So Simple Cowboy Caviar

"Had this at a potluck picnic and it was wonderful. I sought out the woman who made it and got the recipe. The secret is to drain it before serving so it isn't swimming in dressing. Serve with tortilla chips. I use cider vinegar but feel free to use white, red, raspberry or any other flavor of your choice. Can sizes are given for the current commonly available sizes in the US. Adjust ingredients for your taste. Times do not include marinate or draining time."
 
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photo by DianaEatingRichly photo by DianaEatingRichly
photo by DianaEatingRichly
photo by Susie P. photo by Susie P.
photo by DianaEatingRichly photo by DianaEatingRichly
photo by Kat's Mom photo by Kat's Mom
photo by DianaEatingRichly photo by DianaEatingRichly
Ready In:
20mins
Ingredients:
11
Yields:
8 cups
Serves:
16
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ingredients

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directions

  • In small saucepan, combine oil, sugar and vinegar.
  • Heat and boil 1 minute and then cool completely.
  • In large bowl, combine beans, peas, corn, peppers and onions.
  • Pour vinegar mixture over bean/pepper mixture and mix to thoroughly coat.
  • Cover and marinate overnight.
  • Drain for 2-3 hours before serving.

Questions & Replies

  1. Refrigeration? -- does refrigeration help or hurt at any point in the process? Such as keeping leftovers.
     
  2. It looks like regular sweet corn but is a pale yellow, almost white-ish color. In my area, it is from Green Giant and comes in the small cans. Not all grocery stores carry this type of corn. I know folks who have substituted the regular sweet corn for the shoepeg corn and they were fine. I prefer the shoepeg mostly for appearance sake. Not sure that there is much of a taste difference. (and I had never heard of shoepeg corn before this recipe)
     
  3. I have never heard of "shoepeg" corn before. Would you describe it for me?
     
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Reviews

  1. Here in Texas, we leave out the sugar, vinegar and oil and use lime juice, plus cilantro, jalapeno peppers diced and seeded and salt.
     
  2. Hey all. I made this yesterday and am eating the first bowl for lunch at this moment! Fantastic recipe! I did not follow it to the letter. Rather, I substituted whatever seemed appropriate. For example, I decided not to spend $1.49 on an orange bell pepper, but used two green bell peppers instead. Ditto the beans. Use your common sense. I do not consume sugar and one does not need to use sugar in this recipe. I chopped an entire bunch of cilantro, a jalapeno pepper (depending on how hot one likes it, one could use a couple or three), and I threw in 4 tablespoons of lime juice (2 limes). I have not salted it either. I also used red wine vinegar. Last, it is just fine as is and I will enjoy it as a meal. Cheers!
     
  3. This is one of our favorite dishes - we like white wine vinegar in this. Same recipe with French-cut green beans, small pieces of cauliflower, broccoli and celery with white shoepeg corn is a wonderful holiday favorite with my family. Beautiful side dish either way you make it and so delicious
     
  4. This was perfect for a potluck lunch in 90 degree weather. I served it with some chips and crackers and we really liked it. It was a bit on the sweet side for us, so I have to admit to making one change the second time around that now makes it one of our favorite snacks. Just before draining the dressing, I stir in about a cup of good salsa. I let the whole mixture drain and it not only cuts the sweetness a bit, it also gives it a bit of zing. Ducky, Thanks so much for posting this, as it sits in my fridge right now, I know it'll be a summer favorite!
     
  5. I’ve been making this Texas Caviar for over 40 years. We use bottled Italian Dressing, fresh squeezed lime juice as our dressing. We also use diced tomatoes, green bell peppers, jalapeños cilantro & white onions, then canned black eyed peas, black beans, and whole kernel corn. Pour the dressing and lime juice over the mixture and set over night in the refrigerator.
     
    • Review photo by Susie P.
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Tweaks

  1. This is a good starting point for Texas Caviar as we call it, but it needs more flavor. We add hot sauce, chili powder, cilantro, cumin, lime juice, garlic or garlic powder and use rinsed and well drained black eyed peas, canned or fresh corn, garbanzo beans, black beans, lots of different color peppers and even grape tomatoes. But taste the dressing for flavor and add more salt or other spices as needed. It's good the next day, but it doesn't often last that long.
     
  2. Instead of the Oil and Vinegar, I used 1 Cup of Italian Dressing and I also 1 Tablespoon of Garlic.
     
  3. I add 1/3 cup of sugar, and I boil my dressing so that the sugar dissolves. I only use green or red pepper and I add fine diced jalepeno's.
     
  4. Here in Iowa we've called this cowboy salsa because like gay in Texas we add lime, cilantro and jalapeno,but do leave recipe the same and drain the next day.I have also subbed sweet corn for shoepeg.(I live in cornpatch Iowa...Lol) We use with chips or even as bbq salad dish...Yum.
     
  5. Subbed chopped celery for the green pepper.
     

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

Current (9/07) review criteria: 5: WOW! This is something with which to impress the guest! 4: We really liked this and will make it again. Instructions were easy to follow. 3: Good basic recipe but needs something to make it a 4 for us and/or there is a problem with instructions. 2: We didn't like the flavor/taste/texture and/or there is a major problem with the instructions. 1: Inedible for us.
 
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