Cowboy Caviar Bean Dip (Print version)
Colorful bean and vegetable salad with a zesty lime dressing, perfect for potlucks and snacking.
# What you need:
→ Beans and Pulses
01 - 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 (15 oz) can 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 tbsp red wine vinegar
12 - 1 clove garlic, minced
13 - 1 tsp ground cumin
14 - 1/2 tsp chili powder
15 - 1/2 tsp salt
16 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
17 - Juice of 1 lime
# Directions:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained black beans, black-eyed peas, corn kernels, diced red and green bell peppers, jalapeño, quartered cherry tomatoes, red onion, and chopped cilantro.
02 - In a separate small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, ground cumin, chili powder, salt, black pepper, and fresh lime juice until well blended.
03 - Pour the prepared dressing over the bean and vegetable mixture. Toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
04 - Taste the mixture and adjust salt, pepper, or lime juice as needed to suit your preference.
05 - Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
06 - Serve chilled with tortilla chips as a dip, or spoon over greens as a salad. Also excellent as a taco filling.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- Zero cooking required, which means your kitchen stays cool and you stay sane during hot months.
- It feeds a crowd cheaply and looks gorgeous sitting out on any table.
- The flavors actually improve overnight, so making it ahead is a reward, not a risk.
02 -
- The dressing tastes sharp on day one and mellows beautifully by day two, so do not panic if it seems acidic at first.
- Hold off on adding avocado until right before serving or it will brown and soften into the mix overnight.
03 -
- Pat the rinsed beans dry with a clean towel so your dressing does not get watered down before it has a chance to coat everything.
- Let the onion soak in the lime juice for five minutes before adding it to the bowl, which softens its raw bite and makes the whole dish taste more balanced.