Cowboy Caviar Recipe (VIDEO)
This Cowboy Caviar is a wonderfully fresh, healthy, and easy-to-make dip. It’s loaded with tomatoes, avocado, beans, corn, and the best dressing infusing every bite. This recipe is popular for good reason and we make this salsa all year long.
Just like classic Pico de Gallo and Guacamole, this is one of those appetizers you’ll make over and over. Watch the video tutorial and you’ll be craving this ‘Texas Caviar’ until you finally make it.
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Cowboy Caviar
If you are looking to spice up your ordinary summer cookout, you have to add this to your menu. Serve it as a side dish with crispy tortilla chips or Scoops corn chips, or pair it as a side with Hamburgers and Homemade Lemonade.
This cowboy caviar is a crowd-pleaser and always disappears fast! There are many recipes for cowboy caviar, but we really love this delicious version that my classmate, Annie from nursing school, shared with me years ago. It makes a big batch so it is an ideal potluck or party appetizer; right up there with Spinach Artichoke Dip and Ceviche!
Cowboy Caviar Video Tutorial
Watch the video tutorial and see just how easy it is to make this Cowboy Caviar. If you enjoy our videos, subscribe to our youtube channel and click the bell icon so you will be the first to know when we post a new video!
What is Cowboy Caviar?
According to the stories, in the 1950’s Neiman Marcus’ food director, Helen Corbitt, introduced this dish at a party in Houston, Texas. Because of its “humble” ingredients, guests dubbed it “Cowboy Caviar”.
Is it a salsa? A dip? Or is it a black bean salad? Call it what you will, I call it delicious. Cowboy Caviar, also known as “Texas Caviar,” is a beefed-up Pico De Gallo type salsa, but unique because it’s loaded with beans, avocado, and corn and is dressed with our special ingredient, Italian dressing.
It’s so colorful with all of the fresh vegetables and those black beans add a great source of protein. Today, stores such as Costco and Trader Joe’s sell packaged versions of this popular dish, but we, of course, think fresh is best.
Time-Saving Tip: Save time by using our favorite food chopper for cutting up the tomatoes, jalapeños, avocado, onion, and bell pepper.
Ingredients
This cowboy caviar salsa is so colorful, loaded, and satisfying. This salsa tastes best in Summer when you can get fresh and garden-grown veggies but it’s delicious with store-bought ingredients as well.
- Tomatoes – Fresh tomatoes are the tastiest in season, but the beauty of this salsa is it can be made all year long.
- Beans – We love home-cooked beans or canned black beans or black-eyed peas. Be sure they are rinsed and well-drained. We often interchange these two beans based on what we have on hand and either one works great.
- Corn – During the winter months, we use canned or frozen corn and in the summer months, we add freshly cooked Corn on the Cob.
- Avocado – Adds an irresistible creaminess. I’ve been known to sneak in extra avocado.
- Bell Pepper – We have used red, orange, yellow, and even green bell pepper. Any kind will work.
- Onion – Adds great flavor and crunch to every bite.
- Jalapeños – Don’t be intimidated by the jalapeños – the Italian dressing mellows it out and even the kids love it!
- Italian Salad Dressing – This surprising ingredient infuses every bite with incredible flavor. We love Newman’s Own brand, but you can use your favorite one or try our Homemade Italian Dressing.
- Limes, garlic, and salt – Use fresh lime juice and garlic for the best flavor.
- Cilantro – salsa would not be complete without it!
Pro Tip: Wear a glove when handling the jalapeño, and scrape out the seeds with a spoon to reduce the heat.
How to Make Cowboy Caviar
- Chop the fresh ingredients – tomatoes, avocados, onion, jalapeños, bell pepper, cilantro, fresh corn. Mince the garlic and add everything to a large bowl.
- Rinse and Drain – Black beans (and corn if using canned corn). Add to the bowl.
- Combine – Add Italian dressing, lime juice, and salt. Stir to combine and enjoy!
It really is that easy. You can make it several hours ahead and the leftovers are still great the next day.
Pro Tip: Make this side dish a complete meal by adding shredded chicken and/or cooked pasta such as penne, macaroni, or fusilli just before you mix all of the ingredients together. To make it a totally simple, no-cooking-required meal, purchase a rotisserie chicken from the deli and omit the pasta.
Common Questions
A bowl of fresh vegetables surely has great nutritional value. With black beans and/or black-eyed peas, this recipe is a great source of fiber and protein. Of course, you could choose a healthier option than tortilla chips for scooping, but I am not judging.
This recipe is so versatile and modifications based on personal preference or which ingredients you have on hand are so simple to make. Want to add red onion instead of white onion? Chili powder instead of jalapenos for an extra kick? Canned corn kernels instead of fresh corn on the cob? By all means… substitute. It is so simple and you really cannot go wrong.
Texas Caviar can easily be prepared up to two days ahead of time and be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Longer than two days, and the vegetables will start to lose their crispness. This recipe is also easily doubled or tripled for your party crowd.
