Easy Cowboy Caviar - Viral TikTok Recipe (15 Minutes!)

Cowboy Caviar Ingredients

At first glance, the best viral TikTok cowboy caviar recipe kind of looks like a Pico de Gallo dip...but the truth is, it's packed with so much more than a classic salsa! This dip has an entire rainbow of veggies that all come together to make each and every bite a total experience.

• Bell peppers - Use one of every color to really make this dish a rainbow of veggies!
• Black beans - Drain and rinse your black beans before adding them into the bowl. I love that this flavorful, light snack gets a healthy dose of plant-based protein thanks to the black beans!
• Black-Eyed Peas - Another source of plant-based nutrition with fiber, magnesium, and zinc! I usually eat these in January with black eyed pea salsa for good luck in the new year, but I enjoy them year round!
• Onions - I use both green and red onion to add an incredible depth of flavor and tons of color to every bite.
• Jalapeños - Pull the stems and seeds, then finely dice the jalapeño. It's worth the extra minute or two to have the finest diced jalapeño you can get!
• Mango - I love using yellow Atalufo mangoes. They're juicy and sweet! You could also swap (or include!) pineapples or peaches to get that bright color and cheerful flavor.
• Yellow Corn - I'm allergic to corn, so I omit this ingredient and just enjoy the mango...but the classic, original cowboy caviar has yellow corn so I included it in this recipe!
• Cilantro - I pull the big stems off and chop the rest finely so it distributes perfectly into the entire dish.
• Avocado - While everything else in Cowboy Caviar can be prepped ahead of time, wait until right before serving to add your avocado in so it stays bright and green!
• Vegan feta - I love the VioLife brand for vegan cheeses. You could also use a vegan Cotija cheese if you want more Southwestern vibes!
• Black olives - These add an irresistible briny flavor that take it over the top.

Dressing for Easy Cowboy Caviar

I always finish my favorite recipes off with a really good sauce or dressing! While some people go for just a basic Italian dressing, nothing beats fresh and homemade. For this dish, I took a classic homemade dressing and added my homemade taco seasoning to really boost the Southwestern flavor.

This dressing is super simple to make. Whisk olive oil, a splash of maple syrup, lime juice, garlic and taco seasoning until it's thoroughly blended! You can also add all the ingredients to a mason jar and shake.

Instructions

This recipe is so simple that it is almost self-explanatory. It really just requires mixing the ingredients together and serving cold!

1. Prepare the ingredients. Drain and rinse the black beans and black-eyed peas, finely dice the veggies (and fruit, if using) and chop the fresh cilantro.
2. Combine all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl.
3. Make the dressing and add to the mixing bowl
4. Toss everything together.
5. Serve! Serve immediately or refrigerate for 2-3 hours to serve cold.

All About Black Beans

I love that this plant-based dip also has some great protein added in thanks to black beans. They're one of my pantry staples that do it all! Black beans are considered a legume and part of both the protein and vegetable group (so important for vegans!). 

They also provide dietary fiber and important nutrients such as iron and zinc. Black beans are also versatile (use for black bean soup, black bean dip or Mexican quinoa salad), budget-friendly and easy to store, making them a pantry item I always keep on hand!