Description
Texas Caviar Dip is a vibrant, flavorful bean salad featuring black-eyed peas, black beans, corn, and fresh vegetables tossed in a tangy, sweet, and slightly spicy vinaigrette. Perfect as a dip with tortilla chips or as a refreshing side salad, this no-cook recipe requires minimal prep and packs a healthy punch of protein and fiber with a zesty Southwestern flair.
Ingredients
Scale
Beans and Vegetables
- 2 cans black eyed peas (about 3 cups)
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans (rinsed and drained)
- 1 (15.25-ounce) can corn (drained)
- 1 bell pepper (red or green, finely diced)
- ¼ cup red onion (finely diced)
- 2-4 jalapeños (seeded and finely diced)
Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (freshly squeezed)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt (to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (to taste)
- ¼ cup cilantro (finely chopped) – added just before serving
Instructions
- Rinse and drain the beans. Thoroughly rinse and drain the black eyed peas and black beans to remove excess liquid and any canned residue, ensuring a fresh taste and pleasant texture.
- Mix the salad ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the black eyed peas, black beans, corn, finely diced bell pepper, red onion, and jalapeños, evenly distributing all the components.
- Prepare the vinaigrette. Add olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, honey, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to a high-speed blender. Blend for 5-10 seconds until the mixture emulsifies into a smooth vinaigrette. A food processor or manual whisk can be used as an alternative method.
- Toss the vinaigrette with the salad. Pour the emulsified vinaigrette over the bean and vegetable mixture, tossing thoroughly to ensure every ingredient is well coated with the flavorful dressing.
- Refrigerate to marinate. Cover and refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld, but it can be stored overnight for an even deeper taste.
- Add cilantro and serve. Just before serving, fold in the chopped cilantro to add fresh herbaceous notes. Serve chilled as a side salad or with tortilla chips as a delicious dip.
Notes
- Adjust the number of jalapeños to control the heat level according to your preference.
- This recipe can be made a day ahead; flavors intensify when chilled overnight.
- For a spicier kick, include some jalapeño seeds or add a dash of cayenne pepper to the vinaigrette.
- Use fresh lime juice for the best flavor; bottled lime juice can alter the taste slightly.
- To keep the dip gluten-free, ensure tortilla chips are certified gluten-free if serving as a dip.