How to Serve Cowboy Caviar
- Appetizer – We always serve Cowboy Caviar with tortilla chips as an appetizer. It’s perfect for parties because it makes a big batch. My husband and I often skip dinner and just make a big batch of this black bean salad in the evening with crunchy tortilla chips.
- Topping – If you are lucky enough to have leftovers, it can be served as a topping for Beef Tacos, burritos, Nachos, or over Pan-Seared Steak.
- Side Dish – You can serve this as a salad or side dish for a potluck. It is definitely a crowd-pleaser.
This recipe for Cowboy Caviar is a keeper. Make this once and you will make it again and again.
More Party Appetizers
These are our best appetizers, from salsas to dips and small bites. These are the top-rated recipes that always get rave reviews:
Cowboy Caviar Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 Roma tomatoes, diced
- 1 bell pepper, any color, seeded and diced
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely diced
- 1 large avocado , peeled, pitted and diced
- 15 oz can corn, drained (or from 1 cooked cob of corn)
- 15 oz can black beans, well rinsed and drained (or make your own)
- 1/2 bunch of cilantro, About 1/2 cup chopped
- 3-4 Tbsp lime juice
- 1/2 cup light Italian Dressing, *
- 4 medium garlic cloves, pressed
- 1 tsp sea salt or to taste
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine diced tomatoes, chopped onion and bell pepper, seeded and diced jalapeño, sliced avocado, fresh (or drained canned) corn, rinsed and drained black beans, and chopped cilantro.
- Stir in 3-4 Tbsp of lime juice, 1/2 cup of Italian dressing, 4 pressed garlic cloves, and 1 tsp of salt or season to taste. Mix everything together and serve with tortilla chips.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Omitted the onions and beans since we don’t like them and it turned out absolutely wonderful. My favorite part was the Italian dressing-I used the recipe from this website for it as well. Yum yum yum!!!
That’s wonderful, Lena!
Your recipes are great but this web page is the most difficult to use because of advertising pop ups that make recipes disappear or masked over. So time consuming that I have given up using. Sorry but true!!!
Thank you for sharing your concerns and feedback. The only way we can continue providing free recipes is by having ads on our site, so we are not able to remove those at this time. We find that most people would rather see the ads than pay to see the recipes. But we will definitely take note of your feedback and use it to improve our website.
I appreciate your feedback, and I hope you love every recipe you try.
Love this! I used black eye peas instead of black beans. You are the only chef I’ve ever followed. I love watching you cook! And everything tastes so good. You’re a delight to watch!
That’s wonderful, Kathy! Thank you so much. You’re very kind.
Hi Natasha,
I will be making this into 4oz appetizer cups for 120 people. How many batches do you think I should make?
Hi Ilona! To be honest, I’m not quite sure. I haven’t ever made it to service like that so I would not know the measurements. Sorry I cant be more help.
It was fresh and delicious. It was a lot of chopping as I didn’t have the chopping gadget, but worth it. I served with a ribeye and chips. Casual dinner at home. Loved it!
That sounds like an amazing combination. Thank you for your feedback. I’m glad you loved the recipe.
Made this recipe and it was so yummy. We used it to top a nacho platter on a baking pan topped with some pork al pastor, and loads of cheddar cheese. Served it with sour cream, pickled radishes, shredded lettuce on the side!! So good!! Thanks for the cowboy caviar recipe!!
You’re very welcome. So glad you love the recipe.
Awesome recipe! I used “State Fair” apples since they were all I had plus I made the top crust have slits instead of a braid/weave + an extra 5 mins of cooking at 350 and it came out fantastic. Thank you Natasha!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, David!
Delicious! As usual 🙂
I’ve been following you and enjoying your recipes for a while. Now my wife will check Natasha’s Kitchen when she’s looking for a recipe. Thanks!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Dave!
Amazing . My wife and I loved it! I well be making it again sometime!
Sounds great! I hope you’ll enjoy all the recipes that you will try.
This is awesome! So fresh! I used fresh corn (3 ears) and I had pink beans instead of black beans. So very good. Addictive!
Hi Sandra! I’m so glad you loved it! Thank you for the feedback.
Incredible! I brought this to my brother’s party and it was the first to go. I wish I doubled the recipe!
Hi Caroline! I’m so glad it was a hit. Thanks for sharing.
Love cowboy caviar! It’s such a great summertime recipe, we make it so often! Absolutely delicious.
I agree! Such a great one. Thanks, April!
This is my family’s favorite salsa! I could just make it a meal, it’s so good!
I’m so happy you all enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Kara!
Hi Natasha,
Iv’e been making this recipe for a few years now and love it! Will be making it again soon. Thanks for the delicious recipe and can’t wait to receive your cookbook that I purchased on Amazon awhile ago. Keep up the great recipes!
Karen ❤😊
Hi Karen! Thank you so much for sharing. I’m excited for you to get your copy!
Mmm…Nat this looks so delicious and crisp and crunchy! Yes..I know, I gave it a 4 because of the cilantro. I try to like it but I just can’t ! I know that can make a big difference in the final outcome but I will put parsley instead. I know it doesn’t have much taste but it will look pretty at least. I am anxious to try this anyway. Thanks for sharing another wonderful recipe !
