Name: Healthy Texas Caviar
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 30 oz. canned black eyed peas (two 15 oz. cans); 15 oz. can black beans; 1 cup sweet corn, cooked (either canned, cooked fresh, or thawed frozen corn); 1 bell pepper (I use 1/2 green, 1/2 red); 1/2 small red onion; Optional additions: tomato, green onion, fresh parsley/cilantro, avocado, jalapeno, etc.; 1/4 cup red wine vinegar* (or less); 1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon, or more to taste); 1-2 cloves garlic, minced; 3/4 tsp. dried oregano; 1/4 tsp. salt

Grab some chips and dive in! This easy, colorful Healthy Texas Cowboy Caviar is great made ahead for picnics, potlucks, parties, or simply snacking at home. Plus it is vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free.

Healthy vegan cowboy caviar in a bowl with spoon

This fun and colorful (healthier!) Texas Caviar is a great make-ahead dish.

Traditional cowboy caviar is usually made with a decent amount of oil and sugar.

But I omit both in this version for a lighter, healthier option using a flavorful dressing of vinegar, fresh lemon, and garlic.

Ingredients for Texas Caviar

For recipe you will need 9 simple ingredients:

Black eyed peas
Black beans
Sweet corn
Bell pepper
Red onion
Red wine vinegar
Lemon juice
Garlic
Dried oregano

Ingredients for Texas Caviar in a bowl with dressing being poured on top

We especially enjoy ours served with chips for dipping. It is a great choice when feeding crowds because it is accommodating to most dietary lifestyles. It is naturally:

Vegan
Gluten-free
Oil-free
Refined sugar-free
Nut-free

I also enjoy keeping a batch handy in the fridge to pull out for quick snacks.

Texas Caviar in a large bowl with spoon and chips

For more inspiration, browse all bean recipes or dip recipes.

Healthy Texas Caviar

This easy Texas Caviar is great made ahead for picnics, potlucks, parties, or simply snacking at home. Made with no oil or refined sugar!

4.7 from 10 votes

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Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Author: Kaitlin - The Garden Grazer

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Oil-Free, Vegan

Servings: 10 small side servings

Ingredients

30 oz. canned black eyed peas (two 15 oz. cans)
15 oz. can black beans
1 cup sweet corn, cooked (either canned, cooked fresh, or thawed frozen corn)
1 bell pepper (I use 1/2 green, 1/2 red)
1/2 small red onion
Optional additions: tomato, green onion, fresh parsley/cilantro, avocado, jalapeno, etc.

For the lemon-vinegar dressing:

1/4 cup red wine vinegar* (or less)
1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon, or more to taste)
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. salt

Instructions

Make the dressing: in small bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients.
Rinse and drain beans. Dice bell pepper and finely dice onion.
In a large bowl, add beans, bell pepper, onion, and corn. Add dressing and toss well to combine. Add more salt or lemon juice if desired.
Can serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for at least two hours. (It tastes best after flavors blend.) Re-stir before serving as some dressing will settle on the bottom.

Notes

*Or apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar.

Substitute green onions for the red onions for milder flavor.

This is a great make-ahead dish (either the morning of, or the day before) as the flavors only get better as it chills.

Recipe adapted from Whole Foods

Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)

Calories: 161kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 10gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPotassium: 439mgFiber: 9gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 432IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 3mg

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Comments

Joan

August 24, 2021 at 11:46 am

I have been making Texas Caviar for years, but today I wanted a dressing without sugar. I made this. It is very overpowering! I ended up adding 1/3 cup of olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar which helped to balance the bitterness. I would not recommend apple cider vinegar (use rice vinegar instead) for this salad, or reduce it to 2 Tablespoons.

- Joan
  
  August 24, 2021 at 11:50 am
  
  Edit: I would not recommend RED WINE VINEGAR. (Apple cider WOULD be a good choice.
  
  - Kaitlin
    
    August 24, 2021 at 12:07 pm
    
    Hi Joan! Thanks for your feedback. This recipe is meant to be an oil-free and refined sugar-free alternative to traditional Texas Caviar. Personally I enjoy the vibrant flavor of red wine vinegar in dressings, but apple cider or rice vinegar for a sweeter taste are both great too. You could also try adding pure maple syrup to the dressing for a refined sugar-free option to help balance the flavors. Definitely alter it how you see fit!
    
Joyce

January 04, 2021 at 1:45 pm

Extremely tasty!

- Kaitlin McGinn
  
  January 05, 2021 at 1:07 pm
  
  Great to hear! Thanks, Joyce.
  
Laura C.

January 02, 2020 at 9:42 am

This is really good-I've made it twice now. Easy to make, healthy, tasty. I find the texture of this salad very satisfying as well. I'm always happy to find an oil free salad that doesn't taste like it's lacking anything-thanks for another great recipe!

- Kaitlin McGinn
  
  January 21, 2020 at 10:00 am
  
  So great to hear you're enjoying this one Laura! Thanks so much for the kind feedback (and leaving a recipe rating) - very appreciated!
  
Jenny Huffman

June 19, 2018 at 2:11 pm

nutrition facts?

- Kaitlin McGinn
  
  December 17, 2019 at 3:31 pm
  
  Hi! The estimated nutritional content is now provided on the site! (You can find it below each recipe.)
  
Kevin W. McCarty

June 09, 2016 at 4:09 am

Hey, thanks so much for all your recipes. I love that they are all easy, inexpensive, and use local ingredients. I also like how all the meals are so balanced. This is my new favorite food blog. - Erin McCarty

- Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
  
  June 18, 2016 at 8:04 pm
  
  So great to hear that, Erin! Appreciate your very kind feedback.