Texas Caviar Recipe (Black Bean and Corn Salsa Dip)

Need an amazing dish for your potluck?  This Texas Caviar Recipe is always a hit! Peppers, black beans, black-eyed peas, and corn in a sweet vinegar dressing combine to make a delicious Texas Caviar Dip! (This dip is also commonly known as Black Bean and Corn Salsa or Cowboy Caviar.) 

Scroll to the bottom for a printable recipe and short video.

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Texas Caviar Dip (aka Black Bean and Corn Salsa)

I tried a version of a Texas Caviar Dip recipe for the first time at a New Year’s Eve party a few years ago.  (The black-eyed peas make it a perfect dip for New Year’s.)  I had one little nibble of the bean salsa/dip and was hooked.  Could not stay out of it!  

My friend that brought it told me it was called Texas Caviar.

Being from Texas, you would’ve thought I’d heard of this before, but … nope, never heard of Texas Caviar!

Her version was slightly different – more savory.  She used chopped tomatoes, a diced firm avocado, and bottled Italian dressing.  (If I had any avocados, I would definitely have added them.)  It was so good!  See the savory version here.

I think this sweeter version of the Texas Caviar Dip, (made with a sweet oil in addition to the vinegar dressing), is even better.  The crunchy chopped veggies absorb the sweetness of the dressing, so the longer the salsa marinates, the yummier it is.

Texas Caviar Dip – Perfect to Prep Ahead of Time

We had a potluck scheduled with the Boy Scouts for their crossover ceremony last weekend.  The main dish was Hot Dogs and our den was assigned side dishes.  I jumped at the chance to make the Texas Caviar again.  The recipe makes a ton and is excellent for summer potlucks.  I also thought it would be a great semi-healthy complement to the Hot Dogs.  (For the adults anyway, I can’t picture a bunch of little 6, 7, and 8-year-olds eating this willingly.)

Texas Caviar Dip is always better the next day, so I got to choppin’ and prepared the dish a day early.

Well… Guess what?  (You’ve heard of Murphy’s law, right?)  My little boy came down with a terrible case of strep throat and we missed the festivities!

It’s a good thing I love this recipe because I’ve been eating it all week.  After we ran out of chips, I added it to my lunchtime salads.  (A little chicken, cheese, diced avocado, and Texas Caviar makes an excellent salad, I promise!)

Are you ready to take this to your next potluck?  You will love it, I promise!

What exactly is Texas Caviar anyway (and how did it get its name?)

Texas caviar is a salad made with black beans, black-eyed peas, onions, and peppers in a vinaigrette-style dressing. 

The origins of the recipe is actually an interesting story…  It was developed in the 1940s by Helen Corbitt, a native New Yorker, who was challenged to make a recipe with local, Texas ingredients. She first served the recipe on New Year’s at the Houston Country Club and the recipe was later given the name Texas Caviar when she served it at the Driskill Hotel in Austin as a play on the comparison to actual caviar.  (Texas caviar is also called Cowboy Caviar.)

I’ve seen a few different versions of this recipe.  Sweet, savory, with avocados and without.  It’s quite yummy either way!  I have a savory version here.

What to Serve with Texas Caviar.

I think corn chips are the best, but this Texas Caviar makes a great side dish for burgers and hot dogs too.  I also really enjoyed adding a few tablespoons to my salads.

How Long will this Texas Caviar Recipe last?

Since this Texas Caviar recipe is not made with avocados, it will last in the fridge for 4 to 5 days if tightly covered.

How to make Texas Caviar.

You’ll love how easy this Texas Caviar Recipe is to make.  The beans and corn are easy and you just have to chop a few veggies, though I like to cheat and purchase the pre-chopped onions.  The dressing is handmade, but you are basically bringing sugar, oil, and vinegar to a boil, letting it cool, and combining.  That’s it!

Even better, this is a great make-ahead recipe as the ingredients taste even better once the flavors have had time to come together and “marinate.”  I have included a short how-to video at the bottom of the recipe below that shows off, how easy this.

Enjoy!

Other fun dips and appetizer recipes you might enjoy:

• 5 Dipping Sauces in 5 Minutes
• Beer Cheese Dip Recipe
• Spicy White Bean Hummus
• 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Dip
• Raspberry Chipotle and Ricotta Crostini Appetizers
• Easy Sausage Balls Recipe

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