Description
Cowboy caviar brings southwestern zest to your summer gatherings with a colorful medley of beans, corn, and fresh vegetables. Crisp textures and bold flavors create an irresistible party-ready salsa that you’ll crave at every potluck and barbecue.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein and Beans:
- 1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
Vegetables and Herbs:
- 1.5 cups corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 0.5 cup diced red bell pepper
- 0.5 cup diced green bell pepper
- 0.5 cup diced red onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 0.5 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
- 0.5 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Dressing and Seasonings:
- 0.5 cup olive oil
- 0.25 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Create a vibrant base by combining black-eyed peas, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, bell peppers, and red onion in a spacious mixing vessel, ensuring a colorful and textured foundation for the dish.
- Incorporate minced garlic, finely chopped jalapenos, and freshly chopped cilantro into the vegetable medley, adding layers of aromatic complexity and zesty undertones.
- Craft a harmonious dressing by whisking olive oil, red wine vinegar, and tangy lime juice together, creating a bright and balanced liquid emulsion.
- Sprinkle cumin and chili powder into the liquid mixture, along with a precise pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper, awakening the dressing with warm, earthy notes.
- Drizzle the carefully prepared dressing over the vegetable mixture, gently folding the ingredients to ensure each morsel is evenly and thoroughly coated.
- Allow the cowboy caviar to rest and marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of one hour, permitting the flavors to meld and intensify.
- Before serving, give the mixture a gentle stir to redistribute the dressing and reinvigorate the ingredients’ vibrant characteristics.
- Present the chilled cowboy caviar alongside crisp tortilla chips or as a refreshing accompaniment to your main course, celebrating its bold and zesty profile.
Notes
- Customize heat levels by adjusting jalapeno quantity or removing seeds for milder flavor.
- Drain and rinse canned beans thoroughly to reduce sodium and improve texture.
- Swap fresh ingredients with frozen or canned alternatives during off-season for consistent taste.
- Allow mixture to marinate longer than one hour for deeper, more developed flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg