This easy cowboy caviar recipe is a classic favorite that everyone will devour at your next gathering, party, or picnic! It is loaded with fresh, flavorful ingredients like bell pepper, onion, black-eyed peas, tomatoes, sweet corn, and the best homemade Italian salad dressing. Bonus: it's gluten-free, plant based, and healthy!
The Ultimate Cowboy Caviar Recipe
Party Favorite! This dip is always a crowd-pleaser--seriously, good to the last kernel of corn! It's great because there's no meat, gluten, or dairy, so nearly anyone is able to indulge guilt-free, and you'll be sure to be asked over and over for the recipe.
Fresh Ingredients. Loaded with fresh bell peppers, onions, corn, beans, and tomatoes, use a store-bought or homemade Italian salad dressing to toss it all together. Check out the variations section for the perfect additions to make it even more special.
Healthy. This cowboy caviar is the perfect dip because it is plant-based and full of veggies, gluten-free, low in sugar, and high in fiber! Make your own low-carb tortilla chips using zero-carb tortillas cut into triangles and air fry until crispy. The best combo!
Be sure to pin this to Pinterest to save for later! 🙂
What is Cowboy Caviar?
Cowboy caviar is a dip that's also called Texas caviar. It originated in Dallas, Texas, in the 1940s by a woman named Helen Corbitt. It is a bean salad made with black-eyed peas that are tossed with a vinaigrette dressing that lightly pickles the salad. Traditionally it is loaded with other ingredients ranging from bell pepper, onion, fresh corn, avocado, fresh diced jalapeno, and some may have fresh chopped cilantro.
Cowboy Caviar Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make cowboy caviar dip:
- Red Onion: you can use other onion varieties as you choose, I have used sweet onion as well, and it works great.
- Green Bell Pepper
- Orange Bell Pepper
- Black Eyed Peas: used in traditional cowboy caviar recipes for their color and texture.
- Black Beans: used for color in traditional cowboy caviar; you can use other bean varieties if you wish as well.
- Fire-Roasted Diced Tomatoes: the fire-roasted flavor pairs really well with all the other ingredients.
- Diced Green Chiles: use mild, medium, or hot based on your spice preference level.
- Frozen Sweet Corn: use frozen thawed sweet corn, canned, drained corn, or fresh corn on the cob.
- Zesty Italian Dressing: use store-bought or use my recipe below for an easy, delicious Italian dressing recipe.
- Salt and Pepper
For exact ingredient quantities, please see the recipe card below!
How to Make Cowboy Caviar Dip
Here are the step-by-step instructions for making this cowboy caviar recipe:
1. Add all ingredients to a large bowl.
2. Add salad dressing and stir.
3. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
How to Make Cowboy Caviar Dressing
Cowboy caviar is often made with Italian dressing. It's easy to make your own - just mix the following ingredients in a small bowl, then refrigerate until ready to add to the salad.
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (or lemon)
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Substitutions and Variations
Use sweet onion in place of red onion.
Use any combination of bell peppers that you prefer. Keep in mind that red bell pepper, orange bell pepper, and yellow bell peppers are sweeter, but some may prefer that.
Canned sweet yellow or white corn (drained) can be used instead of frozen-thawed corn. Use fresh corn off the cob when in season as well.
Make it spicy by adding chopped fresh jalapeno, or use hot diced green chilies.
Add freshly chopped cilantro--delicious in this Texas caviar recipe!
Increase the tanginess with more dressing, adding fresh lime or lemon juice or adding red wine vinegar.
When ready to serve, add fresh diced avocado to your mixture.
How to Serve Cowboy Caviar
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
Serve with corn chips or tortilla chips.
Serve as a condiment for tacos, hot dogs, brats, grilled chicken, or any of your other grilled favorites.
Meal idea! Serve it over grilled chicken or pork! Make tacos with my Mexican ground beef recipe and use it as a mild fresh topping for tacos or make simple nachos to use for scooping up this delicious dip!
How to Store Cowboy Caviar Dip
Store your leftover colorful cowboy caviar in an air-tight container in your fridge for up to 3 days. After 3 days, the dip gets more watery from the fresh vegetables that weep out.
Cowboy Caviar Recipe FAQs
They are not the same thing but are a similar concept. Pico de Gallo is a traditional Mexican Salsa made up of equal parts tomato and onion with cilantro and fresh lime juice. Cowboy caviar often has those ingredients but also contains beans, corn, black-eyed peas, and bell pepper - and it's not typically spicy.
It is called cowboy caviar because it originated in Dallas, Texas, by a woman named Helen Corbitt in the 1940s. Since then, it has been adapted and changed since its original version but enjoyed just the same!
The common name for cowboy caviar is actually called Texas caviar because it originated in Dallas, Texas.
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📖 The recipe.
Cowboy Caviar Dip
Ingredients
- ½ cup red onion (diced)
- 1 green bell pepper (diced)
- 1 red or orange bell pepper (diced)
- 1 (15-ounce can) black-eyed peas (rinsed and drained)
- 1 (15-ounce can) black beans (rinsed and drained)
- 1 (15-ounce can) fire roasted diced tomatoes (drained)
- 1 (4-ounce can) diced green chiles, hot or mild (drained)
- 1 cup frozen sweet corn, thawed
- 1 cup zesty Italian dressing (Or, make our homemade dressing. See notes below)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix together.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight. Adjust salt and pepper if needed.
Kori's Tips
- Don't miss all of our helpful hints, substitution ideas, cooking tips, and other delicious recipes that can be found in our post. Check it out!
- VARIATIONS: Sweet onion can be substituted for red onion; Any combination of colorful bell peppers may be used, keeping in mind that red, yellow, and orange are sweeter; Canned sweet yellow or white corn (drained) may be used in place of frozen thawed corn; Make it spicy by adding a chopped fresh jalapeno or use spicy diced green chiles; Fresh cilantro can be added; Increase tanginess with more dressing, lime or lemon juice, red wine vinegar.
- TIPS: It's okay to use a fat free or light zesty Italian dressing but they are often much sweeter than the regular version. Use lime, lemon, or vinegar to add tanginess; Let the caviar sit in the fridge overnight so the flavors can blend.
- SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with corn chips or tortilla chips. It makes a great condiment topping for tacos, hot dogs, brats, grilled chicken, and pork too!
- EASY ZESTY ITALIAN DRESSING: Mix the following ingredients in a small bowl, then refrigerate until ready to add to the salad.
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (or lemon)
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Nutrition
© 2025 Seeking Good Eats™
Heidi Ann Hammons
I don't see the link for Italian Dressing. Love to try this recipe but I don't use bottled dressings as they are always made with unhealthy oils. TIA
seekinggoodeats
Thank you! I totally agree homemade tastes so much better and uses healthier oils! I had put instructions within the post, but just added to the recipe card so it's easy to find! 🙂 I do have a really good Italian dressing that I make a lot but it includes parmesan cheese. The version in the cowboy caviar is basically the same buy has no cheese. Enjoy!