Cowboy Caviar is a fresh, Tex-Mex-style salsa made with black beans, corn, tomato and avocado, served cold with crisp tortilla chips for scooping. Originally called Texas Caviar (as a bit of a joke), it’s a budget-friendly dish that’s big on texture and made for sharing.
Category
Lunch
Servings
6-8
Prep time
15 minutes
Cook time
20 minutes
Cowboy Caviar is a fresh, Tex-Mex-style salsa made with black beans, corn, tomato and avocado, served cold with crisp tortilla chips for scooping. Originally called Texas Caviar (as a bit of a joke), it’s a budget-friendly dish that’s big on texture and made for sharing.
Ingredients
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1 corn cob
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2 tbsp olive oil
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400g can black beans, rinsed and drained
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1 punnet cherry tomatoes
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1 small red onion
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1 jalapeño
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1 red capsicum (bell pepper)
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1 firm avocado
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½ bunch coriander (cilantro)
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juice of 2 limes and zest
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sea salt and black pepper, to taste
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1 tbsp Tajin
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oil for deep frying
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12 white corn tortillas
Directions
Cook the corn
Peel the husk from the corn cob, leaving 1 thin layer attached.
Heat a chargrill pan over high heat. Place the corn cob on and cook for 15-18 minutes, turning often to cook on all sides.
Remove from the heat and set aside until cool enough to handle. Peel off the remaining husk.
Drizzle the corn with a little of the oil, then place back on the grill and continue cooking until well charred.
Prep the caviar mix
Place the black beans in a large mixing bowl. Chop the tomatoes into quarters, finely dice the red onion and finely dice the jalapeño, leaving the seeds in. Add to the bowl with the beans.
Finely dice the capsicum, avocado and roughly chop the coriander stems and leaves. Add to the bowl.
Slice the kernels off the cob and add to the bowl along with the lime zest and juice. Add the remaining oil and a generous pinch of salt and black pepper. Add the Tajin and stir gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Cook the corn chips
Fill a heavy based saucepan with enough oil to deep fry and heat over medium-high heat to 160°C fan forced (320°F).
Cut the corn tortillas into 6 triangles each. Cook them in batches in the hot oil for 30 seconds each side, until crisp.
Drain the chips on a wire rack over a tray and season with salt. Serve the chips with the cowboy caviar for dipping.
Recipe notes
Cook support
You can air fry the tortilla chips instead of deep frying, but they will need to be cooked in single layers.
Substitutions
I used canned black beans in this version, but you can add some canned black eyed peas if you like, and switch up the capsicum colours.
Storage
Any leftover caviar can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 5 days. It will produce some liquid which can just be drained off before serving again.
Serving ideas
This is great as a snack but also works well as a salsa for tacos, quesadillas or salad bowls.
FAQs
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes, just leave the avocado out until you're ready to serve so it doesn’t brown. The rest can be made a day ahead and kept in the fridge.
Is it spicy?
Not really. The jalapeño adds mild heat, but you can take the seeds out or leave it out entirely if you want it milder.
Can I make it gluten free?
Yes, just make sure your corn tortillas (for the chips) are 100% corn and gluten-free.
What can I use instead of Tajin?
A mix of chilli powder, salt and lime zest will get you close. Not the same but not bad either.
