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    Recipes » Appetizers + Snack » Easy Mexican Caviar Recipe (aka Texas Caviar)

    Easy Mexican Caviar Recipe (aka Texas Caviar)

    Feb 14, 2022 · Last updated: Mar 19, 2022 by Gina Dickson · This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

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    Jump to Recipe
    mexican caviar in a blue bowl.

    This quick and easy Mexican Caviar Recipe, also called Texas Caviar or Cowboy Caviar Salsa, doubles as a delicious salad or dip that works great for groups or just for your weekly meals. Not only is it a snap to make, but it's a healthy choice made with different types of beans, tomatoes, chilies, fresh onions, cilantro, and garlic that’s lightly seasoned with cumin and lime. It's sure to be a big hit when you serve it up!

    Mexican Caviar Recipe in a blue bowl with taco chips by it.
    PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER

    Lime and cumin add so much bright, vibrant flavor to beans and fresh veggies in this simple dip recipe. It’s a great recipe and truly one of my favorite appetizers to serve up for parties as a healthy dip option and if there are any leftovers, it makes a great side salad for nacho casserole or a topping for tacos. 

    This Texas Caviar Recipe is always a big hit with friends and family and works excellent with tortilla chips for dipping along with a bowl of salsa verde and fermented salsa. 

    Add it to your next Mexican theme party or serve it up as a starter for a Mexican dinner party.

    Jump to:
    • Why This Recipe Works
    • Video: How to
    • 🛒 Ingredient Notes
    • 🔪 Step by Step Instructions
    • 🔀 Substitutions
    • 🌶️ Variations
    • How To Serve 
    • 💭 Tips for Making the Recipe
    • Related Recipes
    • Recipe

    Why This Recipe Works

    • No need to cook Mexican caviar bean salsa. An easy recipe that only requires a quick mix of ingredients and it’s ready to serve.
    • A tasty side dish and easy vegetable bean dip that is always a crowd pleaser!
    • Cowboy salsa is a forgiving recipe allowing you to switch ingredients easily to use up stuff you have on hand.

    Video: How to

    🛒 Ingredient Notes

    A simple recipe made with relatively simple ingredients that you can find at your local grocery store or order easily online.

    ingredients for mexican caviar on the table.
    • Black-eyed peas: Make a great addition to the salad with their unique texture and earthy flavor.
    • Black beans: Black beans are used a lot in Mexican dishes and have a relatively mild flavor but their color stands out making the salad more colorful.
    • Cilantro:  Diced up fine so it adds flavor and a little bit of color to the dip.
    • Onion: Use yellow, sweet or red onion to make this cowboy caviar recipe. They all work.
    • Celery:  Gives the salad a little extra crunch to the texture.
    • Garlic: For best flavor use fresh garlic.
    • Red wine vinegar:  A mild vinegar which works well with the lime juice to add the acid to this recipe.
    • Fresh lime juice: I highly recommend using fresh lime juice for the best, most vibrant flavor.
    • Cumin:  This spice is commonly used in most Mexican dishes for flavor.
    • Sugar: Just a touch to balance out the acidity of the lime juice and the spiciness of the jalapenos.
    • Diced tomatoes with green chilies:  These canned tomatoes have green chilies added for spice and flavor.
    • Pickled jalapenos: Adds some spice to cowboy caviar salsa but it’s optional so leave it out if you prefer a less spicy version of the dip.

    See the recipe card further down on the page for a complete list and quantities.

    🔪 Step by Step Instructions


    Here’s a preview of how to make this Mexican caviar recipe. For the full instructions, see the recipe card towards the bottom of the page.

    1️⃣ Place rinsed and drained beans into a large mixing bowl.

    2️⃣ Add the fresh cilantro.

    Collage of images combining the ingredients to make mexican caviar.

    3️⃣ Add the onions, diced celery, and minced garlic to the bowl.

    4️⃣ Next add the red wine vinegar, lime juice, salt, cumin, and sugar.

    5️⃣ Toss in your drained diced tomatoes with green chilies. Add your pickled jalapenos or green chilies.

    Collage images of making the mexican caviar recipe and mixing it up.

    6️⃣ Give it a good stir so all the ingredients are mixed well.

    ⭐️ Hint: If you can, this Mexican caviar recipe needs to sit a few hours before serving. This allows the seasoning to infuse throughout the dip.

    Using a citrus juicer is the perfect way to quickly and easily juice fresh limes.

    🔀 Substitutions

    Here are a few substitutions you can use to make when making this Mexican caviar recipe:

    • Diced tomatoes with green chilies: Swap this type of canned tomato out for regular diced tomatoes and a small can of green chilies. If it isn’t spicy enough, you always add more pickled jalapenos.
    • Pickled jalapeno peppers: Jarred jalapenos are a quick option to add spiciness to this recipe however you can swap it out for fresh jalapenos or choose canned green chilies for a milder option.
    • Red wine vinegar: You can use white vinegar which is slightly brighter and more intense in flavor, or use white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar with a flavor similar to the red wine vinegar.

    🌶️ Variations

    There are so many different ways to combine ingredients for Mexican caviar which makes it a great recipe for using up ingredients you have on hand in the pantry or refrigerator.

