Texas Caviar is one of my all-time favorite recipes that’s always a hit at gatherings. It’s a vibrant, fresh salad that’s the life of the party, whether we’re talking about a laid-back backyard BBQ, a festive potluck, or a New Year’s Day brunch.
This isn’t just any salad! It’s a sweet and tangy mix with a robust blend of black-eyed peas, a bunch of different beans, and a rainbow of veggies. And it pairs perfectly with a crunchy tortilla chip – just scoop and enjoy!
But the dressing is the real star. It’s a sugar-vinegar combo that really gives this Texas Caviar its signature zing. Whether it’s summer and the garden’s overflowing with fresh produce, or it’s the middle of winter and you’re craving something summery, this dish has got you covered.
Texas Caviar is as at home on your Christmas dinner table as it is at a tailgate party. Combine it with other favorites like healthy buffalo chicken dip or sausage cheese dip for a fabulous appetizer spread.
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🤠Where does Texas Caviar Come From?
Even though this dip is called Texas caviar it actually doesn’t come from Texas. In the 1940s a chef at Neiman Marcus created the dish to serve on a Texas themed menu. The dish became popular and is now served all over the country. It is also called Cowboy caviar.
🥘Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Apple cider vinegar: You can also use red wine vinegar or plain white vinegar if you don’t have apple cider vinegar.
- Oil
- White sugar
- Pinto beans
- Black eyed peas
- Corn
- Celery
- Bell pepper: I usually use green pepper, but red or orange adds a nice pop or color and a little bit more sweetness.
- Onion
- Black pepper
- Salt
🥣How to Make Texas Caviar
- Bring the vinegar, vegetable oil and sugar to a boil.
- Once the sugar is dissolved take the pan off the burner and let it cool to room temperature.
- Once the dressing has cooled to room temperature, pour the cans of pinto beans, black eyed peas and corn into a colander, rinse and let drain.
- Then mix the drained beans and corn with chopped celery, green pepper and onion.
- Add the cooled dressing, a little bit of pepper and salt if desired and mix all the ingredients well.
- This cowboy caviar test best if it has an hour or so in the refrigerator so vegetables can marinate and all the flavors can blend together.
🍴Serving Ideas
I like to serve this as a dip with tortilla chips. It makes a nice contrast to a traditional spicy tomato salsa. But there are lots of other ways to serve Texas caviar. You can turn it into more of main dish by serving it on a bed of lettuce as a hearty salad or using it as a topping for tacos.
This makes a great party or potluck dish because it is easy to make it ahead of time. You can bring a big bowl of Texas caviar along with a bag of tortilla chips. And the recipe is easy to double if you really want to feed a crowd. So whether it is a picnic, tailgating party or a holiday celebration Texas caviar dip will be a welcome addition.
💭How to Store
Texas caviar dip will keep for 3-4 days covered in the refrigerator. But the vegetables will start to soften in the dressing after the first day, so it will taste best in the first 24 hours after you make it.
🌽What Kind of Corn Should I use in Cowboy Caviar?
This Texas caviar recipe calls for a can of sweet white corn, because that is my preference, but you can use other kinds if you like. White corn is not always easy to find in a grocery store and a can of yellow sweet corn works in its place.
If fresh corn is in season you can also cook 2 or 3 ears of corn and cut the kernels off for the freshest corn possible. Or you can also substitute a cup of frozen corn which has been thawed.
❓Can you make Texas Caviar Recipe with Less Sugar?
Now admittedly this recipe contains a lot of sugar – because the dressing is supposed to be sweet. If you reduce the sweetness too much it becomes a bean salad with vinegar, which is a fine side dish, but is not Texas caviar.
However I think you could cut the sugar down to 3/4 of a cup without losing the distinctive sweetness. And you could also experiment with using a mixture of 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of honey or maple syrup if you want to reduce the refined sugar in the recipe.
But really if you want a low sugar side dish the best thing to do is make something else, like a three bean salad, not Texas caviar!
Looking for a creamy dip for your tortilla chips? Try this corn dip with cream cheese!
⭐Tips & Variations
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- Change up the recipe to suit your family’s preferences. Many people make it with black beans instead of pinto beans or add in a jalapeno along with the green pepper.
- Sometimes people are tempted to make this recipe even simpler by using a bottle of Italian dressing instead of making homemade dressing. This will be quicker to make but it won’t taste nearly as good! So I’d recommend spending the extra time to make your own cowboy caviar dressing.
Looking for more easy side dish ideas? Try Orzo Pasta Salad, Syracuse Salt Potatoes, or Blue Cheese Coleslaw.
Texas Caviar Dip
Ingredients
- ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 can pinto beans
- 1 can black eyed peas
- 1 can sweet corn white or yellow
- 1 cup celery finely chopped
- 1 cup green bell pepper finely chopped
- 1 small onion diced
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- salt to taste
Instructions
- In a medium sauce pan, combine the apple cider vinegar, vegetable oil, and sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and then cook until the sugar is dissolved, approximately 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.¾ cup apple cider vinegar, ½ cup vegetable oil, 1 cup sugar
- Pour the cans of pinto beans, black eyed peas, and corn into a colander to drain. Wash with cool water to remove all of the canning liquids.1 can pinto beans, 1 can black eyed peas, 1 can sweet corn
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the washed pinto beans, black eyes peas, and corn with the finely chopped celery, green bell pepper, and diced onion. Add the ground pepper and stir well.1 cup celery, 1 cup green bell pepper, 1 small onion, ½ teaspoon ground pepper, salt to taste
- Pour the vinegar marinade over the vegetable mixture and stir well.
- Cover the Texas Caviar with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. Serve with tortilla chips
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
