This vibrant vegetarian Lentil Cowboy Caviar is perfect as a salsa, party appetizer, bean salad, and even as a taco salad mix-in too! We love the simple ingredients and big flavor!
Cowboy caviar is basically it’s own food group around here.
I’ve noticed it’s way more popular than Buffalo chicken dip here in TX, where it’s often called Texas Caviar instead of cowboy caviar, and that makes my veggie loving heart oh so happy!
Anytime I see people happily faceplanting into a bowl of vegetables I could legit break into song and dance. In fact I’m often the one cranking up the music and bringing this baller bean and veggie dip to the party!
Of course it was only a matter of time before I let lentils in on the fun. The result? The most irresistible caviar I ever did cowboy. Seriously!
The lentils are itty bitty so they’re much easier to scoop than larger beans, meaning you can cram more of everything onto each tortilla chip without it all jumping ship and falling off. It’s GLORIOUS!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
There’s a pile of fresh produce as well as some canned pantry staples that make up this bean salad-meets-salsa hybrid.
- black beans
- lentils
- roma tomatoes
- red onion
- bell pepper
- jalapeno
- corn
- cilantro
For the dressing, we’ll combine fresh lime juice, avocado oil (olive oil works great too!), white wine vinegar (or red wine vinegar), ground cumin, and sea salt. Simple but so delicious and combined with all the tasty veggies, this bean salad has such a wonderful balance of flavors and textures. Love it so!
Lentil Cowboy Caviar
This baller bean salsa can be enjoyed right away, but it’s also even more flavorful once it’s had some time to chill overnight in the fridge. You know what that means people — MEAL PREP! It’s an easy make-ahead option to make once and enjoy all week long.
Leftovers are amazing served over taco salads, burrito bowls, and as a side for tacos, quesadillas, and more!
Need less? We can make that happen! You can totally whip up a half batch of this party-sized salsa if needed!
PREP THE VEGETABLES
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For a quick pickled red onion vibe (I LOVE this trick and do this for all my salads) finely dice the red onion and transfer to a bowl. Drizzle a little oil and vinegar over the onion and allow it to marinate while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
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Dice the roma tomatoes and the bell pepper.
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For a spicy salsa, leave the seeds and insides in tact when dicing the jalapeños, for a milder dip, use a spoon to scoop out the insides before chopping.
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Drain and rinse beans and lentils. Drain corn if using canned or defrost/steam if using frozen. Fresh corn is amazing as well so feel free to use it!
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In a large bowl, combine prepped beans/lentils, vegetables, and cilantro.
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Squeeze juice from limes and whisk together in a small bowl with olive oil, vinegar, cumin, and salt. Pour over veggie mixture and mix well.
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Give it a taste (dig in with a spoon or a tortilla chip) and adjust spices and oil/vinegar/cilantro to taste. Add more of your favorites for a totally custom cowboy caviar that rocks your socks! I like adding a little extra lime at the end.
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For advance party prep, cover and chill overnight in the refrigerator. Depending on preference, this salsa can be enjoyed at room temp or chilled for 30-60 minutes for a cold salsa. As it sits the flavors meld and mingle – love it so!
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Serve with crunchy tortilla chips as a tasty dip or serve on top of your favorite protein, tacos, salads, burrito bowls, etc… It’s fantastic every which way!
Nutrition Facts below are estimated per half cup serving using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed and enjoy!
Calories: 83kcal, Carbohydrates: 28g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 0.3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 77mg, Potassium: 482mg, Fiber: 12g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 359IU, Vitamin C: 16mg, Calcium: 32mg, Iron: 3mg
Q: Can I add avocado?
Ohmygosh of course you can add avocado! Go for one that is ripe enough to be creamy when you bite into it but has enough firmness that it can be cubed without being mushy. Squeeze some fresh lime juice and/or drizzle some olive oil over the chopped avocado to keep it from browning and add just before serving.
If you find yourself with avocados that are too soft to cube, don’t fret! Just make it into guacamole and serve it on the side!
If you get a chance to try this lentil cowboy caviar recipe, let me know!
Leave me a comment or review using the form below. I’m always so excited to hear from you, and can’t wait to hear all about your tasty creation!
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