Cowgirl Caviar

guess what I made last week after seeing it all over TikTok for the millionth time and finally caving in.

cowgirl caviar. which is such a ridiculous name because there’s literally no caviar in it but whatever it’s catchy I guess. basically it’s just a bunch of chopped vegetables and beans in a tangy dressing that everyone on the internet is obsessed with eating with tortilla chips.

my friend Rachel brought this to a pool party last summer and I ate like half the bowl by myself standing at the table. she wouldn’t tell me what was in it for weeks because she’s like that. finally she admitted she found it on Instagram and it was super easy. first time I made it I forgot to drain the beans and corn and it was basically soup lol.

second attempt I didn’t chop the vegetables small enough and it was impossible to scoop with a chip. had to eat it with a spoon like salsa which defeated the whole purpose. third try I finally got it right and brought it to my sister’s barbecue where it was gone in like 15 minutes.

now I make it constantly and keep a container in my fridge basically all summer. sometimes I just eat it straight with a fork for lunch because I’m lazy and it’s actually filling.

Why this stuff is addicting

literally just chopping and mixing no cooking involved so perfect for hot days

uses canned stuff mostly so you don’t need a garden or farmer’s market trip

gets better after sitting in the fridge when the flavors marry or whatever

works as a dip appetizer salad or side dish depending on how you serve it

super cheap to make and feeds a crowd for like ten bucks total

What you need

here’s the stuff but honestly just use what you have:

How to make it

Drain and rinse your black beans and black-eyed peas in a strainer. shake them around to get all the gross bean liquid off.

Drain the corn too if you’re using canned. if using frozen just thaw it under water.

Dump all the beans and corn into a big bowl. I use my biggest mixing bowl because this makes a ton.

Chop your cherry tomatoes into halves or quarters. mine are never uniform and that’s totally fine.

Dice the bell peppers into small pieces. I do like quarter inch cubes but honestly just chop them however small you can stand to do.

Chop the red onion really fine. big chunks of raw onion are the worst so go small here. I usually end up crying halfway through and have to take a break.

Mince the jalapeño after taking out the seeds. or leave some seeds if you like it spicy. I always forget to wear gloves and regret it when I touch my face later.

Add all the chopped vegetables to the bowl with the beans and corn. this is when you realize you should’ve used a bigger bowl but it’s too late now.

Chop the cilantro roughly. stems are fine too they have flavor. if you’re one of those people who thinks cilantro tastes like soap just skip it.

Make the dressing by whisking together the olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, minced garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. I just use a fork for this.

Pour the dressing over everything and stir it all together. I use a big spoon and just fold it all around until everything’s coated.

Taste it and add more salt or lime juice if it needs it. mine always needs more salt than I think.

Cover and stick it in the fridge for at least an hour. overnight is even better because the flavors get more intense.

Chop and add the avocado right before you serve it so it doesn’t turn brown. I learned this the hard way when I added it too early and it looked gross.

Serve with tortilla chips or on tacos or in a burrito bowl or just eat it with a spoon like I do.

tips and random stuff

• Add diced mango or pineapple for a sweet twist. saw someone do this on Instagram and it looked amazing but I haven’t tried it yet.
• Use fresh corn cut off the cob if you’re feeling ambitious. I did this once in peak summer and it was so much better but also way more work.
• Make it spicier with hot sauce or cayenne pepper mixed into the dressing. my husband likes it basically burning his face off so I make a separate spicy batch for him.
• Double the recipe for parties because it goes so fast. I made a single batch for a cookout once and it was gone before I even got any.

storage notes

keeps in the fridge for like 4-5 days in a sealed container. the vegetables release water as it sits so you might need to drain some liquid off.

gets a little soggy after a few days but still tastes good. I usually eat it all before it goes bad anyway.

doesn’t freeze well at all because of the fresh vegetables. they get mushy and weird when thawed.

I have a container in my fridge right now that might be this or might be some other bean salad thing I made last week. I really need to start labeling things but I never do. opened it this morning and took a chance and it was fine.

nutrition per serving

for about 8 servings:

these are estimates from some website calculator. doesn’t include chips or avocado which obviously add more calories. this is actually pretty healthy compared to most party dips.

questions I always get

can I use different beans

yeah use whatever beans you like or have in your pantry. chickpeas would be good or kidney beans or pinto beans. I’ve done all black beans before when that’s all I had

what if I don’t like cilantro

just leave it out or use parsley instead. some people say cilantro tastes like soap which is genetic or something. I don’t get it but to each their own

how do I keep the avocado from turning brown

add it right before serving like I said. or you can squeeze extra lime juice over it. or just accept that it’ll turn brown and eat it anyway because it still tastes fine

is this the same as texas caviar

pretty much yeah. texas caviar usually has black-eyed peas and this has both black-eyed peas and black beans. cowgirl caviar is just a trendy new name for basically the same thing