I first fell in love with Cowboy Caviar at the most unusual of places: a small grocery store in the bucolic town of Santa Ynez in the central coast wine country of California. We had been wine tasting nearby and were craving snacks, and found a bin of Cowboy Caviar next to the chips. It was love at first taste. Keep reading to discover my Cowboy Caviar recipe with an added refreshing summer twist.
What is Cowboy Caviar?
Cowboy Caviar is also known as Texas Caviar because it originated in Texas by a woman named Helen Corbitt in 1940. She created the recipe in an attempt to add more flavor to black eyed peas for New Year’s Day. In Texas and the South, black eyed peas are traditionally eaten on New Year’s Day as they are believed to bring luck and prosperity in the new year.
Cowboy Caviar is easy to make with canned beans (in my recipe I used black beans instead of black eyed peas), chopped fresh tomatoes and several other veggies, herbs, and a homemade vinegar-based dressing.
I found this Cowboy Caviar recipe online and adapted it to my tastes. It was an instant hit, and I think the trick lies in using fresh mango in lieu of corn, and adding mint, which brings out the sweetness in the mango. I also used these super sweet Champagne Mangoes that are imported from Mexico, and IMHO are the best mangoes ever.
Mangoes are a summer fruit, so this dip is mainly for the summertime BBQ. Fun, fresh, colorful, and endlessly adaptable, Cowboy Caviar with mango makes a great dip, salad, side dish, or even a topping for grilled meats. Always a potluck favorite, so enjoy!
Looking for more tasty recipes and healthy snack ideas? Check out my recipes archive for more! xoM
Mango Cowboy Caviar
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1/4 cup olive oil extra virgin
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp agave honey
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Mango Cowboy Caviar
- 2 mangoes, peeled and diced
- 1/4 red bell pepper diced
- 1 can (15 oz) whole black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 avocados, diced
- 1/4 red onion, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1 jalapeno, minced
- 1/2 cup mint, cilantro and basil, chopped
- kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
- Combine the dressing ingredients in a bowl. Whisk and set aside.
- Combine the ingredients for the Mango Cowboy Caviar in a large bowl, including the herbs.
- Pour the dressing over the ingredients, mix and season with kosher salt. Served with tortilla chips or crackers. My kids love Siete chips.
