Cowboy Caviar (Printable)
Fresh black bean and corn salad with zesty lime dressing, perfect for gatherings.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1½ cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
02 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
03 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
04 - ½ small red onion, finely diced
05 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
06 - 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
→ Beans & Corn
07 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
08 - 1 can (15 oz) black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
09 - 1 cup sweet corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned and drained)
→ Dressing
10 - ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
11 - ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes)
12 - 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
13 - 1 teaspoon honey or agave syrup
14 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
15 - ½ teaspoon chili powder
16 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the quartered cherry tomatoes, diced red and green bell peppers, finely diced red onion, chopped jalapeño, and fresh cilantro.
02 - Add the drained black beans, black-eyed peas, and corn kernels to the bowl. Toss gently to distribute evenly.
03 - In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, red wine vinegar, honey or agave, ground cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper until fully emulsified.
04 - Pour the dressing over the vegetable and bean mixture, tossing until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt or lime juice as desired.
06 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
07 - Serve chilled with tortilla chips as a dip or enjoy on its own as a fresh salad.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- You do not need to turn on the stove, which makes this a lifesaver on hot days when the kitchen feels unbearable.
- The combination of black beans and black eyed peas creates a texture that is both hearty and refreshing, something most dips never achieve.
02 -
- If you salt the salad aggressively right away and let it sit too long, the tomatoes will weep and the whole thing gets soupy, so go easy at first and add more right before serving.
- Dicing everything to roughly the same size matters more than you think, because uneven pieces mean some bites are all onion and others are all bean.
03 -
- Let the dressed salad sit at room temperature for about ten minutes before serving because cold mutes the flavor and the cumin needs a little warmth to bloom on the palate.
- Use a slotted spoon to serve so excess dressing does not pool on your serving plate and make the chips soggy.