Cowboy Caviar Pasta Salad
, Published May 23, 2024
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Easy and healthy cowboy caviar pasta salad recipe. Absolutely packed with fresh vegetables, beans and livened up with a zesty vinaigrette, it’s perfect for summer cookouts or as a simple and satisfying lunch option.
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Cowboy caviar is having an absolute MOMENT right now and with good reason! This delicious combo of finely chopped tomatoes, peppers, avocados, beans and corn is both fabulously and incredibly healthy!
Cowboy Caviar is super popular during the summer months, perfect for a barbecue or picnic with friends or family, or any similar big gathering.
It can be served as a side dish, salad, a dip for nachos or even as a complete meal. Plus it’s protein-packed, vegan / vegetarian and can be thrown together in about 15 minutes. Perfect if you’re planning to feed a crowd of hungry folks.
WHAT IS “COWBOY CAVIAR”?
Cowboy Caviar Pasta Salad is a simple variation on Cowboy Caviar, which is itself a mix of chopped vegetables, beans and a tangy vinaigrette.
The original dish, known as Texas Caviar, was invented by celebrated American cookbook author and chef Helen Corbitt in the 1940s.
While working at the University of Texas, in charge of the Tea Room, she was invited to cater a convention dinner using typical Texas products. Her efforts paid off, and the resulting recipe for Texas Caviar was a hit!
HOW TO MAKE COWBOY CAVIAR PASTA SALAD
Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!
Bring a pot of water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, per the package instructions. Drain and set aside to cool.
Chop the red onion, bell peppers, tomato, avocado, jalapeño and cilantro/coriander into very small pieces and add them to a large mixing bowl. Top tip: the veggies should not be larger than the beans! Add the corn, black-eyed peas and beans.
In a separate small bowl, add the garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime juice, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and mix well. Pour the dressing over the salad and combine everything so there’s a bit of zing in every bite.
Finally, add the cooked pasta and toss it all together before topping with some crumbled tortilla chips to serve. Great served with Air Fryer Ribeye Steak, Reverse Sear Steak, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs and so much more!
TIPS, VARIATIONS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
What kind of pasta should I use? We’ve used macaroni for this version, but any smaller pasta will do, like ditalini, fusili or rotini pasta. Try to find a shape that can hold on to the dressing.
Should you rinse pasta in cold water? The short answer is a firm “No!” – rinsing pasta removes starch and can produce mushy pasta rather than it having a bit of an al dente bite. This salad is as much about the texture as the taste, and the pasta is part of that.
Does the pasta need to cool first? Ideally, yes. If it’s still hot, it might soften the vegetables and they will lose their crunch. Make the pasta first and let cool while you get on the chopping.
Can Cowboy Caviar Pasta Salad be made ahead of time? Absolutely, it’s easy to make and it keeps well, which makes it an ideal dish to bring to a barbecue or any big gathering. Store it in an airtight container and it can last 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
RECIPE VARIATIONS
Can I add meat to the mix? Of course – this is a flexible recipe and you can tailor it to suit your preferences. Chopped pepperoni is popular, but you could throw in anything from cooked bacon to leftover rotisserie chicken if you like.
Keep in mind that if you’re adding meat for the protein, black-eyed peas and the black beans are chock full of it and also high in fiber.
What about changing up the ingredients? No problem. Use what you like, leave the rest out and double up on your favorites.
Cowboy Caviar Pasta Salad
Video
Ingredients
For the pasta
- 115 g (1 cup) elbow macaroni or other small pasta shapes
- 1 tsp salt
For the salad
- 400 g (14oz) black beans
- 400 g (14oz) black-eyed peas
- 200 g (70z) corn, canned or fresh
- 1 red onion
- 1 red pepper
- 1 green pepper
- 3 tomatoes , seeds removed if preferred
- 1 avocado
- 1 jalapeño , red or green
- small bunch coriander (cilantro)
For the dressing
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 3 tbsp olive oil , extra virgin
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 lime , juiced
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp salt , or to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper , or to taste
To serve
- handful tortilla chips , plus more to serve
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to the boil. Add a teaspoon of salt and the pasta and cook until al dente, per the package instructions. Drain and set aside to cool.
- Drain and rinse the canned beans and black-eyed peas.
- Finely chop the red onion, bell peppers, tomato, avocado, jalapeño and cilantro/coriander into very small pieces and add them to a large mixing bowl. Top tip: the veggies should not be larger than the beans!
- Add the corn, black-eyed peas and beans to the mix.
- In a separate small bowl, add the garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime juice, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and mix well.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and combine everything – make sure the dressing is mixed thoroughly into the salad so there’s a bit of zing in every bite.
- Finally, add the cooked pasta and toss it all together before topping with some crumbled tortilla chips to serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.
