Description
This Best Ever Cowboy Caviar is a vibrant and refreshing bean salad featuring a tangy and sweet vinaigrette. Packed with pinto beans, black-eyed peas, corn, fresh vegetables, and herbs, it’s perfect as a light lunch, side dish, or party appetizer. The quick preparation and chilled serving make it a versatile and crowd-pleasing dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Dressing
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup cider vinegar
- ½ cup white sugar
Salad
- 1 (14 ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (14 ounce) can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
- 1 (11 ounce) can white shoepeg corn, drained
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing: Combine olive oil, vegetable oil, cider vinegar, and white sugar in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately remove from heat and allow it to cool to room temperature. This process helps the sugar dissolve fully and melds the flavors.
- Mix the salad ingredients: In a large bowl, stir together the rinsed and drained pinto beans, black-eyed peas, drained white shoepeg corn, chopped red onion, celery, red bell pepper, and chopped cilantro until they are evenly combined.
- Combine dressing with salad: Pour the cooled oil and vinegar mixture over the bean and vegetable mixture. Toss thoroughly to ensure all ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
- Chill and serve: For best flavor, refrigerate the Cowboy Caviar for at least an hour before serving. Serve chilled as a refreshing side dish or appetizer.
Notes
- For added heat, you can include chopped jalapeños or a dash of hot sauce.
- Letting the salad chill improves the flavor as the ingredients absorb the dressing.
- This salad keeps well refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- You can substitute the white shoepeg corn with regular yellow corn if desired.
- Serve with tortilla chips as a dip or alongside grilled meats for a southwestern flair.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American Southwestern
