Cowboy Salad Recipe

5 from 2 votes

This 15-minute Cowboy Salad recipe is Cowboy Caviar made with black beans (with an option to include black eyed peas). Serve as a salad or dip. Zesty, refreshing, and budget-friendly. Ideal for barbecues, picnics, and potlucks. (Gluten-free & oil-free.)

Published: May 20, 2022 by Nisha Melvani, RDN · I earn commissions from purchases via links on this post.

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This 15-minute Cowboy Salad is Cowboy Caviar but made with black beans. Serve as a salad or dip. Zesty, refreshing, and budget-friendly. Ideal for barbecues, picnics, and potlucks. (Gluten-free & oil-free.)

Black beans, grape tomatoes, chopped cilantro, corn kernels, chopped jalapeño, minced garlic, spices, and chopped red onion in a tortilla bowl with a black fork. On a marble board with cilantro and avocado. — Serve your Cowboy Salad in a crispy baked tortilla bowl, or with a side of chips.

Most Cowboy Caviar recipes are made with black eyed peas. This one uses black beans instead, with the option of adding black eyed peas. The flavorful dressing is oil-free. It's deliciously crafted so you won't miss the oil, I promise!

For more oil-free salads, see my Edamame Quinoa Salad with Oil-Free Miso Ginger Dressing on this site, as well as this Easy Broccoli Salad With Oil-Free Tahini Dressing.

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👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients
🫑 Substitutions
📖 How to Make Cowboy Salad
💡 Expert Tips
⏱ Storage
🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs
🍽 Related Recipes
👩🏽‍🍳 Made This Recipe?
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients

Grape tomatoes in a white colander, black beans and corn in white bowls, fresh cilantro, red onion, orange bell pepper, and a jalapeño on a white marble board. — Ingredients for making Cowboy Salad.

Black beans are the beans of choice for this recipe. However, there's also an option to add black eyed peas for a more traditional Texas caviar.
Grape or cherry tomatoes tend to be less soggy, so the leftovers hold up better for longer.
Frozen sweet corn is quick and easy to prepare, and adds a delightful hint of sweetness.
Jalapeño adds a mild amount of spice and tons of flavor to this dish. If you are sensitive to spice, taste the jalapeño beforehand, and use the desired quantity.

Whole grain mustard, maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar, and Dijon mustard in white bowls. With one half lime, and a head of garlic. — Ingredients for the oil-free dressing.

See the recipe card for quantities.

🫑 Substitutions

Tomatoes - Substitute the grape tomatoes for diced Roma tomatoes, or use a mixture of both.
Bell pepper - Replace one-half of the cherry or grape tomatoes with 1 small chopped bell pepper.
Beans - replace one can (1 ½ cups) black beans with one can (1 ½ cups) black eyed peas, or a different bean of your choice
Corn - use frozen, canned, or fresh corn kernels
Cilantro - use parsley or dill instead
Whole grain mustard - omit as desired, and add more Dijon to taste
Spice- This salad is mildly spicy. For a less spicy version, reduce or omit the chipotle powder, and jalapeño. For more spice, add sriracha to the dressing.

📖 How to Make Cowboy Salad

Ingredients for Cowboy salad–black beans, quartered grape tomatoes, chopped cilantro, corn kernels, chopped jalapeño, minced garlic, spices, and chopped red onion–in a bamboo bowl on a white marble board.

Step 1. Add the salad ingredients to a large bowl. Mix the dressing ingredients in a separate small bowl.

Cowboy salad made with black beans, quartered grape tomatoes, chopped cilantro, corn kernels, and chopped red onion in a white bowl on a white marble board.

Step 2. Pour the dressing into the salad and mix well until it is fully incorporated. Season with salt. Adjust lime juice, and maple syrup to taste.

For more oil-free salad options, try my Avocado Mango Salad, or this Mayo-Free Vegan Macaroni Salad with Peas. Visit my Vegan Salad Recipes page for more easy dinner salad ideas.

💡 Expert Tips

Serve Cowboy Salad as a dip with chips or crackers, as a salad, or as a relish.
Enjoy at room temperature, or chilled.
Add olives, celery, bell pepper, or carrots for even more texture.
To reduce the sharpness of the red onion, soak the chopped onion in a bowl of water for 15 minutes before using. Drain well.

⏱ Storage

Refrigerate any remaining Cowboy Salad in an airtight container for up to 4 days. If you plan on having leftovers, add the dressing, and avocado to the served portion only. Refrigerate any remaining dressing, and chopped salad ingredients in two separate containers.

🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs

What is Cowboy Caviar?

Cowboy caviar, also known as 'Texas caviar,' is traditionally a salad of black-eyed peas in a vinaigrette-style dressing. It was created in Texas by Helen Corbitt, and first served on New Year's Eve for good luck at the Houston Country Club. (Black-eyed peas are said to bring good luck!)
It was later given its name as a humorous comparison to true caviar.

Can I make Cowboy Salad ahead of time?

Yes! Refrigerate the dressing, and chopped salad ingredients in two separate containers. Mix in the dressing and avocado for serving.

Is Cowboy Salad healthy?

This recipe for Cowboy Caviar is very nutritious. It is packed with plant-based protein, fiber, iron, vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants. It has no refined sugars and is very low in sodium and saturated fat.