I have made this a dozen times and it’s always a hit. Sometimes I add a can of black eyed peas. I think I’m addicted. Thanks for a great recipe. Another favorite is your instant pot whole chicken with that devine gravy. To die for.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Hi Natasha
I made the Cowboy Caviar for our Canada Day BBQ and it was absolutely amazing!!!
I did substitute our home grown parsley for the cilantro as we are not big on cilantro!!
The freshness and flavours were incredible.
You are so right about the jalapeños not being overwhelming.
It was a winner for sure and definitely a keeper for our family!
You are the best on the web!!
Especially for us new to the cooking game.
Thank you
Alan
Looks amazing! Can you make this the night before without the avocados turning brown? Thanks!!
Hi Anne! This will keep for a few days in the refrigerator. The avocados do start to turn brown but the lime juice in the recipe helps to slow down that process. You can also cut the avocados on the day of and add them in before serving.
Have you added garbanzo beans to this? Wondering how this would turn out with both black beans and garbanzo. Trying to make a more filling app for a big pool party.
Hi Kelley! I think they would work well together. You may also enjoy my chickpea salad .
I just made this it is delicious, but then again you have never disappointed me. I am one of the people that cilantro tastes like soap,I used parsley. I also wasn’t sure about avocado,but should have trusted the recipe.I bought some guacamole and added that. So so good,thank you!
Hi Marisa! Thank you for the feedback. I’m glad you love the recipe. 🙂
Hi Natasia!,
Wondering if I leave the corn out, if it will cut the carbs. Like you, I could eat the whole bowl, but being diabetic, I have to watch the carbs.
Thanks so much!
Hi Cheryl! Yes, you can modify this recipe if you’d like 🙂
Hello Natasha
Thank you for sharing the yummy recipes I make the cowboy caviar at every gathering it’s always a winner but because it becomes very watery I added a small twist instead of six tomatoes I use only two and one red bell pepper and one green pepper it worked very well ❤️
Sounds good and thanks for sharing! I’m glad that worked out just fine.
Hey Mira. If you remove the internal seeded part of the tomatoes and use just the flesh, it helps a lot! I do the same for chopped salads and bruschetta, etc, to prevent them from getting watery/soggy 🙂
Hi Natasha! I am curious if you have tried using your Italian dressing recipe with this? If you haven’t, how do you think it would be?
Hi Brooke, I always use Italian dressing. You could make a homemade one (we have one on our site HERE), or use more lemon or lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Italian dressing has the best flavor.
Do you typically use your Italian dressing recipe or store bought? I love your Italian dressing, but it has mayonnaise and I know you said not to use a creamy Italian dressing. Thanks in advance for you help! Can’t wait to make this!
Hi Brooke! We love Newman’s Own brand of Italian dressing.
I hope you love this recipe! 🙂
Oh my Natasha where are those Black Eyed Peas! Gotta hav’em in there. LOL (1 can drained)
Thank you for sharing all your wonderful recipes. Keeps me busy.
Hi BJ! You’re so very welcome for the recipes. I’m glad you’re enjoying them. 🙂
I made the Cowboy salsa, it was wonderful! I love your receipes, keep sending them.
Hi Sherrie! I’m so glad you love my recipes. Thank you for sharing.
So good, I had it at a friend’s house on Christmas and now I’m making it for New Years Eve!
Isn’t it so fresh and delicious! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Gracias por todas sus recetas me gustan mucho oero me puede dar ka receta de los mini pecan pies por favor grscias
Hi Maria, I don’t have a mini pecan pie recipe; we do have a Mini Baklava Cups recipe or a Mini Pumpkin Pie recipe HERE. I appreciate your request and have added it to my list!
Made this as an appetizer for a recent potluck and it was gone in a flash!. Will make it as a side dish for a 4th of July bbq.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Dennis!
I can’t be the only one that dreads recipes calling for avocado. Its not that I don’t know how to pick out a ripe avocado, but rather the stores simply do not have them. I have never had an avocado ripen on the day I needed it, so no game day salsa for us. That being said, I made this recipe, not for company, but for whenever the avocado was ready. It spent four days in a paper bag, and then we were on! All in all, a great recipe, we liked it. Next time more jalapeno and a switch to slivered red onion for us.
Thank you for the feedback! I’m glad it was enjoyed. 🙂
I eat avacados almost daily. If you buy the ones that are hard, let them ripen a couple of days with some bananas, then put the avacados in the refrigerator. They will be ready when you are and will last for days and days.
I do this too, it has been such a treat to have avocados ready when we want tnem. We usually have 3 or4 in the fridge at a time. Wonderful when you want avocado toast or to make a great salad.
Not big fans of cilantro…can I substitute parsley? Please recommend something that will go well. This recipe looks really yummy and I look forward to giving it a try. (We love Newman’s dressings, too!)
Yes, that would be fine! 🙂
I am also anti cilantro and parsley works well in this recipe!
Did you use a white onion or sweet onion? Looks so good can’t wait to make this.
Thank you,
Jan
Hi Jan, I used a yellow onion for this recipe. 🙂 I hope you try it and love it!
