fun!
Love the recipe…tastes awesome…Now, the thing I don’t like….Prep Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 15 minutes..I am going to assume you meant 15 minutes to get everything together ( Prep time ) because it took me 15 minutes to get the garlic minced up. My total time was about an hour…I don’t have your fancy dancy choppers or your prep cook sharpened knives so they flow right through your tomatoes instead of mashing them…The only thing I don’t like about this recipe is the prep time…JS
Hi Mark, I think you are correct. I have been chopping at light speed for some time and I think 30 minutes of total prep for this recipe is probably more accurate if dicing up with a knife for most people. Thanks for asking!
Buy some good knives. It should take less than twenty seconds to prepare the garlic!
can you put everything in this recipe but the jalapenos? not a big fan of them.
Hi Clare! You sure can! I hope you love this recipe!
Hi Natasha,
This dip is FANTASTIC!
I was wondering why you use “lite” Italian dressing? I wanted to make it the next time using your homemade Italian dressing. Would that work as well….or BETTER?! 🙂
Hi Darlene, “light” is just less oily. If you look at the bottle without shaking it, the regular one has a ton of oil in it that doesn’t really add the best flavor to a salsa such as this one which is why we get light.
Great recipe, Natasha. I have used it as a side alongside grilled steaks and grilled shrimp — superb! A tip for you. Throw your limes in the microwave for 25 seconds — it makes them a lot juicier and no rolling. xx
Thanks for that great tip, Debra! I’m happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Thank you so much for all of the wonderful recipes! My family is loving them. ☺️ I’m going to make this for my work family.
You’re welcome, Mollie! I hope your family loves it!
Can this be made a day before and refrigerated until serving?
Hi Anne, It will keep well for a few days in the refrigerator.
Again, another winning recipe from Natasha.
Definitely a hit in my house!!
Glad you loved it, Marsha! Thank you so much for your review.
This recipe is so good! My husband loves it! Wondering if it would freeze well?
Hi Nicole! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! We enjoy it fresh, and I don’t believe it will freeze well, but I also haven’t tested that to advise. This recipe will last up to 4-5 days. Keep in mind vegetables will let off a little water.
Great recipe. We ate so much, decided it could just be our dinner!
Perfect! I’m glad you loved it, thanks for your review, Linda.
I must tell you that this was delicious and a HUGE hit! I served it with Tostito’s Scoops and also had cornbread available to serve it over top! Everyone has asked for your recipe, I shared the video with them!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Gwen! Thank you for that great review!
Great recipe!! I just happened to have chimichurri on hand and added more red wine vinegar, and several ounces of Ken’s Light Italian. I used fresh corn for flavor and color.
Hi Becca, I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for sharing that with us.
Made this for Father’s Day and it was a HUGE hit!! Everyone loved it!! They want me to make it for our Christmas in July party next month!! This recipe is a definite keeper!! Thank you!!!
That’s amazing, Annette! Thank you for this lovely review! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Can I substitute the cilantro for anything else?
Hi Lydia, we prefer it with cilantro but parsley may work here also.