Dip a chip into this crowd pleasing healthy cowboy caviar recipe. Loaded with flavor, fresh vegetables, and fiber filled beans and corn, this nutritious dip is perfect for appetizer tables, summer BBQ’s, or as a colorful addition to bowls and tacos!

I know that I am not alone in saying that I have ruined my appetite for many dinners because I over did it with the chips and dip beforehand. Something about an appetizer table always pulls me in!

While appetizers are delicious, I do also think that most people appreciate a healthy chip dip when one is made available. If you want to be the person that brings the delicious yet nutritious option to your next gathering then you need to bring this healthy cowboy caviar!

Cowboy caviar (or Texas Caviar) is a mix of fresh vegetables, high fiber beans and corn, and flavorful herbs making it the perfect healthy dip to mix into a table of snacks. No need to feel like you ruined your appetite when you are snacking on a chip dip that is full of colorful ingredients and healthy nutrients.

While the healthy dip may not traditionally be the one that people go for at the party, I guarantee you that this fresh and tasty cowboy caviar recipe will be a huge hit on your next appetizer table or summer BBQ!

Let’s get to the recipe:

Why you’ll love this black bean and corn dip:

You’ll love this cowboy caviar recipe because it is:

Full of fiber: One of the things that makes this a healthy chip dip recipe is that it is loaded with fiber from all of the beans and vegetables… a nutrient almost all of us need more of in our diet! Fiber is filling, promotes healthy digestion, and maintains regularity.
A no bake recipe: Unlike many other dip recipes, this chip dip is no bake and best served chilled!
Loaded with veggies: With fresh tomatoes, sweet corn, red onion, and two colors of bell peppers, this dip will help you get more colorful foods on your plate and is a delicious dip to reach for in any social setting.
Versatile: Cowboy caviar is often served as a chip dip but it can also be added to bowls, tacos, or enjoyed on its own with a spoon.
Meal prep friendly: The longer this dip sits in the refrigerator, the better it gets (you may need to ditch the avocados though… those don’t age well.) Note that the salt in this recipe will pull some of the juice out of the tomatoes so I recommend stirring then draining this dip as it sits.
Perfect for a crowd: This recipe will fill a big bowl, or make about 8 cups of dip, and is large enough to serve to a crowd or to enjoy throughout your week.
Dense and filling: If I have leftovers, I will often eat this dip as a meal with some chips or whole grain crackers! Its loaded with plant based protein, fiber, and colorful ingredients making it a complete meal on it's own.

You are going to love all of the delicious flavors and nutrition in this healthy cowboy caviar dip.

Ingredients you’ll need for cowboy caviar:

This healthy cowboy caviar recipe is loaded with crowd pleasing ingredients like:

Black beans: I recommend buying low sodium beans and draining them very well. You could also use pinto beans if that’s all you had on hand.
Sweet corn: A black bean and corn dip is always popular at gatherings. This corn not only adds color but also a bit of sweetness to your bite!
Black eyed peas: You’ll find these by the canned vegetables.
Roma tomatoes: I recommend choosing tomatoes that are on the firmer side so that they do not add too much juice to your cowboy caviar.
Red onion: very finely diced
Bell peppers: I used a red bell pepper and an orange bell pepper for this recipe but you could choose whichever colors you like best!
Cilantro: This is key and can be added to taste, do not skip the fresh cilantro! One responsibility of bringing cowboy caviar is letting all your friends know if they have cilantro in their teeth.
Rice vinegar: I add rice vinegar to my cowboy caviar which makes it slightly different than other cowboy caviar recipes on the interest. The point is to add an acid so if you do not have rice vinegar, another popular ingredient that you could use is fresh lime juice.
Avocado oil: This adds healthy fats and helps bring all of the flavors together.
Garlic salt: added to taste.
Sugar: optional and added to taste.
Avocado: Add this right before you are ready to serve your dip so that it does not brown.
Serving suggestion: Serve this healthy cowboy caviar with sweet potato chips!

So many healthy Ingredients all mixed together in one delicious dip!

Step by Step Instructions:

Now let’s walk through how to make this healthy chip dip:

1) Start by chopping all of your vegetables and your cilantro. The finer you chop them, the better they will stay on your chip!.

2) Add all of your vegetables and cilantro to a large mixing bowl. Open and drain the cans of beans, sweet corn, and black eyed peas then stir them into your vegetables. Add your rice vinegar, seasonings, and oil and stir until combined.

3) Dice up your avocado and add it to your dip right before you are ready to serve. If you are going to meal prep this dip, only add the avocados when you are ready to eat to avoid your avocados going brown.

4) Serve your dip with sweet potato chips, tortilla chips, or chips of your choice. Enjoy!

Swaps, substitutions, and serving suggestions:

One of the best parts about cowboy caviar is that it is really forgiving and you can customize it to include your own favorite veggies and flavors. A few things you could try would be to:

Swap out the rice vinegar: Fresh lime juice would be delicious and add the perfect zing to this dip.

Add different vegetables: Get creative and play around with flavors! Some other veggies you could add would be diced cucumbers, tomatillos, or even green zucchini.
Add some spice: Dice up fresh jalapeño or add a touch of cayenne pepper to your seasonings for some heat.
Serve it with creative chips: As I mentioned, my favorite chip for cowboy caviar is acttually sweet potato chips because they add the perfect amount of sweet! You could also use jalapeño kettle chips, lime tortilla chips, or any other chips of your choice for this dip.
Change your seasonings: This recipe just called for a touch of garlic salt and some sugar but you could certainly add more flavor with spices like chili powder, taco seasoning, or paprika.
Swap how you serve it: Cowboy caviar is traditionally served as a healthy chip dip but you can really view it as a veggie loaded black bean and corn dip that pairs perfectly with bowls, tacos, quesadillas, or as a meal on its own!

Make this recipe your own and tag me on instagram with any fun ideas you come up with!

Recipe FAQ:

How should I store cowboy caviar?
1. If you have leftovers, simply store this dip in a large bowl in the refrigerator. This dip gets better with time and all of the flavors will come together!
  One thing to note is that the salt in this recipe will cause some of the juice to come out of the tomatoes which could gather at the bottom of your bowl. I recommend giving this dip a good stir and then draining out any excess liquid if you will be enjoying the leftovers.
Can cowboy caviar be made ahead of time?
1. If you want a make ahead dip then cowboy caviar is actually the perfect dip to make because it 24 hours in advance actually brings out the fresh flavors even more! Plus this will save you time on busy game days or hosting days to focus on other dishes that need to be prepared.
  To make this dip ahead of time, simply follow all the prep steps as listed but only add the avocado before you are ready to serve.

Other healthy dip recipes you will love:

Looking for other healthy dip ideas for chips or fruit? Check out some of these other recipes that I have on the blog:

**Spinach and Artichoke Dip with no mayo**

Get the recipe

**Greek Yogurt Buffalo Chicken Dip**

Get the recipe

**2 Ingredient Cottage Cheese Ranch Dip**

Get the recipe

**Cottage Cheese Queso with Green Chiles**

Get the recipe

**Cottage Cheese Chuy’s Jalapeño Ranch Dip**

Get the recipe

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