Easy, fresh and tasty. Thank you for YET ANOTHER FANTASTIC recipe =) !!
Quick ” cheat” prep tip: buy some fresh pico ( tomatoes, jalapeños, onions & cilantro) and add remaining
Thanks for sharing, glad you enjoyed this recipe!
I absolutely love your recipes! I cook them all the time and my husband loves my cooking! Thank you so much for sharing your amazing recipes ♥️♥️♥️
You’re so nice! Thank you for that great feedback, Angeline!
This recipe is so delicious and so flexible! I made it as written – a big hit! Next time I omitted the cilantro – a big hit! I made it without jalapeno peppers – a big hit! Then I made it without onions – still a big hit! All of these changes were for people with different food preferences. You simply cannot go wrong on this recipe! Try it – you’ll like it!
Thank you for the wonderful feedback, Sharon! So glad it was a hit.
Just made my personalized batch and will be calling it “Golfer Garden Salad” due to the fact that I am not a cowboy.
PS-I eliminated the avocado since it spoils too fast and used anaheim peppers in lieu of jalapeno.
Sound good, I hope you still liked it without the avocado!
Hi Natasha,
Is possible to make cowboy caviar a day before? I know that advocato has to be added before to serve, but the other ingredients are ok to mix time ahead?
Hi Otilia, It will keep well for a few days in the refrigerator.
Hi Natasha,
Thank you so much for the recipe. We had a bbq past weekend, and everybody loved the Cowboy Caviar. It was a success !!
I’m so happy it was a success, Otilia! That’s just awesome!
Thank you for the great recipes and videos. I enjoy each and every one, and so does my family.
So glad to hear that, Rose! 🙂
My family loves this. It’s a nice change from our regular salsa.
That’s so great! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Sue!
I made this today and I really enjoyed it! I also like that it’s a budget friendly recipe. I would love to see more like it.
Thank you for that feedback, Irina! We will definitely keep that in mind!
Why did I wait so long to make this recipe? The flavors were perfect and it is so delicious! I will be making it a second time later this week. I want to serve on beef and steak tacos.
Question: I did prepare this six hours ahead of time. The dish had a lot of liquid from the tomatoes. Should I pour off the liquids? I did not want to lose the flavors from the dressing and the lime juice.
I’m so glad this recipe was a hit Destiny! This recipe keeps well for a few days in the refrigerator. It sounds like you had some really juicy tomatoes. If it’s a ton of liquid, I would pour some off.
How far ahead can I make this for a party? Worried about the avocados discoloring
Hi Jo, It will keep well for a few days in the refrigerator.
Can you substitute Roma tomatoes to cherry tomatoes? I was given a big batch & trying to use my them with recipes that call for tomatoes.
Hi Connie! Yes, that should be fine.
I make Texas caviar but instead of Italian dressing I use Tiger sauce.Takes it to a whole new level !
Btw I love your my recipes and enthusiasm !
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Diane! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
Wow! I read all the reviews for this recipe today. I got so hungry for this, I had to go shopping! I spent a tiny fortune, but oh my goodness, this recipe is amazing! Never had anything like it. The contrasting flavors are so vibrant! I am a vegetarian and plan to make this for years to come! Thank you again Natasha for sharing! 20 stars if I could !!!
Aww! Thank you, Laura. So glad you found and tried this recipe. I appreciate the review.
This also made a great burrito on day 3. I used a flour tortilla, added cowboy caviar, lots of shredded cheddar on top and microwaved it. Then added a generous amount of sour cream and some cracked pepper. Got the tortilla idea from comments below. Next I am making a quesidilla with it. Very versatile recipe. It can be a snack or a meal. I love it!
Love how you’re trying different recipes with it! Enjoy and I hope you’ll love the recipes that you will try.
Made your Cowboy caviar this past weekend and it was a huge hit with all our friends, rave reviews from everyone. My husband and I love watching your cleaver and entertaining videos!
Hi Cindy, lovely to hear that. Thank you for sharing!
Loved it!! So fresh tasting, hard to stop eating it. I love all your recipes. Praying for your family in Urkraine🙏
Thanks so much for your prayers and good feedback, Cheryl. We appreciate it!
Natasha, thank you very much for all your recipes! I use them all the time and every time it is a hit! We just had a cowboy party and I made cowboy caviar and chili . My husband and our friends loved it! They were perfect!
The perfect recipe for a Cowboy party! That sounds so fun!
Love the recipe…tastes awesome…Now, the thing I don’t like….Prep Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 15 minutes..I am going to assume you meant 15 minutes to get everything together ( Prep time ) because it took me 15 minutes to get the garlic minced up. My total time was about an hour…I don’t have your fancy dancy choppers or your prep cook sharpened knives so they flow right through your tomatoes instead of mashing them…The only thing I don’t like about this recipe is the prep time…JS
Hi Mark, I think you are correct. I have been chopping at light speed for some time and I think 30 minutes of total prep for this recipe is probably more accurate if dicing up with a knife for most people. Thanks for asking!
Buy some good knives. It should take less than twenty seconds to prepare the garlic!
can you put everything in this recipe but the jalapenos? not a big fan of them.
