Cowboy Caviar Bean Salad (Printable Version)

Colorful bean and vegetable salad with zesty lime dressing, perfect for dipping or as a flavorful side dish.

# What You Need:

→ Beans & Legumes

01 - 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 (15 oz) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
04 - 1 cup sweet corn kernels, fresh or thawed
05 - 1/2 red onion, finely diced
06 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
07 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
08 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
09 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Dressing

10 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
12 - 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
13 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
14 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
15 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
16 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine black beans, black-eyed peas, diced cherry tomatoes, corn kernels, diced red onion, diced red bell pepper, diced green bell pepper, chopped jalapeño, and fresh cilantro.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lime juice, red wine vinegar, ground cumin, smoked paprika, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper until well blended.
03 - Pour the prepared dressing over the bean and vegetable mixture. Gently toss to combine, ensuring all ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
04 - Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld and develop.
05 - Remove from refrigeration and serve chilled or at room temperature with tortilla chips, as a side salad, or as a topping for grilled proteins.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It stays good in the fridge for days, getting more flavorful every time you open the container.
  • You don't need to turn on the stove or oven, which makes it perfect when the kitchen is already too hot.
  • It works as a dip, a side dish, or even a taco filling, so you can serve it however you want.
  • The colors alone make people excited before they even taste it.
02 -
  • If you skip rinsing the canned beans, the liquid will cloud your dressing and dull the bright flavors you worked for.
  • Letting it chill for at least an hour isn't optional, that's when the lime and vinegar work their magic and everything tastes like it belongs together.
  • Dice your vegetables small and uniform so you get a little bit of everything in one scoop, not a bite of all onion or all pepper.
03 -
  • Always taste the dressing before you pour it over everything, because once it's mixed in you can't fix it easily.
  • If your crowd doesn't like heat, leave the jalapeño out entirely and add a pinch of cayenne to the dressing instead so you control the spice level.
  • Make a double batch if you're feeding more than six people, this goes faster than you think and no one ever complains about having extra.
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