Cowboy Caviar Bean Dip (Printable)
Zesty bean and vegetable dip with cumin-lime dressing, perfect for parties and potlucks.
# What You'll Need:
→ Beans and Pulses
01 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 can (15 oz) black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 cup corn kernels (fresh, canned, or thawed frozen)
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
07 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
08 - 1/2 red onion, finely diced
09 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
→ Dressing
10 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
11 - 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
12 - 1 clove garlic, minced
13 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
14 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
15 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
16 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
17 - Juice of 1 lime
# How-To Steps:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the black beans, black-eyed peas, corn, red and green bell peppers, jalapeño, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and cilantro. Toss gently to distribute evenly.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, ground cumin, chili powder, salt, black pepper, and lime juice until well blended.
03 - Pour the dressing over the bean and vegetable mixture. Toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
04 - Taste the mixture and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lime juice as needed.
05 - Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
06 - Transfer to a serving dish and accompany with tortilla chips for dipping, or serve as a fresh salad topping.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- Zero cooking required, which means your kitchen stays cool and you stay sane.
- The dressing doubles as a marinade for grilled vegetables, so make extra and thank yourself later.
02 -
- Under rinsing canned beans leaves a starchy residue that tastes metallic and turns the dressing cloudy.
- Letting the salad sit overnight in the fridge transforms it into something dramatically better than when you first made it.
03 -
- Chop everything roughly the same size so every scoop on a chip delivers a balanced bite instead of a single overwhelming ingredient.
- A pinch of sugar in the dressing smooths out the acidity if your lime or vinegar runs especially sharp.