Hi Clare! You sure can! I hope you love this recipe!
Hi Natasha,
This dip is FANTASTIC!
I was wondering why you use “lite” Italian dressing? I wanted to make it the next time using your homemade Italian dressing. Would that work as well….or BETTER?! 🙂
Hi Darlene, “light” is just less oily. If you look at the bottle without shaking it, the regular one has a ton of oil in it that doesn’t really add the best flavor to a salsa such as this one which is why we get light.
Great recipe, Natasha. I have used it as a side alongside grilled steaks and grilled shrimp — superb! A tip for you. Throw your limes in the microwave for 25 seconds — it makes them a lot juicier and no rolling. xx
Thanks for that great tip, Debra! I’m happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Thank you so much for all of the wonderful recipes! My family is loving them. ☺️ I’m going to make this for my work family.
You’re welcome, Mollie! I hope your family loves it!
Can this be made a day before and refrigerated until serving?
Hi Anne, It will keep well for a few days in the refrigerator.
Again, another winning recipe from Natasha.
Definitely a hit in my house!!
Glad you loved it, Marsha! Thank you so much for your review.
This recipe is so good! My husband loves it! Wondering if it would freeze well?
Hi Nicole! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! We enjoy it fresh, and I don’t believe it will freeze well, but I also haven’t tested that to advise. This recipe will last up to 4-5 days. Keep in mind vegetables will let off a little water.
Great recipe. We ate so much, decided it could just be our dinner!
Perfect! I’m glad you loved it, thanks for your review, Linda.
I must tell you that this was delicious and a HUGE hit! I served it with Tostito’s Scoops and also had cornbread available to serve it over top! Everyone has asked for your recipe, I shared the video with them!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Gwen! Thank you for that great review!
Great recipe!! I just happened to have chimichurri on hand and added more red wine vinegar, and several ounces of Ken’s Light Italian. I used fresh corn for flavor and color.
Hi Becca, I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for sharing that with us.
Made this for Father’s Day and it was a HUGE hit!! Everyone loved it!! They want me to make it for our Christmas in July party next month!! This recipe is a definite keeper!! Thank you!!!
That’s amazing, Annette! Thank you for this lovely review! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Can I substitute the cilantro for anything else?
Hi Lydia, we prefer it with cilantro but parsley may work here also.
One of our favorite restaurants serves an appetizer of fried green tomatoes, topped with a scoop of pimento cheese, a scoop of this “caviar” on the side topped with a few micro sprouts. Sounds like an unlikely combination – but it’s delicious! (And we have recreated at home!!)
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
Loved this! Left out the Italian dressing and served over a little brown rice! Wonderful! Had left overs next day with Baked White sweet potato disks instead of chips! Just wonderful!! Thank you so much!!!
You’re very welcome, Gina! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
I am one of those people that can’t abide cilantro. Can I use a little ground cumin instead? Love your videos!
Hi Ginny, I haven’t tried cummin yet but others used parsley and liked it!
Very good! We love it! But I used drained Pinto beans, black olives & shredded cheese. Yum!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Bev!
I love dark red kidney beans. Do you think it would taste good if I substituted them for the black beans & left out the jalapeño?
Hi Sandy, I honestly haven’t tried that yet to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
My sister and I made this recipe today. It was so good! We loved it! Our family loved it as well. It was a hit! It definitely made a lot! But we used it, to top on top of our nachos. It was great! Thanks for the recipe Natasha!
You are very welcome! Thank you for sharing your great feedback with us.
I have made this maybe twice and I love it, but it makes a lot and I am the only one that eats it so I would cut the recipe in half.
All I can say is WOW! I added the second avocado and the full 4 Tbs of lime juice. Absolutely delicious!!! I served it with my chicken enchiladas and honey corn bread and my husband and two grown boys said it was the best dinner ever!!!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Rill!
Fantastic
Thank you, Tina!
I’m making this for tomorrow evening. Would you suggest holding off adding the lime juice & dressing until tomorrow?
I have the rest of the ingredients together already.
Hi Cindy, I would add the lime juice and dressing which would preserve the avocado and help to keep it from turning color.
I made this for my NYE get together with my sisters and their families! And all I can say is wow! I served as an appetizer and we pretty much ate the whole thing instead of dinner! Thank you for another great recipe!
You’re welcome, Yvonne! We like to do the same with this meal! It’s so hard not to eat it in one setting!
2020 was a pretty rough year for most of us. But finding your kitchen was one of the real treats for our family this year. So many great recipes and so much fun watching you and your family bring laughter and joy to others while we work from home. Learned a lot about cooking too. All the best in 2021!
Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Bill. I’m so happy you discovered our blog.
This is so good we included it in our Christmas meal. Thank you
You’re welcome! I’m happy you enjoyed it!
Hi Natasha, any alternative for the dressing?
Hi Anna, I always use Italian dressing. You could make a homemade one (we have one on our site), or use more lemon or lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Italian dressing has the best flavor.
What’s your recipe for Italian Oil dressing?
Hi Thomas, we have our Italian Dressing Recipe HERE.
i tried it it is so nice thanks natasha
Thanks for sharing, Sara. I’m glad you liked it!
