Cowboy Caviar

Chef notes

Whether you serve it as a side dish or prefer to plate it as a dip for scooping, cowboy caviar is a colorful, nutrient-packed dish inspired by Southwestern flavors. It’s inspired by Texas caviar, which was created in the 1940s by a woman named Helen Corbitt who was, at the time, the culinary director for Neiman Marcus. Like many recipes, this dish has been tweaked and twisted by different creators over the years but the idea is the same.

In this version, you’ll find a hearty dish chock full of two kinds of beans (black beans and black-eyed peas) and whole corn kernels. Here, we call for the canned version for easy cooking. They’re tossed with red onions, colorful bell peppers, jalapeño peppers, tomatoes, avocados and lots of fresh herbs. You’ll mix everything with a zesty lime dressing that gets a bit of warmth from ground cumin and heat from raw garlic. 

The beauty of this salad is that you can customize it based on what’s available in your grocery store. While the recipe calls for orange and yellow bell peppers, any color will do. Similarly, you can adjust the spice level based on your preferences. For a spicier dish, include the ribs and seeds from the jalapeño pepper. 

We found that this caviar tastes best when it sits for at least 30 minutes, covered, in the refrigerator. If you’re prepping for a summer party, picnic or backyard barbecue, we’d recommend making this the night before and serving within 24 hours for the best flavor and texture.