Cowboy Caviar

A popular, crowd-pleasing, fresh salsa appetizer made with black beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, avocado, peppers, all tossed in a zesty dressing.

This has been a recipe I have been making for years! If I ever bring this to a potluck or party, I always have people asking me for the recipe. It is so simple to throw together and is made with such fresh ingredients. My cousin, Michelle Port, gave me this recipe 15 years ago and it’s been one of my go-to recipes!

Since it is the Super Bowl this Sunday, I am sharing some of my favorite appetizers for the big game. This is perfect to serve with a big bowl of tortilla chips.

What is Cowboy Caviar?

It is a colorful and flavorful salsa that includes ingredients such as black beans, corn, tomatoes, peppers, onions, cilantro, and avocado. The mixture is usually dressed with a zesty Italian vinaigrette made from ingredients like olive oil, lime juice, and various seasonings.

What ingredients are in Cowboy Caviar?

• Corn: you can use white shoepeg corn or cooked frozen corn or fresh corn-on-the-cob
• Black Beans
• Roma Tomatoes
• Orange Pepper
• Red Onion
• Cilantro
• Avocados
• Fresh Limes
• Italian Dressing: you can also use 1 pkg. Good Seasoning Italian Dressing packet mixed with EVOO and vinegar
• Garlic Salt and Cumin
• Jalapeno (optional)

Cowboy caviar is made with fresh, simple ingredients — corn, black beans, fresh roma tomatoes, avocados, cilantro, peppers, spices, fresh lime juice, and tossed with an Italian dressing. I love to make a semi-homemade Italian dressing using the Good Season Italian Dressing packets and mixing it with extra-virgin olive oil and vinegar.

Tips for the Best Cowboy Caviar Dip:

• Use fresh, high-quality ingredients for the best flavor.
• Adjust the level of spiciness by adding or reducing the amount of jalapeño.
• Allow the dip to chill in the refrigerator for some time before serving to enhance the taste. Add the avocados right before serving.

Storage:

This recipe just gets better with time! If you want to make it ahead of time, I would suggest mixing all of the ingredients together except the avocado, and keep covered in the refrigerator.

Also to keep the avocado from turning brown, I generously sprinkle fresh lime juice all over the avocado. This helps to slow down the oxidation process which turns avocados brown.

What to serve with Cowboy Caviar?

1. Tortilla Chips: The classic choice for scooping up this delicious dip.
2. Pita Chips: A slightly thicker and sturdier option for dipping.
3. Veggie Sticks: Carrot and celery sticks add a refreshing crunch.

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If you are looking for an Italian version of the famous Cowboy Caviar, check out my Italian Cowboy Caviar Recipe.

More Salsa Recipes:

Here are some fresh salsa recipes perfect to serve as an appetizer or side dish:

Homemade Restaurant Style Salsa

Easy Blender Salsa

Fresh Mango Salsa

Peach Salsa

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Cowboy Caviar

Cowboy Caviar. A popular, crowd-pleasing, fresh salsa appetizer made with black beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, avocado, peppers, all tossed in a zesty dressing. Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients

• (1) 11-ounce can White Shoepeg Corn, drained (or 1 1/2 cups cooked frozen corn or corn-on-the-cob)
• (1) 15-ounce can Black Beans (drained well)
• (5) Roma Tomatoes (diced)
• 1 Orange Pepper (finely diced)
• 1/4 medium Red Onion (finely diced)
• 3/4 cup Cilantro (diced)
• 2 large Avocados (cut into bite-size pieces)
• 1-2 Fresh Limes (juiced, I sprinkle on the avocado to keep from turning brown)
• 3/4 cup Italian Dressing (or 1 pkg. Good Seasoning Italian Dressing packet mixed with EVOO and vinegar)
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Cumin
• 1 Jalapeno (optional) (de-seeded)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, add corn, drained black beans, roma tomatoes, orange pepper, red onion, and cilantro.
2. Cut avocado into bite-size pieces and sprinkle with fresh lime juice. Add to the bowl. Toss with Italian dressing, garlic salt, and cumin. Add finely diced jalapeno, if using.
3. Season to taste. Serve with tortilla chips.

Notes

*This recipe just gets better with time! If you want to make it ahead of time, I would suggest mixing all of the ingredients together except the avocado. This way it stays bright and green and doesn’t get smooshed by the other ingredients. *Also to keep the avocado from turning brown, I generously sprinkle fresh lime juice all over the avocado. This helps to slow down the oxidation process which turns avocados brown.

Nutrition

Calories: 164kcal
Carbohydrates: 11g
Protein: 2g
Fat: 14g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g
Monounsaturated Fat: 7g
Trans Fat: 1g
Sodium: 589mg
Potassium: 407mg
Fiber: 4g
Sugar: 5g
Vitamin A: 976IU
Vitamin C: 30mg
Calcium: 18mg
Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: AppetizerCuisine: MexicanServings: 8
Calories: 164Keyword: cowboy caviar