This was incredible, we loved it as a dip and even ate it as a salad! Such a versatile recipe.
Hi Lily, thank you so much for your great comments and feedback!
This looks so delicious and yummy! My husband is going to love this recipe! I can’t wait to make this!
Please let us know how it goes. I hope you’ll both love this!
Who needs the tortilla chips?! I can totally just eat this with a spoon. So good!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Wow, this is amazing! My family couldn’t get enough of it, especially BIL who’s a picky eater lol Should have doubled the recipe. Thank you!
That’s just awesome Pan! It sounds like you found a new favorite!
Have made this 3 times already. Very good however my family likes it better sans the dressing. Great way to use garden fresh veggies! Thank you for another great recipe!
Thank you for sharing that great review with me Patricia! I’m so glad you enjoyed that!
HI Natasha,
Made your cowboy caviar & Italian pasta recipes this weekend and as always like other recipes of yours they were delicious! Always looking forward to trying another recipe. Thanks again!
Karen
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Karen!
Thank you so much for your great feedback, Karen. We appreciate you sharing it with us.
That is some good looking salsa, but the Cowboy Caviar name threw me a bit.
I’ve always known Cowboy Caviar as another name for Rocky Mountain oysters, Prairie oysters, Calf fries which are a Western delicacy to some. I love’em. Bet that salsa would go great with them.
I hope you love this salsa Bill! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
Love, love, love this!!! I actually had it with tortilla chips for dinner tonight. I had just this but can see it pairing well with any kind of meat or fish. I really like when something so delicious is nutritious too. This is going to be my new potluck signature dish.Thanks, Natasha for another winning recipe
One of our favorites! I’m so happy you liked this recipe!
Made this today for a 4th of July/birthday party celebration and we absolutely love it! Thank you for all of your recipes and videos
You’re welcome, Kim! Happy 4th of July!
OMG THE BEST thing ever!! This was so good and because I’m greedy and love avocado I added 2 lol. It was sweet from the corn, tangbfrom the lime, creamy from the avocado, you have the sweetness from the red bell pepper. We have Vidalia onions here in Florida. This will be my go too. I loved everything about this!! 10 stars
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing that great review with me Carol!
I have had this dish before but could not find my recipe. I looked over several an decided yours had most of the ingredients I had on hand. I think I ate a quarter of it before dinner. It was a hit!!! I have printed it off an made several notes….it won’t be lost.
I’m so happy you found and enjoyed this recipe!
Been making this for years,, everyone loves it,,,, I don’t put avocado in mine, my husband doesn’t like it,, but the longer it sits, the better it tastes!
Sounds great, Sue. I’m glad you still liked it without the avocado. Thanks for sharing and giving this recipe a good review!
Awesome, quick and easy! Really fresh and delicious.
I’m so glad you enjoyed that!
I make this but I use canned black eyed peas rinsed and drain
I hope you loved it with that. Thank you for sharing that with me!
How do I access info on cooking utensils, etc you use while cooking.
Mobile UTube site doesnt show arrows to click.
Great, easy recipes. Yum yum!!!
Hi Charlotte, our favorite tools can be found in our blog shop and our Amazon shop here.
This looks awesome. We were recently at MD Anderson for a time and the adjoining hotel made something like this every night tossed with Ken’s dressing. They placed it next to a large bowl of salad greens. I used to put it on top of my greens and sprinkle with shredded cheese and croutons. It was wonderful. I am anxious to try your version.
That is interesting! Thank you for sharing that with me!
Hope everything went well for you at Anderson. We spent 5 years of our lives there. Wonderful place. My husband would not be alive today without them.
I have a question – 149 calories and it feeds 10 people. Why not tell us what volume/size/cup/ounces in a serving? Are you secretly a math teacher? I’d love to taste this but am weary.
Hi Jan, it does make a very large bowl of salsa. Unfortunately, I didn’t portion out individual servings to measure it out that way. I would guess it makes 8-9 cups of salsa, so just over 3/4 cup per serving.
I hope to get the answer to my question before my daughters baby shower.
Can I make this caviar cowboy dip the night before the party the following afternoon.
Thanks.
Hi Alice, Happy birthday to your daughter! It will keep well for a few days in the refrigerator.
I made this and served it with brown rice and chicken, like a burrito bowl. Super yummy!
I’m so glad you enjoyed that, Kari! Thank you for that amazing review.
This salad is a hit, every time I have a get together with friends and family they request this salad. The best part is that it is easy to make. Love it!!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Maria!
This recently popped up on my Facebook page so I thought what the heck I would try it for my husband. IT says makes a lot so I cut it in half except for the avocado, which I used a whole one. Oh my it’s amazing! He couldn’t stop snacking on it and it was all gone the second day.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
I can’t wait to try this recipe! I’m looking forward to more of your recipes.
I hope you love it, Max! We look forward to your feedback.
Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe! So much flavor! Great recipe to finish out the summer. Btw you look super cute in this video Thank you again Natasha!!
Thank you Olga! You’re so nice. I’m so happy you’ve enjoyed this recipe and appreciate the awesome review.
Having family gathering this weekend. I practiced it today. Since I’m traveling, ill make it once I get there Saturday morning. I think they’ll love it1
That’s so great! It is one of our more popular recipes! I hope you love it!
Made this tonight for my husband and me. Delicious and refreshing! (I did leave out the peppers, though, but it was still delicious.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Jan!
Great recipe! I omit bottled dressing. Made simple dressing with 2/3 Cup EVO, 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, s&p and 1 tsp dried basil. Leftover fres single good on all salads and fresh always better than bottled.
Hoping to make this for a family gathering tomorrow. Can this be made ahead of time a day before? I’m think I could just add the avocado right before it’s served. Love your recipes!!
Hi Amy, It will keep well for a few days in the refrigerator.
This is amazing! I have made this twice in a week and every time people rave about it. I tried it over warm chicken and it is amazing! I will be making this over and over and have recommended it people
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Beth!
Hi Natasha,
I’m trying this recipe tomorrow. This part should be revised:
“1 bell bell pepper seeded and diced”
to 1 red bell pepper…
Thank you for sharing such a delicious dish! It was easy to make and my family is giving me 10 out of 10 rating lol! I don’t know how I ran into you but I am surely blessed that I did. Have a great summer and thanks again!
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Kim. I’m all smiles!
I made this today, and instead of an italian dressing I used one called “Sweet Cilantro Lime” (Sams choice brand aka Walmart). It really added a wonderful flavor. Everyone loved it. Thanks for the perfect recipe.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Can I substitute the cilantro with parsley? Will it change the flavor immensely?
Hi Irene, several of our readers have done the same and loved it!
Appreciate your quick reply! I plan to make it tomorrow and can’t wait to try it!
I made this for a cookout and it is really good. I served it with tostitos scoops. It’s make a large amount of salsa so it is perfect for a party. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
The video includes 6 cloves of garlic; however, the garlic is not included in the recipe. Was is it an omission or was this not to be included?
Hi Kathy! We have garlic incuded in the recipe list. See the printable option towards the bottom of the post.
This is excellent.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that Kathy!
I want to make this recipe but need additional information on the servings. The nutritional information is for 1 serving. What size would the serving be?
Thanks!!
Hi Debbie, a serving is about one-tenth of the recipe.
Great healthy appetizer that never goes to waste!
We never have leftovers! Definitely a favorite around here!
How long will this last in the frisge..i made it tonight for 4th of july wkend…it looks really good
Hi Cindy, It will keep well for a few days in the refrigerator. Happy 4th of July! This is a great choice for the 4th of July weekend!
Lovely light lunch to take to work, and can be prepped ahead making it a great time saver. Very tasty and versatile as you can add extras to it liked cooked chicken.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that Leanne. Thank you for sharing that with us!
This is awesome! In fact, it’s really a meal in a bowl if you want it to be! Doesn’t need chips. You can add a scoop of rice to the bottom of your bowl if desired or grilled chicken to the mixture but I don’t when using this as a meal.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
I’ve made this and it’s the best cowboy caviar recipe ever – dressing is secret ingredient for sure! I wonder if you could add large shrimp to tge recipe and have as a luncheon meal – what do you think?
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I haven’t tried that but I think that should work!
I just need to understand the black bean ingredient when it said. In the same sentence “black beans,( or make your own)” and I don’t understand,is there something I am missing or is that sentence misplaced?
Hi Michelle, we posted more about that within in the recipe including a link to make your own beans. You can follow that link here 🙂
Hi I’m doing a Daniel fast with my church and this would look perfect with the exception of Italian dressing since it has sugar in it and I think Parmesan cheese that I can’t have. Is there a substitute I can use? Or is it best I just wait to make it after the fast with original ingredients?
This dressing compliments the salad very well. To get the full experience you can wait or simply use a dressing that is okay to use with the fast. I’d love to know how you like that.
What can be substituted for the avocado? I am allergic to those,
Hi Sharon, its near impossible to replace certain tastes and textures, we recommend testing out what suits you best or omitting that.
Do you have a receipe for Sea Salt Caramels?
I am loving all your wonderful receipes and your videos….following you daily…..thank you so much…..God Bless…..
Hi Geri! I’m so happy you are enjoying our recipes! I do not have a recipe for caramels however this caramel sauce recipe is quite popular
So delicious! The flavor. I am all about flavor. Big thumbs up.
That’s so great! Thank you for the wonderful review!!
I made this yesterday for my daughter’s birthday. It was such a hit! People loved it. Was all gone! Thank you for the recipe Natasha!
That’s so great! Thank you for the wonderful review! 🙂
I love all of your recipes, but I should never watch you cook when I am hungry….I wish you lived next door!!!
love this! Thank you Lynne! 🙂
This is listed under “Paleo” recipes, but black beans are not allowed on the paleo diet. Just wanted to point that out so there is no confusion for people who are trying to adhere to that type of diet.
Hi Sharon. Thank you for sharing That with us! Our readers will find that helpful.
how do you come up with 38g of sugar??
