Texas caviar [Avocado Corn and Bean Salad]

Fresh, vibrant, tangy and flavorful, Texas Caviar is a packed Southwest/Mexico corn and bean salad with tomatoes, avocado and red onions. It’s perfect for eating with fries or as a side to potlucks, picnics, BBQs and a quick last minute side to any meal as it’s ready in just 10 minutes!

Fresh, lively and delicious Texas caviar/cowboy salsa

Texas caviar (also called cowboy caviar, cowboy salsa, and southern caviar) is the Crowd loving dip/salsa/salad that everyone needs to know about. It’s one of our favorite recipes for impressing society. It’s fresh, vibrant, nutritious, delicious, made with just a few simple, inexpensive staples and fresh veggies, and comes together in just a few hassle-free minutes!

Aside from a small amount of chopping, this cowboy caviar recipe (originally “Everyone’s Favorite Bean Salad” from the Plant-Based on a Budget Cookbook) basically consists of draining and rinsing the beans and corn, then tossing everything together into one big bowl. Leave it on for at least 10 minutes and then dig in.

If you’re not quite sure what “cowboy salsa” is if you’ve tried a Southwest corn and black bean salad or a Mexican bean salad, cowboy salsa is very similar but is traditionally made with black-eyed peas. However, this time we use three types of beans and avocado for added texture and flavor.

The combination of beans, corn, red onions, tomatoes, and avocado mixed with cilantro and fresh lemon or lime juice makes for a wonderfully tangy, freshly mixed bean salad packed with fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and plant-based protein. Overall, it’s a wonderfully balanced dish.

It’s also super versatile! Not only can it be enjoyed alongside vegan tacos, burritos, and vegan quesadillas, but it’s also a great dish to enjoy with all your favorite picnic/BBQ sides like potato salad, coleslaw, and more!

The ingredients

One of the best things about this easy cowboy caviar recipe is that it consists of just some inexpensive, easy pantry and kitchen basics.

• beans: Use any three cans of beans, regular or low-sodium. That is, black-eyed peas, black beans, pinto beans, red kidney beans, Great Northern, garbanzo beans, mixed beans, etc. We used pinto, black beans, and garbanzo beans this time, but black-eyed peas make for a more traditional cowboy caviar.

Alternatively, you can cook the beans yourself. You will need around 1 ½ cups dried beans (4 ½ cups cooked beans).

• Corn: It is best to use a can of unsalted corn. However, you can also use frozen (thawed) corn.

If you make this cornbean salad on a BBQ day, you might as well use grilled corn which gives the salad a nice smoky flavor.

• Red onion: For small bursts of sharp, sour bite. A yellow onion would work in a pinch. For a milder flavor, use spring onions.
• tomato: Larger tomatoes are great during tomato season. The rest of the year we turn to inexpensive cherry tomatoes/baby plum tomatoes. Canned tomatoes like RO-TEL also work if necessary.
• avocado: You need a large avocado that is ripe but still a bit firm (so it doesn’t mash in the salad).
• coriander: If you’re not a fan, flat-leaf parsley or scallions/scallions might work instead (or alongside).
• Salt: Season the corn and bean salad to taste.
• Lemon lime: Instead of a complicated dressing, this corn and bean salad just needs a little fresh lemon or lime juice (1 small fruit should do the trick).

For more a traditional Texas caviar dressing, add about a tablespoon of red wine/apple cider vinegar, garlic (or garlic powder) and some sugar or maple/agave. Alternatively, you could use Italian dressing OR, for a creamy salsa dressing, puree vegan sour cream, salsa, cumin and a pinch of salt. Adjust the amounts to taste.

What else could I add to Cowboy Salsa?

We kept things simple (and cheap) for this take on cowboy caviar. However, depending on what you have in your kitchen, you can add:

• Paprika: Diced orange/red peppers add fresh crunch and colour.
• garlic: Just a clove, chopped to add to the “dressing”.
• Spices: There are several options you can add to a cornbean and avocado salad. Ie cumin, ground coriander, cayenne pepper/red pepper flakes etc.
• salad: To make a lighter green-based salad, add shredded lettuce. Start with a 1:1 ratio of lettuce to beans and increase to the desired ratio.
• other vegetables: You can also enjoy several other vegetables in this cowboy caviar recipe, such as:
  • Cucumber (Persian or English cucumbers contain fewer seeds)
• jalapeno: Diced, sliced ​​or pickled for extra heat.
• nuts/seeds: Lightly roasted pepitas, sunflower seeds, cashews, etc. for crunch, protein, and heart-healthy fats.
• Mango/Pineapple: This adds a juicy, fresh, sweet flavor.
• Vegan Feta: Sprinkle over the cowboy salsa when serving.

How to make Texas Caviar (Cornbean Avocado Salad)?

• 1) First drain and rinse the bean cans. Then finely dice the red onion and tomato, chop the avocado and coriander and squeeze the lemon/lime.

• 2) Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss well, flavor and increase salt if desired. Finally, let it sit and “marinate” for at least 10 minutes (although 30-45 minutes is even better). Enjoy!

frequently asked Questions

recipe tips

• Marinate: As it sits, the flavors of the cowboy caviar meld and the onion loses some of the harsh “raw” flavor.
• For soft onion: Soaking the onion in ice water for 10 minutes will soften it without the need for a long marinating time.
• Low budget tip: Buying and preparing the dried beans (instead of canned) can save you money in the long run. We recommend cooking large batches and storing them in the freezer to use for multiple meals.
• Add avocado when serving: Otherwise, it will turn brown when sitting.

Storage Instructions

As long as you add the avocado just before serving, you can make this field bean salad four days store in an airtight container in the fridge beforehand.

While we don’t recommend freezing the assembled salad, the beans and corn might be frozen for up to three months.

serving suggestions

To say Texas caviar is versatile is a massive understatement. You can enjoy it as a dip with fries or as an accompaniment to:

It’s also pretty much the perfect crowd pleaser to take to potlucks, picnics and BBQs to enjoy alongside burgers, grilled proteins etc. However, you can enjoy it all year round as a last minute, quick and easy meal prep for parties and events!

More easy vegan bean recipes

Also, check out our collection of 59 ways to use a can of beans.

Photos by Alfonso Revilla