Ever wish you could find a way to trick yourself into eating an entire bowl of veggies? Well, this is it. I mean just look at how delicious it looks with almost all the different colors of the rainbow.
This Cowboy Caviar is one of my favorite summer BBQ side dishes. I first tried a variation of this dish at a party and everyone there demanded the recipe. I can promise you that the same will happen with this tex-mex inspired version. The cotija cheese is the perfect extra addition to bring a salty layer to this already delicious salad.
I also love to meal prep this and eat it throughout the week in the summer. It does get a little soggy as the days go on, but it really doesn’t bother me.
Why You’ll Love This Cowboy Caviar
- Colorful and packed with veggies: bell peppers, corn, red onion and two kinds of beans.
- Tex-Mex flavor from salty cotija cheese and a zesty honey-lime dressing.
- So versatile: serve it as a BBQ side, scoop it up with tortilla chips, or meal prep it for the week.
- Not spicy, so the whole family can enjoy it (but it’s easy to kick up the heat).
Swaps and Add-Ins
- Cheese: No cotija? Feta works great too.
- Beans: Swap the black or pinto beans for kidney beans.
- Avocado: Diced avocado adds a creamy layer. I add it when I’m serving it at a party, but leave it out when I meal prep so it doesn’t go bad too quickly.
- Make it spicy: This isn’t very spicy as written. For more of a kick, add diced jalapeños or extra chili powder.
Making It Ahead for a Party
Chop the veggies and mix them with the beans, corn and cotija, then store it in the fridge. Whisk the dressing in a separate container. You can prep everything up to 24 hours ahead. Just pour the dressing over and mix right before serving.
How Long Does Cowboy Caviar Last?
Cowboy caviar is best eaten within about 3 days. After that, the veggies start to get soggy. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
Looking for more meal prep friendly recipes? Try my Scotcharoo Protein Balls for a sweet, high-protein snack!
Cowboy Caviar Salad
Ingredients
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 yellow bell pepper chopped
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 1 orange bell pepper chopped
- ½ 12 oz bag frozen corn thawed
- ¼ red onion finely chopped
- 1 15 oz can black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 15 oz can pinto beans rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup cotija cheese crumbled
Dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2-3 limes zest from 1 & juice from all
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Chop all of the peppers and onions and add to a large bowl. Drain and rinse beans and add to the bowl. Add the thawed corn & cotija cheese to the bowl as well and mix well.1 red bell pepper, 1 yellow bell pepper, 1 green bell pepper, 1 orange bell pepper, ½ 12 oz bag frozen corn, ¼ red onion, 1 15 oz can black beans, 1 15 oz can pinto beans, ¼ cup cotija cheese
- In a separate bowl, mix all of the dressing ingredients with a whisk.¼ cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon honey, 2-3 limes, 1 tablespoon taco seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Right before serving, pour dressing over veggie/bean mix and mix well. Serve with tortilla chips.