Hi Tina, oh my goodness you are right! The recipe calculator I used somehow read that as 15 oz of candy corn. Goodness gracious that is definitely wrong! I updated the recipe card. Now I’m setting off to check all of my corn recipes. WOW!! Thanks for asking 🙂
If I didn’t want to use ready made Italian dressing, could you recommend a vinegar based dressing recipe like you mentioned in the introduction to this recipe?
Thanks
Hi Peggy, we don’t have an Italian dressing recipe posted yet, but most Italian homemade dressing would work. The clear ones are better as opposed to the creamy ones for this recipe. You could also use a lemon dressing similar to what is in this salad and that will work here and adjust the seasoning to taste.
Just wanted to leave a recipe suggestion, I tried this pirog and it was delicious. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hC9wazAFSEY
Btw, my kiddos love watching your videos/bloopers can go all day watching them, often copy you when I serve them their meals saying, “time for the taste test.” 😄
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me :). I’m all smiles!
I made this last night. Very delicious… So happy……
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review!
I love how this looks. I despise Kraft Italian salad dressing it tastes like chemicals to me. What Italian dressing do you use? I usually like your recipes but not sure what to do about the Italian dressing part I think it might ruin it for me anyway
Hi Janine, you can absolutely use your favorite and we don’t usually use Kraft in this recipe, but I did recommend 2 brands that we prefer in the recipe above. You can use whichever brand you prefer or normally would purchase 🙂
Ah thanks didn’t see what you recommended I will give it a try
You’re welcome!
Natasha! Making this for the third day in a row and I can not tell you HOW MUCH MY DAD LOVES THIS. He won’t stop raving about how fresh and healthy and all the right ingredients this is “otse same ludshe, vobshe the best” haha! Already memorized the ingredients, super easy and simple to make, I just add a little less Italian dressing and use fresh tomatoes from the garden. You’re awesome for sharing this!
That’s so awesome Jenna! I love the mix of Russian & English in the same sentence! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review with me!
Oh this looks yum, I’m very tempted to make it even though it’s winter here ☺️
p.s it says 1 bell bell pepper in the print friendly recipe 😉
Oh oops thanks for catching that – should be 1 Red bell pepper 🙂
It’s been three weeks and the oops has not been corrected. My first time on the website and I noticed it right away.
I have a recipe for Cowboy Caviar that I just love. Very similar to this one. I make it a gallon at a time and I live alone. My favorite vegetable dish. The recipe for the dressing is as follows:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
Love it!
That sounds wonderful! Thank you so much for sharing!! 🙂
Very appealing but will try later. I am still in the chicken recepies that I adore.
I’m so happy to hear you are loving our recipes 🙂 I hope you enjoy this cowboy caviar just as much!
Just made a half portion to try before serving to a group. Definitely making this to share! Spice level was suitable for a mixed crowd. We tend to favor a bit more of a kick and will double the jalapeño in a batch for half the group. Either way, this was fresh, crisp and worthy of repeating in the future!
Thank you, Natasha for a new go-to recipe!
You’re welcome Kelli! I’m glad you enjoy the recipe enough to share it. Thanks for sharing your fantastic review with other readers!
Thank you for the recipe! How long does it keep in the fridge and is it freezable?
Hi Anastasia, I haven’t tried freezing so I can’t say for sure – you might test with a small batch to see how it thaws. We have always enjoyed it fresh.
Can I make this ahead of time and keep it in the fridge?
Hi Amanda, yes it does keep for a day or two in the fridge. 🙂
I have a tradition with my husband, and that is making a few appetizers while we watch Sunday’s game. I have already tried one dip from this website and this will be my next recipe! I love how simple and yet delicious these recipes are. I am also making the ceviche tomorrow! Can’t wait!
Make sure to get some tobasco or hot sauce to drizzle over the top 🙂 I’m so glad you like the recipes!!
Tanks for the recommendation! I will!
If I add chick peas to this salad will the taste b the same?
Chickpeas might a little firm for this salad. It might throw the texture off a little. I’d stick with the beans.
Looks wonderful, nothing like fresh salsa in the summer!
I know what you mean about nursing! I finished nursing school a few years ago, and I actually went to BYU-Idaho’s program in Rexburg and loved it! I love looking at your site–good luck with school!
Natasha,
I made this for our 4th of July party it was awesome, everyone loved it. I’ve made couple of things from your site and everything is always delicious:)
Thank you,
Elina
Don’t apologize, Natalia. Life happens. If it didn’t you would have nothing about which to blog. And congratulations on getting this far in the nursing program.
May I respectfully suggest that you change 1/2 of a cilantro bushel
to read 1/2 of a cilantro BUNCH? A half bushel would be 4 gallons of cilantro. Other than that it sounds great, almost a cross between a traditional fresh salsa and “southern caviar.”
Bet it would be great rolled up in a flour tortilla.
good eye Joe, I got it fixed.
Thanks for posting all of these recipes. I recently found your website and am really excited about it. Thanks for your hard work!!!
thank you Natasha for sharing your recipes with others, I like your site a lot and I just don’t know how you have time for all these – nursing school and family is a lot, but you also find time for cooking I think you just very gifted girl. God bless you