Easy Cowboy Caviar Recipe

Cowboy caviar is an interesting dish. It's sort of like a dip, similar to a salsa, and kinda of like a salad — no, there's no actual caviar in it. There are plenty of bright and fresh vegetables in it, from corn to tomatoes, red peppers, and even black beans. Indeed, cowboy caviar is a multifaceted dish, but more than anything, it's just a dip that tastes pretty darn good — just ask recipe developer Christina Musgrave. "I love that this dish is so simple to make, and has tons of flavor in every bite," Musgrave describes. 

Another great thing about cowboy caviar is how well all of the ingredients work together to create a flavorful bite. "There's not a single special ingredient," Musgrave explains. "Every ingredient works together to blend all the flavors in this dish." The bright veggies all add a distinct freshness, whereas the beans add a hearty element to an otherwise light fare. The salad-salsa then comes together with olive oil and cilantro, which adds that finale of earthy, herby goodness.

 Enjoy this cowboy caviar all on its own, or eat it as a dip for tortilla chips — you simply can't go wrong either way.

While this is a simple salad to throw together, there are quite a few ingredients that go into it. For starters, you'll need 1 can of black beans, 1 can of black-eyed peas, 2 Roma tomatoes, 1 can of corn, 1 red bell pepper, and ½ of a red onion. You'll also need some cilantro, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. And, depending on how you want to enjoy this cowboy caviar, you may also want some tortilla chips for serving. 

Musgrave notes that there is flexibility when it comes to swapping out ingredients. "You can use different pepper or onion types, or leave out an ingredient you don't like," she explains. "You can definitely add in any last bits of veggies or beans you have on hand too!"

Before you dive into this recipe, drain and rinse the cans of black beans, black-eyed peas, and corn. Dice the tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, and cilantro. 

Then, add each of the prepared ingredients into a large bowl — the order here doesn't particularly matter, though it may be easiest to add the oil, salt, and pepper last. Give the ingredients a good stir, making sure that everything is thoroughly mixed and evenly distributed. 

Many people opt to enjoy their cowboy caviar as a dip, and Musgrave is one of those people. Simply bust out a bag of tortilla chips, and dig into this fresh and flavorful dip. While you can't go wrong with the simple pairing of tortilla chips, there are indeed other ways to enjoy cowboy caviar. Some consider it to be a salad — in fact, Musgrave notes that this would work well in a Southwest salad, as a light lunch, or as a side dish with dinner. 

Of course, you can also top various dishes with this caviar, something that Musgrave has some advice on. "This would be a great topper to grilled chicken," she explains. Though, why stop at grilled chicken? Spoon some of this cowboy caviar over steak, fish, tacos, or even add some to a burrito for a burst of freshness.