Loaded with beans, vegetables, and herbs, and seasoned with fresh lime juice, vinegar, and olive oil, Cowboy Caviar, also known as Texas Caviar, is a cross between a salsa and a salad. Many recipes call for heaps of sugar — this one does not! It is healthy, hearty, and crowd-pleasing!
Cowboy Caviar, also known as Texas Caviar, is traditionally very sweet, with many recipes calling for heaps of sugar. But it doesn’t need to be! The vegetables — peppers, onions, and corn — lend a sweetness on their own, rendering additional sugar hardly necessary. This recipe calls for a mere two teaspoons (cut back from 1/2 cup), but you could omit it altogether if you prefer.
Cowboy Caviar calls for a mix of black beans and black-eyed peas, both of which are easy to cook from scratch because neither requires soaking, and each cooks up quickly, especially in a pressure cooker. But for ease, you can simply use canned beans — they work beautifully here.
I find this beany salsa addictive. Spoon it over scrambled eggs, tuck it into a burrito, pile it atop tortilla chips, or simply eat it by the spoonful!
How to Make Cowboy Caviar/Texas Caviar, Step by Step
Gather your ingredients:
You can cook the beans from scratch, or you can simply use canned: see recipe box for details.
I love using my pressure cooker for black beans and black-eyed peas, because they cook up so quickly.
Regardless if you are cooking the beans from scratch or using canned, be sure to drain, rinse, and dry the beans before tossing them with the other ingredients.
Transfer the beans to a large bowl.
Chop up your vegetables and herbs.
Add them to the bowl.
Add dressing, a mix of olive oil, vinegar, salt, and sugar.
Add fresh lime.
Grab some chips.
Serve immediately.
Description
Loaded with beans, vegetables, and herbs, and seasoned with fresh lime juice, vinegar, and olive oil, Cowboy Caviar, also known as Texas Caviar, is a cross between a salsa and a salad. Many recipes call for heaps of sugar — this one does not! It is healthy, hearty, and crowd-pleasing!
Notes:
Texas Caviar traditionally is very sweet. I’ve cut the sugar back from 1/2 cup to 2 teaspoons, but honestly I think I’d like it just as well with no sugar at all. I’ve offered starting measurements for the oil, vinegar, and sugar, but dress these beans to taste: add more sugar if you like; add more vinegar and fresh lime, too, if you like acidity (beans do!); and more oil if necessary.
Beans: You need 4 to 5 cups of cooked beans here. If you prefer to use from-scratch cooked beans, here’s what I do: For the black beans: Place 1 cup of beans along with 4 cups water and a teaspoon of kosher salt into a stovetop pressure cooker. Close the lid. Turn the heat to high. When the two red lines of the valve are visible, reduce heat to low—the valve should drop to reveal only 1 line but it’s OK if it does not—and cook for 25 minutes. Turn off the heat. Let valve release naturally, which should take between 15-20 minutes. Remove lid. Taste a bean to ensure it is cooked through. If it is not, simmer until it is. If using the beans immediately, drain and set aside; if not, store the beans in their cooking liquid. For the black-eyed peas: Place 1 cup of beans along with 4 cups water and a teaspoon of kosher salt into the your stovetop pressure cooker. Close the lid. Turn the heat to high. When the two red lines of the valve are visible, reduce heat to low—the valve should drop to reveal only 1 line but it’s OK if it does not—and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat. Let valve release naturally, which should take between 15 minutes. Remove lid. Taste a bean to ensure it is cooked through. If it is not, simmer until it is cooked. If using the beans immediately, drain and set aside; if not, store the beans in their cooking liquid.
one 15 -ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed, see notes above
two 15 -ounce cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 large red onion, finely diced to yield roughly 2 cups
2 ears of corn, shucked, kernels removed
2 to 3 red (or other) bell peppers, finely diced
6 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts
1 – 2 jalapeños, finely chopped
1 large bunch cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more to taste
1/2 cup vinegar, such as apple cider, white balsamic or rice, plus more to taste
2 teaspoons sugar, optional, plus more or less to taste
juice of one lime, plus more to taste
tortilla chips, for serving, I love the Xochitl brand
- Dry the beans in a large clean dish towel, then transfer them to a large bowl.
