If you’re looking for a perfect dish for a summer cookout or any get-together any time of the year, you need to make Cowboy Caviar! It’s perfect as a salsa or side dish plus there are endless ways to eat it!  Cowboy Caviar is a Tex-Mex mix of black beans, tomatoes, peppers, onions, cilantro, corn with a lime-cilantro dressing! It is crazy good! And super-easy to make! Healthy, clean, delicious. Keep reading to see how!

The Ultimate Recipe for the Ultimate Summer Cookout Side

I’m not sure how this dish got the name Cowboy Caviar, because, honestly, the sound of caviar is not appealing to me. But I need to say, everything about this dish is.

This is a Tex-Mex type of dish that is can be so many things.

You can use it as a salsa with tortilla chips.

You can put it on tacos.

You can put it in burritos.

You can eat it as a side salad.

You can put it over a green salad and make it a real meal.

You can eat it by itself as a meal.

You can add some chicken and really make it a meal.

This recipe is my summer go-to, and without batting an eye, when someone invites me over, this is what I’m bringing. And all summer long, this is what I’m making.

Cowboy Caviar.

Variations on a Theme

You might see this recipe prepared in lots of different ways. Many people include black-eyed peas; I do not. I’ve played around with this recipe in several different ways, but what I’m sharing here is my favorite, and this is how I make it every time.

You certainly can customize this to your taste. Add something in, leave something out. What really pulls this dish together is the lime-cilantro dressing, which is included in the recipe. Oh, yum. I could almost drink this.

This is a very easy recipe that you really can’t ruin. The hardest part about this is the chopping of the tomatoes, onions, and everything else. But once everything is chopped, you just mix it all together. Look how beautiful these ingredients are.

The only real catch is to add the avocados separately at the end, so they don’t get soggy and brown and so they don’t ruin your leftovers. Your leftovers are good for about 3-4 days in a sealed container (if there are leftovers at all).

And if you can prepare it and let it sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes – even better if you have a few hours  – before serving, that’s ideal.

Healthy Choice of Side

This is a protein-filled (via the beans) recipe with lots of veggies as well. This is a clean-eating recipe, but if you are following Whole30 or Paleo, the corn and beans would give it a thumbs down.

I’ve been back and forth over that because I truly love the health benefits of both of those diets and eating lifestyles. However, I’ve landed on clean eating because I’m just very comfortable with not eliminating anything that God created for us to eat. Every person’s body reacts differently to all kinds of ingredients, but by and large, this is a very healthy dish with lots of nutrients.

Without any further delay, let’s get to that recipe.

The Ultimate Cowboy Caviar Recipe

Cowboy Caviar

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Ingredients

• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) corn, drained
• 4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1 bell pepper (your choice of color), chopped
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped
• For the dressing:
• 2 Tbps EVOO
• 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice (about one lime)
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• Garnish:
• 1 large avocado, diced

Instructions

1. Combine first set of ingredients in a large bowl, prepared as directed.
2. Whisk dressing ingredients in a separate bowl.
3. Pour on cowboy caviar and mix.
4. Chill in refrigerator prior to serving, at least 30 minutes.
5. Serve with avocado in a side bowl for individuals to add (if there are leftovers, the avocado will get brown and soggy if it's mixed in with the cowboy caviar).
6. Serve as a side dish or with tortilla chips!

More Delicious Summer Food

If you’re looking for more delicious food to eat this summer, I’m putting together a special series focused just on that! Summer is a time for cookouts and family and friends, even in these crazy times. For all the food inspiration, take a look at these posts below! You can also follow the hashtag #summereats2020, just in case you miss anything, as I’ll be adding all summer long!

25 Delicious Summertime Strawberry Desserts & Treats

25 Easy & Healthy Summer Desserts

35 Refreshing & Healthy Summer Salads

If you try cowboy caviar or any of these other summer recipes, I’d love to see it! Please tag me on Instagram @100affections or use #summereats2020.   You can also leave a comment on Pinterest.

Thoughts? I’d love to hear them! Leave a comment below!