    • Use different varieties of beans to make this Cowboy caviar recipe. Try pinto, white beans, light red kidney beans pigeon peas, or chickpeas. Really just whatever you have on hand will work just great! 
    • Add cooked fresh corn, canned sweet corn, or shoepeg corn. 
    • Mix chopped sweet peppers in a variety of colors. You can use red bell pepper, orange bell pepper, green bell pepper, or a mixture of them all.
    •  If you like it spicy, add chopped roasted jalapenos or pickled jalapenos.
    • Add diced avocados. 
    • Mix in some grated sharp cheddar cheese or cubes of feta cheese or queso fresco just before serving.

    How To Serve 

    I love to eat this Texas caviar recipe as a dip but it can be used in so many different ways! 

    • Serve with tortilla chips or other corn chips great for dipping.
    • Sprinkle on top of tacos.
    • Add on top of a Mexican-themed salad.
    • Add to Mexican rice.
    • Serve it up on its own as a side dish for meals.

    💭 Tips for Making the Recipe

    Don’t skip letting Mexican caviar sit in the refrigerator. Giving it an hour or two to sit allows the flavors to meld together.  

    Drain the canned beans and tomatoes very well before adding them to the bowl.

    Dice the fresh vegetables into small pieces, similar to the size or smaller than the beans.

    ❓ Can I make Mexican caviar in advance?

    Yes, of course, it even tastes better the next day. If you are making this recipe to serve to guests, I recommend making it no more than 24 hours in advance. This is the perfect amount of time for the flavors to truly meld together while the veggies are still nice and crispy. Any longer than that, the salad will still taste good, but the vegetables may start to get a little soft.

    Mexican Caviar Recipe in a blue bowl with taco chips by it

    Related Recipes

    • Mexican Coleslaw Salad
    • Spicy Pico de Gallo Recipe
    • Corn Salad With Cilantro
    • Green Salsa Recipe Without Tomatillos

    Love a recipe you've tried? 😋 Please leave a 5-star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Stay in touch with me through social media @ Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!

    Recipe

    Mexican Caviar Recipe in a blue bowl with taco chips by it.

    Mexican Caviar Recipe

    Gina Dickson
    The perfect Mexican appetizer dip or salad, Mexican Caviar is quick and easy to make. It's a healthy choice made with a variety of beans, tomatoes, chilies, fresh onions, cilantro, garlic then seasoned with cumin and lime.

    Note:

    To save you ink, video and equipment images will not print.

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    Tap to prevent your screen from going dark while making this recipe.
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course Appitizer
    Cuisine Mexican
    Servings 8 1/2 cup servings
    Calories 22 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 15 oz black-eyed peas can, drained and rinsed
    • 1 15 oz black beans can, drained and rinsed
    • 2/3 cup cilantro fresh, chopped
    • 2/3 cup onion diced
    • 1/2 cup celery diced small
    • 2 teaspoons garlic fresh, minced
    • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
    • 2 teaspoons lime juice fresh squeezed
    • 3/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • 2 tablespoons sugar
    • 1 10oz diced tomatoes with green chilies can, drained
    • 2 tablespoons pickled jalapenos optional, or use fresh diced jalapenos or diced canned green chilies

    Need an ingredient to make this recipe? Click this Instacart button and get what you need sent right to you.

    Instructions
     

    • Place rinsed and drained beans into a large bowl.
    • Add fresh chopped cilantro
    • Add diced onions,celery, and minced garlic.
    • Next put in the red wine vinegar, lime juice, salt, cumin and sugar
    • Toss in your drained diced tomatoes with green chilies. Add your pickled jalapenos.
    • Give it a good stir, so all the ingredients are mixed well.
    • Chill for a few hours in the refrigerator. Allow to come to room temperature when serving.

    Need an item in the this recipe? Click the Instacart button and have it sent right to you.

    Notes

    Variations
    • Use different varieties of beans to make this Cowboy caviar recipe. Try pinto, white beans, light red kidney beans pigeon peas, or chickpeas. Really just whatever you have on hand will work just great! 
    • Add cooked fresh corn, canned sweet corn, or shoepeg corn. 
    • Mix chopped sweet peppers in a variety of colors. You can use red bell pepper, orange bell pepper, green bell pepper, or a mixture of them all.
    •  If you like it spicy, try adding your favorite fresh pepper such as a jalapeno.  
    • Add diced avocados. 
    • Mix in some grated sharp cheddar cheese or cubes of feta cheese or queso fresco just before serving.
    How To Serve
    • Serve with tortilla chips or other corn chips great for dipping.
    • Sprinkle on top of tacos.
    • Add on top of a Mexican-themed salad.
    • Add to Mexican rice.
    • Serve it up on its own as a side dish for meals.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 11/2 cupCalories: 22kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 262mgPotassium: 44mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 137IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 9mgIron: 1mg
    Share Your CreationTag @intentionalhospitality and hashtag #intentionalhospitality so I can see what you made. Don’t forget to leave a star rating.

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    About Gina Dickson

    Hey y'all, I am here to help you build community and nurture faith around your table. You will find fun party ideas and delicious recipes for easy-to-make meals and party food. I want to help you create a table where people come together, enjoy a meal and linger with good conversation.

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