Cowboy Caviar Bean Salad (Printable)

Colorful bean salad with fresh vegetables, corn, and tangy lime dressing—ideal for parties or as a side dish.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Beans & Legumes

01 - 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 (15 oz) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
04 - 1 cup sweet corn kernels, fresh or thawed
05 - 1/2 red onion, finely diced
06 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
07 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
08 - 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
09 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Dressing

10 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
12 - 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
13 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
14 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
15 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
16 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# How To Make:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine black beans, black-eyed peas, diced tomatoes, corn kernels, red onion, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, jalapeño, and cilantro.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, lime juice, red wine vinegar, ground cumin, smoked paprika, sea salt, and black pepper until thoroughly blended.
03 - Pour the prepared dressing over the bean and vegetable mixture. Gently toss with a spoon or spatula to ensure all ingredients are evenly coated.
04 - Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld together.
05 - Serve the salad chilled or at room temperature with tortilla chips or as a side salad accompaniment.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes better the longer it sits, so you can make it in the morning and let it do its thing while you handle everything else.
  • Every single bite has texture and flavor without any cooking, which means no hot kitchen and no stress.
02 -
  • Rinsing the beans is not optional because the canning liquid makes everything taste tinny and turns the dressing gray.
  • If you add avocado, do it right before serving or it will turn brown and make the whole bowl look tired.
03 -
  • If the dressing tastes too sharp, add a pinch of sugar or a drizzle of honey to balance the acid without making it sweet.
  • Use a jar with a lid to shake the dressing instead of whisking, it emulsifies faster and you have one less dish to wash.
Go Back