Not a fan of traditional caviar, with the tell-tale strong, salty overtones? Have no fear!  This easy, non-fish-egg version of an otherwise pricey delicacy will have you digging in, pronto! It’s Craveable Cowboy Caviar to the rescue!

Craveable Cowboy Caviar
Caviar isn’t everyone’s cup of, well, fish eggs. While I love just about anything with a big salty punch, I have to admit that most caviar I’ve tried is a bit overwhelming even for my palate.  So when we moved to Texas, I was surprised to hear people talking about their various recipes for “Cowboy Caviar”.  Um, aren’t cowboys generally found with, oh I don’t know, COWS?  Or at least other land-based livestock?

Enter Texas creativity.  Leave it to those in this neck of the woods to come up with what they figure look like eggs, but aren’t.  Caviar is little fish eggs, which are round.  What else is round, and much more plentiful here on land?  Beans! Beans are (kind of) round, so why not toss them together and create a party food that is a bit more appealing?

Luckily for me, not only has my father-in-law been providing fresh Summer tomatoes (which I’ve been using for everything from fresh salsa to tomato flatbread), but he also brought us a big jar of fresh black eyed peasYum!  If you don’t have fresh, feel free to use the canned ones.  Same meaty texture, and probably more convenient!

Craveable Cowboy Caviar

What I love about this creation is that:

  1. Every household has their own recipe.
  2. You can change it up based on your palate.
  3. It looks different depending on what you may have in your pantry.

The variety comes when you get creative and add things like red onions, or jalapenos, or pinto beans instead of black beans.  Variety, AND you can sound fancy when you tell people you’re serving caviar. Yee-haw!

Giddy up and grab yourself some Craveable Cowboy Caviar! You’ll be feeling Cowboy fancy faster than you can saddle up!

Craveable Cowboy Caviar
Craveable Cowboy Caviar
Print Recipe
Want to feel fancy but don't want to make a fuss about it? Grab a few pantry staples, spruce them up with a couple fresh ingredients and you've got yourself a craveable snack that's fit for a crowd, or an afternoon of binge-watching your favorite show.
Servings Prep Time
8 people 10 minutes
Passive Time
30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
8 people 10 minutes
Passive Time
30 minutes
Craveable Cowboy Caviar
Craveable Cowboy Caviar
Print Recipe
Want to feel fancy but don't want to make a fuss about it? Grab a few pantry staples, spruce them up with a couple fresh ingredients and you've got yourself a craveable snack that's fit for a crowd, or an afternoon of binge-watching your favorite show.
Servings Prep Time
8 people 10 minutes
Passive Time
30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
8 people 10 minutes
Passive Time
30 minutes
Instructions
  1. Rinse and drain the black beans and black eyed peas. Dice the tomatoes.
    Craveable Cowboy Caviar Ingredients
  2. If using fresh corn on the cob, place it over a bundt pan to help catch the kernels as you carefully cut them from the cob. If using canned corn, drain and rinse the kernels.
    Corn Off the Cob
  3. Place the first 5 ingredients (through cilantro) in a large bowl.
    Craveable Cowboy Caviar Ingredients
  4. Toss with juice of lime.
    Craveable Cowboy Caviar Ingredients
  5. Add salt & pepper; toss to incorporate.
    Craveable Cowboy Caviar w/ Salt & Pepper
  6. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight to allow flavors to meld.
    Craveable Cowboy Caviar
  7. Serve with your favorite corn chips, toss into salads, or use as a topping for burgers or hot dogs.
    Craveable Cowboy Caviar
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