This Texas caviar recipe is delicious paired with organic tortilla chips or on top of your favorite salad…and it’s ridiculously easy to make. Oh-snap! Plant-based and protein-packed, it might just become your new go-to vegan snack. Did you know that this easy bean salad is also commonly referred to as Cowboy caviar?
Table of contents
What is Texas Caviar?
Texas Caviar was first created in 1940 by Helen Corbitt; a New Yorker turned Texan. She was an extraordinary chef and cookbook author. The key ingredient for this bean salad is black-eyed peas. Depending on the recipe developer and chef, the other ingredients vary from recipe to recipe. That being said, cowboy caviar commonly includes black beans, onion, tomato, bell pepper, corn, cilantro, and more! Texas caviar is a deliciously cooling bean salad that can be enjoyed on its own, as a dip, or on top of your favorite salad or entrée.
Main Ingredients
Black Eyed Peas are the staple in this cowboy caviar recipe. Other beans and ingredients may vary depending on the recipe developer or chef.
Black Beans are one of my favorite beans! When I make texas caviar I may use kidney beans instead depending on what I have on hand.
Corn is a great addition to this recipe. I prefer sweet corn for cowboy caviar.
Avocado adds a creaminess to the mix.
Red Onion adds a welcomed mild spicy flavor to this recipe. If you aren’t the biggest fan of red onions or don’t have any on hand feel free to use yellow, white, or sweet onions. The texas caviar recipe will still be delicious with a slightly different flavor profile.
Cilantro adds its own flair. Feel free to skip it if you are part of 11% of the population that can’t stand it.
Tomatoes add an interesting shape and texture to the mix. Using grape or cherry tomatoes works really well. Cutting them in half or quartering them adds a nice shape to this bean salad.
How to Make Cowboy Caviar
This vegan bean salad is so easy to make! I usually use dried beans that I cook ahead of time, but canned beans work great too. First, prepare all the veggies including red onion, sweet corn, avocado, cilantro, green onion, and tomatoes. Next, add the black beans and black-eyed peas, prepared veggies, and remaining ingredients into a large bowl and stir thoroughly. That’s it. It’s that simple.
Expert Tips & FAQ
Cowboy caviar should be kept in an airtight container in the fridge. Any type of airtight container will work. However, using a glass container can keep it fresher longer.
This easy bean salad can be kept in the fridge for 3-5 days. However, this recipe calls for avocado, so if you do plan on storing it for more than a day or two then I would keep the avocado separate and just add a bit to each serving as you go.
Yes! Canned beans are a great option. However, if using canned beans I recommend rinsing them thoroughly first.
We hope you LOVE this easy bean salad recipe! It’s:
Savory
Filling
Zesty
Colorful
& Protein packed!
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and remember to take a picture and tag #raepublic on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers, lovely!
Recipe
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Texas Caviar
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 10–12 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Texas caviar is a quick and easy bean salad summer salad that’s vegan and gluten-free. It can be enjoyed as an appetizer, snack, or dip paired with tortilla chips.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups black beans, cooked
- 1 1/2 cups black-eyed peas, cooked
- 1 1/2 cups sweet corn, cooked
- 2 large avocados, cubed
- 1 large red onion, diced
- 1/3 cup cilantro, diced
- 2 clumps green onions, chopped
- 3 cups tomatoes, diced
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon Himalayan salt
- Juice from 4 medium limes
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients into a large bowl and mix thoroughly.
- Serve with vegan tortilla chips or however the heck you like!
Notes
- You can definitely use canned beans for this recipe. I would just make sure to rinse them well and even dry them off a bit.
- Cowboy caviar should be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. (A glass container will help keep it fresher for longer.)
- This easy bean salad can be kept in the fridge for 3-5 days. This recipe calls for avocado though, so if you do plan on storing it for more than two days then I would keep the avocado separate and just add a bit to each serving as you go.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Side, Salad, Dip
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: texas caviar, cowboy caviar, avocado salad, avocado dip, avocado bean dip
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