Cowboy Caviar {AKA Texas Caviar}

Published August 1, 2018. Updated January 17, 2024

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Cowboy Caviar is one of my favorite appetizers/snacks and it’s always a crowd favorite! It has such a delicious fresh and vibrant flavor and just the perfect blend of ingredients. Cowboy Caviar is a must-have for your Super Bowl party food menu!

Cowboy Caviar in glass bowl with tortilla chips

Do You Call it Cowboy Caviar or Texas Caviar?

What do you call this ever-so-popular chip dip? Cowboy Caviar, Texas Caviar, Black Eyed Pea Salsa, or even something else? I’m finding the most common name seems to be Cowboy Caviar, so that’s what we’ll go with here.

I first tried this bean dip about 10 years ago at a holiday party. I was hooked after one bite. I seriously could not stop eating it. I think I ate at least half of the bowl myself!

Since then, I’ve made it a lot and switched things up a bit. I like to use a homemade dressing instead of a bottled Italian dressing, and I like to add avocado because every kind of recipe is better with little bits of creamy avocado, right?

I know it might seem like a lot of ingredients, but this is like the dip of all dips so make it! It will soon be that dip everyone requests at parties (we can’t host our Super Bowl party without this dip!). Or just make it for dinner and serve along with some grilled chicken or salmon.

Cowboy Caviar Ingredients

Cowboy Caviar Ingredients

For this simple black eyed pea dip, you’ll need:

  • Roma tomtoes
  • Avocado
  • Green bell pepper
  • Avocado
  • Red onion
  • Frozen Corn
  • Canned back eyed peas (sometimes found by the canned veggies)
  • Canned black beans
  • Jalapeno (optional)
  • Cilantro

(Scroll below for full recipe.)

Cowboy Caviar Dressing Ingredients

  • Olive Oil
  • Red wine vinegar
  • Lime juice
  • Honey
  • Garlic
  • Mexican oregano (regular would work too)
  • Salt and pepper

Cowboy Texas Caviar Dressing

How to Make Cowboy Caviar

First, you’ll start by whisking all of the dressing ingredients together until well combined. Then dice up the veggies really small.

Cowboy Caviar chopped veggies

Drain and rinse the black beans. This will remove some of the extra salt and of course get rid of that murky looking liquid so you don’t end up with a weird color dip.

rinsing black beans and black eyed peas for texas caviar

Then add all the diced veggies, black eyed peas and black beans to a big big bowl.

Cowboy Caviar adding dressing to veggies and beans in mixing bowl

Pour the dressing over and toss to coat. Serve this black eyed pea dip with tortilla chips!

Cowboy Caviar

Can I Use Different Beans in This Dip?

Yes, feel free to mix and match the types of beans you use in this Texas caviar recipe. Black eyed peas are a classic ingredient though, so I recommend leaving those in your cowboy dip!

Can I Make This Dip in Advance?

I think this cowboy caviar would be fine made up to 24 hours in advance. I’d just wait to add in the avocado and the dressing until you’re ready to serve this dip.

You could also prep the individual ingredients and toss everything together when you’re ready. That way nothing would become soggy!

Can I Use Canned Corn Instead of Frozen?

Yes, canned corn would work in this black eyed pea dip. Just make sure to drain the corn well before adding it to the cowboy caviar.

Tips for the Best Cowboy Caviar

  • Wait to add dressing until ready to serve (keep diced veggies and beans chilled).
  • Wait to and avocado until you are ready to serve the dip. Nobody likes brown avocado.
  • Stick with the homemade dressing. I know a store-bought Italian dressing works too but homemade is best.
  • If you don’t want to buy both black beans and black eyed peas you can just use two cans of one or the other.
  • If you don’t like heat please leave out the jalapeno. Kids might not like it either.

Cowboy Caviar on tortilla chip

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Cowboy Caviar
5 from 4 votes

Cowboy Caviar

A fresh and vibrant chip dip that's perfect for parties or snacking! This stuff is always a crowd favorite and it's the perfect thing to serve any time of year.
Servings: 10
Prep20 minutes
Ready in: 20 minutes

Ingredients

Dressing

Salsa

  • 1 (14.5 oz) can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 lb roma tomatoes, diced small (about 3 cups)
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed according to package instructions
  • 1 cup small diced green bell pepper
  • 1 large semi-firm but ripe Hass avocado, peeled, cored and diced
  • 1/2 cup chopped red onion, rinsed and drained to remove harsh bite
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced (optional)
  • 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
  • Tortilla chips , for serving

Instructions

  • In a mixing bowl or jar whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, honey, garlic, oregano and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Add all salsa ingredients to a mixing bowl pour dressing over top and toss to evenly coat. Preferably let rest in refrigerator 30 minutes then toss once more just before serving. Serve with tortilla chips.
  • Recipe source: Cooking Classy

Notes

*Crush oregano before measuring if it's bigger leaves. Regular Italian oregano will work as well if you can't find Mexican.
Nutrition Facts
Cowboy Caviar
Amount Per Serving
Calories 241 Calories from Fat 108
% Daily Value*
Fat 12g18%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 166mg7%
Potassium 556mg16%
Carbohydrates 27g9%
Fiber 8g33%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 7g14%
Vitamin A 520IU10%
Vitamin C 26.6mg32%
Calcium 35mg4%
Iron 2.3mg13%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.
Recipe originally shared Dec. 2015. It used to be called Black Eyed Pea Salsa.

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21 Comments

  • Asia

    This was so good. I did omit the avocado cause I knew that if I did it would last a week in the fridge for left overs. We don’t have black eye beans in Israel so used kidney beans. When I go back home to live in USA I will be using the black eye beans.

  • Dawn

    I have never used oregano in this. I’ve made it, and shared its recipe soooo many times. Cilantro sets this over the top and a dash of chili powder, cumin & jalapeño seasoning by (badia) it does not need honey. If, you add the sweet bell peppers it’s all the sweet you need.
    Love avocado! But, avocado belongs in the sister salad to this. Any leftovers of “ Mexican caviar,” would have these soggy little bits in it and take away from it.
    Homemade corn chips are also outstanding. Air fryers make them a quick and tasty task.

  • nola2chi

    Love this! Been making it for years, sans avocado and cilantro. Don’t always have avocado, and can not stand cilantro. Parsley subs nicely.
    There are claims that cilantro dislike (to put it mildly) is hereditary and has some European origin. It is so unpalatable to me that if someone has ‘fluffed up’ the cilantro in the grocery I can’t get to my parsley due to the smell/odor.
    Here in New Orleans the heat makes chilled or room temp foods desired. This has a nice nutritional balance.
    One other tidbit; Greek oregano is incomparable in the oregano group. It has such a fresh, clean flavor that people who try it stick with it.
    I do always make my dressings from scratch, but your addition of fresh lime juice truly raises the flavor of the dressing.
    Have never used frozen corn, always fresh or canned ‘Mexicorn’. It has very little liquid and a great crispness.
    This is a great recipe for camping as the ingredients are shelf stable and it doesn’t require cooking.
    Win! Win! Win!
    Have enjoyed many of your recipes. Thanks for sharing and Please keep it up!

  • Janeane

    We are from Texas and call this Redneck Caviar haha Everyone everywhere has their own special name. This is such a great recipe I do like the homemade dressing much better than the bottled zesty italian I also add a can of red kidney beans and pinto beans (drained and washed) along with a total of 2 cans of black eyed peas. Goes a lot longer.

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      I like the name :). Glad you liked this homemade dressing better Janeane, thanks for your review!