Vegan Cowboy Caviar Dip

This Vegan Cowboy Caviar Dip is so simple, but it is to die for! Cowboy Caviar combines lots of different beans, corn, avocado, and tomatoes with an agave-lime dressing. The result is a hearty and flavorful bean dip!

Cowboy caviar is exactly what it sounds like. It's a bean dip or salsa for those who like the finer things. I'll be honest, the first time I heard of this, it sounded strange. But once I took a bite, my life was changed. Cowboy caviar takes all the best parts of a bean dip and a chunky salsa, and puts them together!

There are lots of different variations of Cowboy Caviar. My version adds avocados and uses agave in the dressing to make it truly vegan (since honey is technically not vegan). You can use fresh ingredients in this recipe or you can buy canned to make it easier! You can also customize this recipe very easily. If you like more heat, throw in some extra jalapenos. If you hate avocado, you can leave it out!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

No Cooking Required! This recipe is perfect for hot summer days when you don't want to stand in front of an oven or stove!
Easily Customizable. Don't like avocado? No problem! Want more spice? Add more! This recipe is so great because you can customize it to your liking (perfect for picky eaters)!
Perfect for Parties! This dip will be the star of the show and it will have everyone wanting you to share the recipe!

What You Need For This Recipe

Ingredients and Substitutions:

Tomatoes - I chose to buy a can of fire-roasted garlic tomatoes for this. However, fresh tomatoes or regular canned diced tomatoes will do!
Black Beans - Canned black beans, drained and rinsed
Black-Eyed Peas - Canned black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
Corn - Whole kernel corn, canned, drained, and rinsed. If you see charred corn, feel free to use that!
Red Onion - Diced red onion.
Cilantro - Finely chopped fresh cilantro
Bell Pepper - I used a combination of red and green diced bell pepper, but use whichever color pepper you like best!
Avocado - I love adding diced avocado. If you want, add extra! If you don't like avocado, you can omit this.
Lime Juice - Fresh squeezed is best!
Jalapeno - Remove the seeds and stems for less spice.
Olive Oil - Just a small amount for the dressing.
Agave Nectar - This is used in place of honey for the dressing. If you can't find agave nectar, honey will work!
Spices - Cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt!

Tools:

How To Make This Recipe

Step 1: Prepare Ingredients

I used canned beans, tomatoes, and corn. Open and drain each can. Rinse the black-eyed peas, black beans, and corn, but do not rinse the fire-roasted tomatoes.

Dice the red onion and the bell pepper.

Slice the jalapeño and remove the seeds and stems.

Finely chop the cilantro and dice the avocado.

Juice the limes.

Instant Pot Directions:

Cooking the beans and corn in an instant pot may take a little more time, but it is worth it if you want a less processed version!

For the corn:

Cut the ends off of the ear of fresh corn and place a trivet in the Instant Pot with 1 ½ cups of water
Add corn ears and close the lid with valve set to sealing.
Pressure cook 2 minutes, then quick release.

For the Black Beans:

Add 1 cup dry black beans with 1 cup water or vegetable broth
Pressure cook on high for 30 minutes, then natural release for 20 minutes.
Drain any excess liquid.

For the Black-Eyed Peas:

Add 1 cup of black eyed peas and 3 cups of water to the Instant Pot
Pressure cook on high for 16 minutes, then natural release for 15 minutes.
Drain any excess liquid.

Step 2: Make the Dressing

In a small bowl, mix together lime juice, olive oil, agave nectar, and all of the spices.

Whisk these together ensuring no clumps remain.

Step 3: Finishing Touches

Add all of the prepared ingredients to a large bowl and mix thoroughly.

Add the dressing and mix again.

Taste and adjust levels of chili powder and salt.

Serve with tortilla chips or as a topping on protein!

Expert Tips:

If you like a lot of spice, add more jalapeño and more chili powder! If you hate spice, feel free to omit the jalapeño. I don't recommend omitting the chili powder, but try decreasing the amount used.
Use this dip as a topping for salads or on top of proteins!
Customize this by adding more veggies! Chickpeas, pinto beans, and different peppers would all go well in this!

Recipe FAQs:

How long will cowboy caviar keep?

Regular cowboy caviar can last up to 5 days in the fridge. Since this recipe uses avocado, it won't last quite as long. This recipe will last up to 3 days in the fridge, although the avocados may brown sooner than that.

What is Cowboy Caviar made of?

Cowboy Caviar dip is made of black-eyed peas, black beans, corn, tomatoes, peppers, onion, cilantro, avocado, and a tangy agave dressing.

Is Cowboy Caviar vegan?

Many variations of cowboy caviar use honey, which is not vegan. This recipe does not use honey. Most recipes are meatless and dairy-free, though.