Best 4 Cowboy Caviar Pasta Salad Recipes

facebook share image   twitter share image   pinterest share image   E-Mail share image

**Cowboy Caviar Pasta Salad: A Refreshing and Flavorful Dish for Any Occasion**

Bursting with vibrant colors and a medley of fresh flavors, the Cowboy Caviar Pasta Salad is a delightful dish that combines the tangy zest of a classic cowboy caviar with the comforting heartiness of pasta. This remarkably easy-to-make salad boasts a symphony of textures and tastes, making it an instant favorite for potlucks, backyard barbecues, or light summer meals. This recipe offers two variations: a traditional version brimming with crisp vegetables and a creamy avocado dressing, and a vegan alternative featuring a zesty lime-tahini dressing. Both versions promise a refreshing and satisfying culinary experience that will tantalize your taste buds.


**Traditional Cowboy Caviar Pasta Salad:**
This rendition of the Cowboy Caviar Pasta Salad showcases a medley of diced tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, sweet corn, tender black beans, and zesty red onion, all tossed in a tangy dressing made with mayonnaise, vinegar, and a touch of sugar. The addition of cooked pasta adds a satisfying bite and heartiness to this flavor-packed salad.


**Vegan Cowboy Caviar Pasta Salad:**
For a plant-based twist, the Vegan Cowboy Caviar Pasta Salad swaps out the mayonnaise-based dressing for a creamy and tangy concoction of avocado, lime juice, tahini, and a hint of garlic. This vibrant dressing perfectly complements the fresh vegetables and pasta, delivering a burst of flavor in every bite.

Let's cook with our recipes!

COWBOY CAVIAR PASTA SALAD



Cowboy Caviar Pasta Salad image

The popular, Texas-inspired cowboy caviar can take the form of dip, garnish, side dish and more, but in this recipe, it becomes a complete meal, and one that's much better than anything you'd find in the grocer's deli case. Packed with vegetables, beans and pasta, and dressed in a light and tangy dressing, it's flavorful, fresh and hearty enough to feed the whole family. And it comes in at a great price, since it can be made with leftover rotisserie chicken and seasonal vegetables-although frozen and canned work well, too! In the summertime, this cold salad is perfect dinner on a sticky night and a guaranteed potluck hit. Even better, it's easily made ahead. So next time you're in the kitchen, why not put on a pot of water to boil. With a few minutes of chopping, you can rustle up tonight's-or tomorrow's-dinner!

Provided by By Betty Crocker Kitchens

Categories     Side Dish

Time 25m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 16

1 box Betty Crocker™ Suddenly Salad™ classic pasta salad mix
3 tablespoons cold water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped cooked chicken
1/2 cup chopped cooked bacon (5 slices)
1/2 cup Progresso™ canned black beans or black-eyed peas, drained, rinsed
1/2 cup frozen corn, cooked as directed on bag, cooled
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced fresh tomato
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped red onion

Steps:

  • Pour pasta (from Suddenly Salad box) into 3-quart saucepan 2/3 full of boiling water. Gently boil uncovered 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta. Rinse with cold water; drain well.
  • In large bowl, stir together seasoning (from Suddenly Salad box), cold water, oil, lime juice, honey, cumin, pepper flakes and salt to make dressing.
  • Add pasta, chicken, bacon, beans, corn, bell pepper, tomato, cilantro and red onion to dressing mixture in bowl; toss to gently coat. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 290, Carbohydrate 38 g, Cholesterol 25 mg, Fat 1 1/2, Fiber 3 g, Protein 14 g, SaturatedFat 2 g, ServingSize 1 Cup, Sodium 580 mg, Sugar 7 g, TransFat 0 g

COWBOY CAVIAR



Cowboy Caviar image

Black beans absorb other flavors superbly, so try to leave this for at least 20 minutes before serving to allow the different flavors to blend together.

Provided by Ben S.

