Cowboy Caviar Bean Dip (Printable Version)
A colorful bean and corn dip with fresh vegetables and zesty lime dressing, ready in just 20 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1½ cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
02 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
03 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
04 - ½ small red onion, finely diced
05 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
06 - 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
→ Beans & Corn
07 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
08 - 1 can (15 oz) black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
09 - 1 cup sweet corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned and drained)
→ Dressing
10 - ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
11 - ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes)
12 - 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
13 - 1 teaspoon honey or agave syrup
14 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
15 - ½ teaspoon chili powder
16 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# How To Make It:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the quartered cherry tomatoes, diced red and green bell peppers, finely diced red onion, chopped jalapeño, and fresh cilantro.
02 - Add the drained and rinsed black beans, black-eyed peas, and corn kernels to the bowl. Toss gently to combine all ingredients evenly.
03 - In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, red wine vinegar, honey or agave, ground cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper until the dressing is well emulsified.
04 - Pour the prepared dressing over the vegetable and bean mixture. Toss everything together until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt or lime juice as desired.
06 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
07 - Serve chilled as a dip with tortilla chips or as a standalone salad.
# Helpful Hints:
01 -
- Zero cooking required, which means your kitchen stays cool and you stay sane when the temperature climbs past ninety.
- The lime cumin dressing seeps into everything as it chills, so it actually tastes better the longer it sits around waiting for people.
- It doubles as a dip and a salad, which makes you look like you planned two courses when you really only made one thing.
02 -
- Do not skip the chilling step because the transformation that happens in those thirty minutes is the difference between a good bowl and one people will not stop talking about.
- Rinse canned beans until the water runs completely clear or you will taste a metallic residue that no amount of lime juice can cover.
03 -
- Dice the jalapeño with gloves on or wash your hands immediately before you touch your face, learned this the painful way before a party once.
- Make a double batch of just the dressing and keep it in a jar in the fridge for quick salads all week long.