That is it! Give the mixture a good coating of your homemade dressing and serve it up with tortilla chips!
What is Cowboy Caviar?
Cowboy Caviar is a combination salsa and salad made with beans, peppers, tomato and avocado, all tossed in a tangy vinaigrette. It’s either a side dish or a salsa or a dip, however you want to serve it. Just don’t forget the chips! I’ve happily enjoyed Cowboy Caviar at many a gathering, and I’ve made it a number of times, but I eventually came upon the proper ratios, ingredients and SPICES that, for me, make this truly the ULTIMATE Cowboy Caviar recipe, and also for me, the best one I’ve ever had! The really awesome thing about it is that it is super easy to whip together, even at last minute or only a moment’s notice. And everyone loves it. Let’s talk about how to make cowboy caviar, shall we? You can also use Italian dressing in place of the vinaigrette, though I like my version better. Mix the Cowboy Caviar Ingredients. In a large bowl, mix together the black beans and black eyed peas, as well as a red bell pepper, a couple jalapeno peppers, fresh corn, chopped tomato (Roma tomatoes are good), red onion, diced avocado, and fresh chopped cilantro. Adjust. Adjust your seasonings of salt, pepper and chili flakes. If you love this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! – Mike H. Our spices include some of my favorites as they bring out and compliment the flavor in such a powerful way, including spicy cayenne, earthy ancho chili powder, cumin, garlic and onion powders, and some spicy chili flakes, which you can increase or decrease to your own personal preferences. Many Cowboy Caviar recipes call for bell pepper only, and some include a jalapeno pepper, but we’re going to go ahead and toss in two, OK? Or maybe three. Such a great recipe. Toss some onto a big bowl of nachos. Stir it into rice with some chopped chicken for dinner. So many ways to enjoy it. Perfect as a side dish or dip for parties, barbecues, backyard gatherings or picnics. They have a good heat level and they’re easy to find in most grocery stores. A habanero pepper would be quite welcomed as well, which is even spicier. You can also add in more spicy chili flakes and spicy cayenne pepper. If you’d like to dial back on the heat, skip the jalapeno, spicy chili flakes, and either limit or omit the cayenne powder. You can also add in a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce to liven things up even more. Hot sauce! Cowboy Caviar is better served fresh or at least within the first few hours. In fact, a good strategy for making it ahead of time is to mix all of the ingredients together except for the avocado and the vinaigrette dressing. Add those elements in and stir them up when you are ready to serve and you should be good to go. Freezing Cowboy Caviar. This caviar is best when enjoyed fresh, but you can freeze it for serving later. To freeze it, spoon it into freezer bags or containers and seal, airtight. Freeze for a couple of months easily. To thaw your cowboy caviar, transfer it to the refrigerator until thawed. It should take a day or two, so plan ahead. NOTE: This recipe was updated on 7/23/21 to include new information, photos and video. It was originally published on 7/4/18.