Categories     Appetizers and Snacks     Dips and Spreads Recipes     Bean Dip Recipes

Time 40m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, drained
1 (15.5 ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
½ medium onion, chopped
¼ green bell pepper, finely chopped
½ cup chopped pickled jalapeno peppers
½ teaspoon garlic salt
1 cup Italian salad dressing
¾ cup chopped cilantro

Steps:

  • Mix beans, peas, tomatoes, corn, onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno peppers in a large bowl. Season with garlic salt. Add dressing and cilantro; toss to coat. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until ready to serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 233.4 calories, Carbohydrate 32.3 g, Fat 9.1 g, Fiber 7.8 g, Protein 7.9 g, SaturatedFat 1.5 g, Sodium 1255.3 mg, Sugar 5.5 g

BEST EVER COWBOY CAVIAR



Best Ever Cowboy Caviar image

Every time I make this I get asked for the recipe. I keep it on a file in my computer so I can print and email it easily. To add heat it is also good with jalapenos. Serve with tortilla chips.

Provided by abtomesh

Categories     Salad     Vegetable Salad Recipes

Time P1DT15m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 11

½ cup olive oil
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup cider vinegar
½ cup white sugar
1 (14 ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14 ounce) can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 (11 ounce) can white shoepeg corn, drained
1 red onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
½ cup chopped cilantro

Steps:

  • Combine olive oil, vegetable oil, cider vinegar, and sugar in a saucepan; bring to a boil, remove from heat, and cool to room temperature.
  • Stir pinto beans, black-eyed peas, corn, onion, celery, red bell pepper, and cilantro together in a large bowl. Pour cooled oil mixture over bean mixture and toss to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate, stirring occasionally, for 24 hours. Drain excess dressing before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 425.6 calories, Carbohydrate 37.5 g, Fat 28.3 g, Fiber 5.1 g, Protein 6.2 g, SaturatedFat 3.8 g, Sodium 415 mg, Sugar 15.5 g

COWBOY CAVIAR



Cowboy Caviar image

Depending on where you're from, this simple dip is known as cowboy caviar or Texas caviar, and it's a favorite at tailgates and potlucks all over the South. Its creator, Helen Corbitt, a dietitian from New York, had never heard of black-eyed peas when she moved to Texas in 1931. The exact details are fuzzy, but at some point in her 40 years working in restaurants there, she combined black-eyed peas with a simple vinaigrette, and it was a big hit. The recipe has evolved over the years, and you can find a number of variations online. Some contain corn and black beans (as this one does), and others avocado. Some call for bottled Italian salad dressing, others homemade. No matter how you tweak it, it's always good with a pile of tortilla chips.

Provided by Margaux Laskey

Categories     easy, snack, crackers and chips, dips and spreads, finger foods, appetizer

Time 2h15m

Yield 8 cups

Number Of Ingredients 15

1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Kosher salt and black pepper
3 plum tomatoes, cored, seeded if desired, and diced
1/2 red onion, finely diced (about 3/4 cup)
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas, rinsed
1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 2 to 4 cobs) or thawed, drained frozen sweet corn (about 8 ounces)
1 red, green or yellow bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus more for garnish, if desired
1 scallion, white and green parts, chopped, for garnish (optional)
Tortilla chips, for serving

Steps:

  • Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to combine.
  • Add the tomatoes, red onion, black beans, black-eyed peas, corn, bell pepper, jalapeño and cilantro. Toss to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.
  • To serve, toss well and season to taste. Sprinkle with scallions and serve with tortilla chips.

Tips:

  • Use fresh, ripe vegetables. This will ensure the best flavor and texture in your pasta salad.
  • Chop the vegetables into small, even pieces. This will help them cook evenly and absorb the dressing better.
  • Don't overcook the pasta. Al dente pasta is the best choice for pasta salad, as it will hold its shape and not become mushy.
  • Use a flavorful dressing. A simple vinaigrette or pesto is a good option, but you can also use a store-bought dressing if you prefer.
  • Let the pasta salad chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. This will allow the flavors to meld and the salad to become more refreshing.

Conclusion:

Cowboy caviar pasta salad is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for potlucks, picnics, or summer cookouts. With its colorful vegetables, zesty dressing, and al dente pasta, this salad is sure to be a hit with everyone who tries it. So next time you're looking for a refreshing and flavorful pasta salad, give this cowboy caviar pasta salad a try. You won't be disappointed!

Related Topics