Description
This easy cowboy caviar recipe is a vibrant, healthy bean and vegetable salad that’s perfect for parties, potlucks, and meal prep. Combining black-eyed peas, black beans, fresh vegetables, and a tangy homemade dressing, this colorful dish tastes even better after chilling overnight. It’s naturally vegetarian, gluten-free, and can easily be made vegan.
Ingredients
For the Salad:
2 cans (15 oz each) black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz) corn, drained
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1 large green bell pepper, diced
1 medium red onion, finely diced
2-3 jalapeños, seeded and minced
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
For the Dressing:
⅓ cup olive oil
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: Drain and rinse all canned goods thoroughly. Pat beans dry with paper towels. Dice all vegetables uniformly to about the size of corn kernels.
- Soak onions: Dice red onion and soak in cold water for 10 minutes while prepping other ingredients. This mellows the sharp bite.
- Make dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, honey, minced garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika until well emulsified.
- Combine: Drain the soaked onions and add them to the dressing bowl along with all other salad ingredients. Fold gently to combine, being careful not to mash the beans.
- Chill: Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, but preferably 2 hours or overnight for best flavor development.
- Serve: Stir gently before serving. Enjoy with tortilla chips, as a side dish, or over greens as a salad.
Notes
- Recipe improves with time – flavors are best after overnight chilling
- Store covered in refrigerator for up to 5 days
- Can be easily doubled or tripled for crowds
- Add delicate ingredients like avocado just before serving
- For vegan version, substitute maple syrup for honey
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- chilling time: at least 30 minutes. ( it's ideal to let it chill for 2 hours )
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Mediterranean Salad recipe
- Method: No-cook
- Cuisine: Mediterranean, American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ½ cup
- Calories: 155 kcal
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 240mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 21g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 0mg