Cowboy Caviar Fresh Salad (Printable)

Black beans, corn, peppers, and lime vinaigrette combine for a colorful, fresh salad with southwestern flavors.

# What You Need:

→ Beans and Vegetables

01 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
02 - 1 can (15 oz) sweet corn, drained or 1 1/2 cups thawed frozen corn
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 small red onion, finely diced
06 - 1 medium tomato, diced (optional)
07 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
08 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Lime Vinaigrette

09 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
10 - 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
11 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
12 - 1 teaspoon honey or agave syrup (optional)
13 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
14 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
15 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
16 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - In a large bowl, mix black beans, corn, red and green bell peppers, red onion, tomato if using, jalapeño if using, and cilantro.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk olive oil, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, honey or agave if using, cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper until uniform.
03 - Pour vinaigrette over the combined ingredients and toss gently to coat evenly.
04 - Allow the mixture to rest for at least 10 minutes for optimum flavor blending.
05 - Serve chilled or at room temperature, suitable as a salad, dip with tortilla chips, or taco topping.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in twenty minutes flat, no cooking required, which means you can make it while still half-thinking about your day.
  • The flavors actually get better as it sits, turning a last-minute dish into something even tastier the next day.
  • It's naturally vegan and gluten-free without feeling like a compromise—just genuinely delicious.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting time—those first few minutes matter more than you'd think for allowing the flavors to actually get to know each other.
  • If you're serving this as a dip and it seems too chunky, process half of it briefly in a food processor to create a chunky-smooth hybrid that works better for scooping with chips.
03 -
  • Taste the salad before serving and adjust the lime juice or salt to your preference—the acid and seasoning are where the entire flavor profile lives.
  • If you make it for a crowd, double the recipe but don't double the vinaigrette; use about one and a half times the amount since the extra vegetables won't need as much dressing to coat properly.
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