Why is it called Cowboy Caviar? you never heard Caviar Cowboy? Clearly, you don't live in Texas! Texas Caviar is a basic fresh salad with just the right combination of Southern ingredients like black-eyed peas and Mexican ingredients like jalapeños and ground cumin to make your taste buds sing.
Don't worry, there's no real caviar in this dish. Just delicious black-eyed peas, onions, tomatoes, jalapenos and a few other tasty vegan ingredients mixed into what is truly a Texas delicacy. Cowboy Caviar is one of those dishes you really should try to fully understand and appreciate.
What makes this Texas caviar recipe so good?
- Tempo. I make this recipe using my pressure cooker to reduce the soaking and cooking of the black-eyed peas. This is such a quick recipe now, I make Cowboy Caviar often!
- Simple. You don't need a lot of spices or fancy ingredients to make this Texas caviar recipe incredible. Simple, fresh ingredients make it delicious.
- Flavor. If you like Tex-Mex food and spices, you'll love this Texas Caviar recipe! It's everything you love about Mexican food in one bowl.
What is cowboy caviar made of?
I know this seems like a lot of ingredients for a side dish or appetizer, but most of them are items you already have in your pantry. Plus, the flavors in this dish are absolutely worth the extra effort of putting together a few more ingredients than usual.
How do you make cowboy caviar?
- Beans. Cook black-eyed peas in your Instant Pot with 2 cups of water on high pressure for 10 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally and drain excess water.
- Vegetables. Cut the tomatoes, onions, jalapenos and cilantro into uniform shapes.
- Dressing. Mix the sauce ingredients.
- Mix. Once the beans have cooled a little, add the vegetables and sauce and mix well and taste.
- Sal. Adjust lemon juice, vinegar and salt accordingly. Resist the urge to over-salt at this point, as the salad will become saltier as it melts.
- Serving. Let sit for an hour or so and serve at room temperature!
How do you cook dried Black Eyed Peas?
Cem cannons. Cook the beans in a pan of water on the stove for 30 to 45 minutes or until the desired texture is achieved. Drain the water and serve or add to a recipe.
Instant Pot. Cook black-eyed peas with two cups of water under high pressure in your Instant Pot for 10 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally. Drain the water and serve or add to a recipe.
What is the best way to cook Black Eyed Peas?
In my opinion, the Instant Pot is the best way to cook them. It's very quick and you can prepare the rest of the recipe you plan to add them to while they cook.
Do Black Eyed Peas need to be soaked?
Letting the beans soak shortens the cooking time. If you plan to cook the beans on the stove, soak them in hot water for a few minutes before boiling.
If you are cooking black-eyed peas in your Instant Pot, you can skip this step.
Tips and tricks for making cowboy caviar:
- Tools. I use a Kuhn Rikon Pull String Cutter to make this easier for me because of my rheumatoid arthritis, but also because it cuts pretty evenly and I like the way the salad looks.
- Beans. The beans need to be cooked, but not soft, therefore, make sure that after cooking them for 10 minutes, you drain the excess water so that they do not continue to cook.
- Canned beans. You can certainly also use canned, drained and rinsed peas for this black-eyed pea salad recipe.
- Corn. A few fire-roasted or steamed corn kernels provide a nice pop of color and sweetness to this recipe.
- Black beans. Cooked black beans can be added to this salad.
- Rooster's beak. While I certainly prefer to use fresh ingredients for my Cowboy Caviar, you can simply use store-bought pico de gallo to speed up the recipe.
- Fruit. You can also add small diced mango and pineapple to add some sweetness to the dish.
- Sailor. If you're in a hurry, you can get away with letting it sit for just 20 minutes. However, it is much better if you let it marinate for 1-2 hours.
- Parsley. You can opt to use parsley instead of cilantro if cilantro isn't really your thing.
- Store. This Cowboy Caviar recipe lasts up to a week in the fridge, so it's a great dish for when you have company coming over!
- Picnics. This salad recipe doesn't use mayonnaise, which makes it safe to set out on a picnic table for a few worry-free hours.
How long will Caviar Cowboy last?
This Texas Caviar recipe hasn't lasted more than a day or two in my fridge because it pairs wonderfully with so many of my other favorite meals.
I would try to eat it three to four days after making it to keep it from getting too soggy in the sauce mixture. Remember to stir or shake well before serving to get the best flavors.
Want some more Texas-inspired recipes?
So whether you're from Texas or not, you're sure to love this Caviar Cowboy revenue! It's a quick and easy dish that makes a great appetizer, side dish, or vegan/vegetarian meal!
Servings: 8
Calories: 146kcal
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Cook the black-eyed peas in 2 cups of water for 10 minutes at high pressure and let them release the pressure naturally. Drain off excess water when finished.
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Meanwhile, chop tomatoes, onions, jalapeños and cilantro into uniform shapes (I used this chopper)
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Mix all the sauce ingredients.
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Once the beans have cooled a little, add the vegetables and pour over the sauce, mix well and taste.
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Adjust lemon juice, vinegar, and salt as needed for tangy flavor. Resist the urge to over-salt at this point, as the salad will become saltier as it melts.
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Let the salad rest for 1 hour or more before serving at room temperature.
Tips and tricks for making cowboy caviar:
- Tools. I use a Kuhn Rikon Pull String Cutter to make this easier for me because of my rheumatoid arthritis, but also because it cuts pretty evenly and I like the way the salad looks.
- Beans. The beans need to be cooked, but not soft, therefore, make sure that after cooking them for 10 minutes, you drain the excess water so that they do not continue to cook.
- Canned beans. You can certainly also use canned, drained and rinsed peas for this black-eyed pea salad recipe.
- Corn. A few fire-roasted or steamed corn kernels provide a nice pop of color and sweetness to this recipe.
- Black beans. Cooked black beans can be added to this salad.
- Rooster's beak. While I certainly prefer to use fresh ingredients for my Cowboy Caviar, you can simply use store-bought pico de gallo to speed up the recipe.
- Fruit. You can also add small diced mango and pineapple to add some sweetness to the dish.
- Sailor. If you're in a hurry, you can get away with letting it sit for just 20 minutes. However, it is much better if you let it marinate for 1-2 hours.
- Parsley. You can opt to use parsley instead of cilantro if cilantro isn't really your thing.
- Store. This Cowboy Caviar recipe lasts up to a week in the fridge, so it's a great dish for when you have company coming over!
- Picnics. This salad recipe doesn't use mayonnaise, which makes it safe to set out on a picnic table for a few worry-free hours.
Calories: 146kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 5g | Gordo: 7g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g
