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If you’re in the mood for a nutritious and mouthwateringly delicious snack or side dish, this single serving Cowboy Caviar recipe is a game-changer. Scaled down to serve one or two, this Texan classic is jam-packed with vibrant veggies, wholesome beans, and a kick of zesty lime juice. Not only is it easy to whip up, but it’s also loaded with protein, fiber, and essential vitamins. Perfect for when you want big flavors without a lot of leftovers!
Enjoy your flavorful Cowboy Caviar as a versatile addition to your meals. Use it as a zesty dip with tortilla chips, a unique topping for a juicy hamburger, or spoon it over a fresh tomato salad for an extra burst of taste.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple Pantry Staples: The recipe uses common ingredients you’re likely to already have on hand, making it ultra-convenient.
- Nutrient-Rich: Filled with protein, Vitamins C and E, and fiber for a wholesome snack or meal.
- Adaptable: Whether you prefer it as a dip or standalone dish, this recipe has you covered.
- Time-Saver: With minimal prep involved, you can have this dish ready in less than 10 minutes.
- Personalized Flavors: Easily adjust or swap out ingredients to cater to your own taste preferences.
Check out our other Single Serving Salad ideas!
What Is Cowboy Caviar?
Cowboy Caviar, also known as Texas Caviar, Dixie Caviar, and Cowboy Salsa, elevates the concept of a simple black bean salsa to something truly special. This delightful dish combines two types of beans, tomatoes, and an array of vegetables, all tossed in a zesty lime vinaigrette.
Originating in the 1940s, this vegan dip was created by Helen Corbitt, a New York chef who was residing in Texas at the time. Tasked with crafting a dish that featured only Texas-grown products, she debuted Cowboy Caviar on New Year’s Eve at the Houston Country Club. Since then, it’s been a staple at parties, tailgates, and festive gatherings.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this cowboy dip recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
For the salad
- Black Beans and Black-Eyed Peas: These beans form the protein-packed foundation of the dish. Using canned beans is super convenient; just rinse and drain to eliminate extra sodium and improve taste. If you have any beans leftover, consider using them in a Southwestern Black Bean Soup or bacon-filled Black-Eyed Peas meal.
- Corn: Canned corn is an easy go-to, but frozen works too. Always rinse canned corn to remove extra salt. If grilling fresh corn, one small ear yields about 1/2 to 3/4 cup once grilled for 8-10 minutes. Use leftover corn in a small batch of Corn Muffins, Mexican Street Corn Salad, or Chicken Fried Rice.
- Red Pepper: Bell peppers of any color—red, yellow, orange, or green—fit right into this recipe. Leftover bell peppers can be used in Lo Mein, Chicken Tacos, or Pepper Steak.
- Tomato: One small ripe tomato does the trick, with Roma or Plum varieties as ideal options. Cherry tomatoes cut in half are another great choice.
- Avocado: A half of an avocado adds creamy texture. Use the other half of the avocado to make Avocado Toast or add it to Pico de Gallo.
- Jalapeño Pepper: This adds a spicy kick. Use fresh or jarred, and adjust the amount to your spice preference. If you’ve got leftover jalapeños, add them to Salsa, Taco Soup or Guacamole.
- Red Onions: These bring a blend of sweet and peppery notes to your cowboy caviar. Extra onions can be used to make Pickled Onions!
- Cilantro: It’s all about that final burst of herby freshness, but it’s optional if you’re not a fan.
For the Texas caviar dressing
- Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil is less processed, maintaining a more authentic olive taste and a higher content of nutrients. Light olive oil is a suitable alternative.
- Lime Juice and Zest: Fresh lime juice enhances the flavor. Bottled lime juice can be a last-minute substitute.
- Garlic: A clove of fresh garlic brings aromatic depth to the dressing.
- Salt and Black Pepper: A pinch (about 1/8 teaspoon) balances out the flavors. Adjust to your preference.
Pro Tip: While some cowboy caviar recipes include sugar in the dressing, this version takes a sugar-free approach. Leveraging the flavorful dressing from our popular Guacamole Salad recipe, this cowboy caviar lets the natural tastes of the beans and vegetables take center stage. Trust me, you won’t miss the sugar at all.
Recipe Variations
Feel like experimenting? Cowboy caviar is flexible and easily adaptable to your preferences.
- Spicy Cowboy Caviar: Add extra jalapeños or a dash of hot sauce.
- Protein Boost: Mix in some diced cooked chicken or tofu.
- Mediterranean Twist: Swap cilantro for basil and add some chopped olives.
How To Make Cowboy Caviar
These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how to make a small batch of cowboy caviar. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Set the dressing aside to use later.
- In a medium-sized bowl, stir together beans, black-eyed peas, corn, chopped red bell pepper, chopped tomato, diced avocado, chopped jalapeños, and cilantro.
- Pour the dressing over the vegetables and gently stir to make sure the dressing coats everything.
- Pour into a bowl and enjoy with tortilla chips.
Expert Tips
- Before you start cooking, make sure to read the entire recipe, including the Ingredient Notes section, and examine the process photos. This detailed guide will help you understand how the recipe unfolds, ensuring your Cowboy Caviar turns out perfect every time. All the information you need is found within the body of this recipe post, so don’t miss a thing!
- New Year’s Tradition: This dip is often considered a good-luck charm for New Year’s Day. Pair it with Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls and Cornbread for a complete New Year’s feast.
