How To Make TikTok’s Viral Cowboy Caviar Recipe That’s All Over Your FYP

Cowboy Caviar is easily the salad of the summer, according to TikTok. This viral summer salad recipe is loaded with vibrant flavors and satisfying ingredients that’ll leave you craving it for every meal. You can serve it in a large bowl alongside tortilla chips to share with friends as a dip, or pile it all into a bowl and eat it like a salad. It’s a super simple recipe that just involved chopping veggies and mixing everything together, and you can whip it up in under 10 minutes. Here’s how to make the viral Cowboy Caviar recipe from TikTok for a hearty summer dip that’ll knock your cowboy boots off.

While TikTok has dubbed the dish Cowboy Caviar, this dish actually dates back to the 1940s, when it was called “Texas Caviar.” The original recipe was a salad of pickled black-eyed peas in a vinaigrette, eaten with tortilla chips as a dip. When a chef named Helen Corbitt first served the dish to Texans in Houston and Austin, it was given its humorous name of “Texas Caviar” to compare it to a “poor man’s” version of fish roe. But like real caviar, in just one bite you’ll experience an explosion of tangy flavor in your mouth.

The cowgirl of caviar, @brialem, posted the original trending recipe on TikTok in June to nine million viewers. She’s essentially started a fan page for the dish, with a love so strong she wants to be “buried in a pile of Cowboy Caviar.” She makes her version with a spicy dressing and recommends eating it several ways as a sharable dip, salad, side dish, or even wrapped in a tortilla as a burrito.

How to Make The Cowboy Caviar Recipe On TikTok

First, you’ll need to prep all your ingredients to combine together in a big bowl. The hardest part of this recipe is easy — you just have to chop up all your veggies into bite-size pieces. Then, everything marries into a colorful, zesty mountain that you can’t wait to scoop into your mouth. You can also make this recipe your own by swapping in your favorite veggies. You can even add chopped tomato for more of a salsa vibe or chopped avocado if you’re planning on eating it the same day. It’s also very versatile for different diets, as it’s already vegetarian. You can leave out the cheese and honey to make it vegan, and all the ingredients are gluten-free. It’s a fool-proof and portable dish you can bring to the barbeque or picnic and be confident everyone will enjoy.

Here’s what you’ll need for the Cowboy Caviar salad:

• 1 of each: red, yellow, green, and orange bell pepper
• 1 red onion
• 2 jalapeño peppers
• 1 can of pinto beans (about 15 oz)
• 1 can of black beans (about 15 oz)
• 1 peach
• 1 mango
• 2 cups roasted corn
• 1 cup feta cheese
• 4 Persian cucumbers
• Tortilla chips for scooping

Here’s what you’ll need for the dressing:

• Juice of 3 limes
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
• 1 tablespoon of spicy honey (or regular honey)
• Pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Chop red onion, peppers, mango, peach, cucumbers, and jalapeños into bite-size pieces and place all the chopped vegetables into a mixing bowl.
2. Drain and rinse the pinto and black beans, then add to the vegetables.
3. Add in feta, roasted corn, and olives.
4. With a large spoon, fold all the ingredients together until evenly incorporated.

For the dressing:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lime juice, olive oil, honey, taco seasoning, salt, and pepper.
2. Pour over the vegetable mixture and fold into the salad.
3. Serve in a large bowl with tortilla chips for scooping, and enjoy!

This Tex-Mex-inspired Cowboy Caviar is a great way to take advantage of fresh vegetables at the peak of their season. You can chill it in the fridge up until it’s time to serve so you get a refreshing dish, especially if you plan on picnicking in the hot sun. Cowboy Caviar can also stay fresh for up to three days in your fridge, so you can enjoy every last bite of leftovers — that is, if your friends haven't already wiped the bowl clean.

It’s a fun recipe to make with your friends too, where you can take turns chopping vegetables while someone whips up the dressing. “Mixing it all up at the end is my favorite part,” said @brialem. “I just love all the colors and how pretty it always looks.” Whether you bring it to a party and pair it with an ice-cold margarita, or throw it together for a quick lunch you can take on the road, say “howdy” to your new go-to summer dish.