Cowboy Caviar

A colorful and zesty bean salad that’s as addictive as it is nutritious. This crowd-pleasing dip is perfect with tortilla chips or as a side dish.

Ingredients

For the Salad:

• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) corn kernels, drained (or 1½ cups fresh/frozen corn)
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 small red onion, finely diced
• 2-3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced (optional)
• ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 avocado, diced (add just before serving)

For the Dressing:

• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)

Instructions

1. Prepare Vegetables: Drain and rinse the black beans and black-eyed peas. Dice the bell peppers, red onion, and tomatoes. Mince the jalapeño if using. Chop the cilantro.

2. Make Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime juice, honey, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika until well combined.

3. Combine Salad: In a large bowl, combine the black beans, black-eyed peas, corn, diced bell peppers, red onion, tomatoes, jalapeño, and cilantro.

4. Dress and Marinate: Pour the dressing over the bean mixture and toss gently to coat everything evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to meld.

5. Final Touch: Just before serving, gently fold in the diced avocado to prevent it from browning.

6. Serve: Serve chilled with tortilla chips, as a side dish, or over greens for a hearty salad.

Tips

• Make Ahead: This salad actually improves in flavor when made a day ahead. Just add the avocado right before serving.
• Variations: Try adding diced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, or even some crumbled queso fresco.
• Heat Level: Adjust the jalapeño amount to your preference, or add a dash of hot sauce to the dressing.
• Storage: Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (without avocado) or 1 day with avocado.