- Rinsing Canned Goods: When using canned beans and corn, it’s crucial to drain and rinse them under cool water to remove excess salt and improve flavor.
- Cilantro Optional: Not everyone is a cilantro fan, and that’s okay! Feel free to omit it from the recipe.
- Spice It Up: Love a kick? Add extra chopped jalapeños. If spicy isn’t your thing, you can always reduce the amount or leave them out altogether.
- Quinoa Fusion: For an even heartier dish, try combining this cowboy caviar with cooked quinoa. It makes for a nutrient-packed meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! This dish is a nutritional powerhouse, packed with protein, fiber, calcium, potassium, and Vitamin C.
No worries if you can’t find black-eyed peas; you can easily swap them out for pinto beans, white navy beans, or even chickpeas.
This top-rated cowboy caviar can be prepared in advance and will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just remember to add the avocado right before serving to prevent browning.
Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge, and it will last up to 3 days.
You bet! It’s not only gluten-free but also vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and sugar-free.
While corn isn’t typically considered keto-friendly, you can make a keto version by omitting the corn and substituting with more beans or chopped yellow or orange peppers.
Definitely! Even though this is designed as a single serving, you can easily double or triple the ingredients if you need to serve more people.
More Single Serving Dip Recipes You’ll Love
Looking to spice up your snack game or need a quick appetizer for a solo night in? You’re in the right place! Check out these other fabulous single serving dip recipes that are just as easy to whip up and utterly delicious.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this single serving cowboy caviar or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
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Cowboy Caviar For One
Watch How To Make This
Equipment
Ingredients
For the dressing
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- ⅛ teaspoon lime zest
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
For the dip (salad)
- ¼ cup canned black beans , rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup canned black-eyed peas , rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup canned corn , rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1 small tomato , chopped (I use 1 Roma or Plum tomato)
- ½ small avocado , diced
- 2 tablespoons chopped red onions
- 2 tablespoons chopped jalapeño pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- Optional: tortilla chips for serving
Instructions
Make the dressing
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Set the dressing aside to use later.
Make the dip (salad)
- In a medium-sized bowl, stir together beans, black-eyed peas, corn, chopped red bell pepper, chopped tomato, diced avocado, chopped red onions, chopped jalapenos, and cilantro.
- Pour the dressing over the vegetables and gently stir to make sure the dressing coats everything.
- Pour into a bowl and enjoy as a dip with tortilla chips or as a salad.
Notes
- Before you start cooking, make sure to read the entire recipe, including the Ingredient Notes section, and examine the process photos. This detailed guide will help you understand how the recipe unfolds, ensuring your Cowboy Caviar turns out perfect every time. All the information you need is found within the body of this recipe post, so don’t miss a thing!
- New Year’s Tradition: This dip is often considered a good-luck charm for New Year’s Day. Pair it with Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls and Cornbread for a complete New Year’s feast.
- Rinsing Canned Goods: When using canned beans and corn, it’s crucial to drain and rinse them under cool water to remove excess salt and improve flavor.
- Cilantro Optional: Not everyone is a cilantro fan, and that’s okay! Feel free to omit it from the recipe.
- Spice It Up: Love a kick? Add extra chopped jalapeños. If spicy isn’t your thing, you can always reduce the amount or leave them out altogether.
- Quinoa Fusion: For an even heartier dish, try combining this cowboy caviar with cooked quinoa. It makes for a nutrient-packed meal.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Love this recipe but what can you do with the leftovers that are not used in the cans?
I’m so glad you’re enjoying the cowboy caviar recipe! At the bottom of each recipe post, you’ll find a section dedicated to ways you can use up any leftovers. Also, if you’re looking for more inspiration, don’t miss out on our Recipe Finder feature. You can input your leftover ingredients, and it will show you a list of recipes where you can use them. The Recipe Finder can be found at the top of every recipe page.
I didn’t see the recommendations for using the canned leftovers with this recipe. Missing?
We provide ways to use up leftover ingredients in several places within our recipe posts. You can see some of our suggestions in the Ingredients section and you can find other suggestions at the bottom of the page which says, Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients. We also have a Leftover Ingredient Recipe Finder located at the top of each recipe page and on the front page of our website. To use this recipe finder feature, simply type in the ingredient you are using and the feature will generate recipes made with the particular ingredient. This information is on every recipe post.
Love this recipe — have made it single-batch and doubled several times. It’s great how the lime juice in the dressing keeps the avocado from browning. And I can verify that it’s still good the next day or the day after! One question though — I see red onion in the pics, and in the discussion but I don’t see it included in the ingredient list. How much is recommended to use?
Thank you, Hope! Use 2 tablespoons of chopped red onions.
Great recipe.
Raspberry vinaigrette is also a good choice. Take this recipe & make it your own!
When I take this salad to my brother’s home, I add 1 pureed chile
serrano. This will give it a nice warmth since children will also eat it. When using chopped chiles, you might bite into a really hot surprise.
I have used red wine vinegar, olive oil & apple cider vinegar, zesty Italian, lime & cilantro dressing. Really, whatever I have one hand. My family loves it. Never any left overs. We mostly prpare it as a side dish for our hot Texas BBQ’s. ❤️
Can you use something else besides lime?
Yes. You can use lemon juice or white wine vinegar instead.