- To the bowl, add the remaining ingredients (except the tortillas chips). Toss to combine. Taste. Add more salt by the half or full teaspoon to taste (I often add 2 more teaspoons of salt). For more freshness, acidity, and brightness, add more vinegar or more fresh lime juice to taste. Once you have your seasonings right, transfer the mixture to a serving bowl.
- Serve with chips.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 35
- Category: Salsa
- Method: Toss
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Description
Loaded with beans, vegetables, and herbs, and seasoned with fresh lime juice, vinegar, and olive oil, Cowboy Caviar, also known as Texas Caviar, is a cross between a salsa and a salad. Many recipes call for heaps of sugar — this one does not! It is healthy, hearty, and crowd-pleasing!
Notes:
Texas Caviar traditionally is very sweet. I’ve cut the sugar back from 1/2 cup to 2 teaspoons, but honestly I think I’d like it just as well with no sugar at all. I’ve offered starting measurements for the oil, vinegar, and sugar, but dress these beans to taste: add more sugar if you like; add more vinegar and fresh lime, too, if you like acidity (beans do!); and more oil if necessary.
Beans: You need 4 to 5 cups of cooked beans here. If you prefer to use from-scratch cooked beans, here’s what I do: For the black beans: Place 1 cup of beans along with 4 cups water and a teaspoon of kosher salt into a stovetop pressure cooker. Close the lid. Turn the heat to high. When the two red lines of the valve are visible, reduce heat to low—the valve should drop to reveal only 1 line but it’s OK if it does not—and cook for 25 minutes. Turn off the heat. Let valve release naturally, which should take between 15-20 minutes. Remove lid. Taste a bean to ensure it is cooked through. If it is not, simmer until it is. If using the beans immediately, drain and set aside; if not, store the beans in their cooking liquid. For the black-eyed peas: Place 1 cup of beans along with 4 cups water and a teaspoon of kosher salt into the your stovetop pressure cooker. Close the lid. Turn the heat to high. When the two red lines of the valve are visible, reduce heat to low—the valve should drop to reveal only 1 line but it’s OK if it does not—and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat. Let valve release naturally, which should take between 15 minutes. Remove lid. Taste a bean to ensure it is cooked through. If it is not, simmer until it is cooked. If using the beans immediately, drain and set aside; if not, store the beans in their cooking liquid.
one 15 -ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed, see notes above
two 15 -ounce cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 large red onion, finely diced to yield roughly 2 cups
2 ears of corn, shucked, kernels removed
2 to 3 red (or other) bell peppers, finely diced
6 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts
1 - 2 jalapeños, finely chopped
1 large bunch cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more to taste
1/2 cup vinegar, such as apple cider, white balsamic or rice, plus more to taste
2 teaspoons sugar, optional, plus more or less to taste
juice of one lime, plus more to taste
tortilla chips, for serving, I love the Xochitl brand
- Dry the beans in a large clean dish towel, then transfer them to a large bowl.
- To the bowl, add the remaining ingredients (except the tortillas chips). Toss to combine. Taste. Add more salt by the half or full teaspoon to taste (I often add 2 more teaspoons of salt). For more freshness, acidity, and brightness, add more vinegar or more fresh lime juice to taste. Once you have your seasonings right, transfer the mixture to a serving bowl.
- Serve with chips.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 35
- Category: Salsa
- Method: Toss
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Find it online : https://alexandracooks.com/2018/08/30/texas-caviar-ish-with-pressure-cooked-black-eyed-peas-black-beans/
These rice noodles with herbs, cucumbers, and crispy tofu are so delicious. The dressing essentially is nuoc cham , a spicy, sweet, sharp condiment ubiquitous at nearly every Vietnamese meal. Crispy tofu makes it a meal, and tons of herbs, cucumbers, and scallions make it especially refreshing!
When the heatwave hit earlier this week, I craved these noodles. I first ate them years ago while working at Fork , where the chef, Thien Ngo, would whip them up for lunch almost daily during the hottest weeks of the summer. We would eat them on the little back patio, an oasis of peace and cool, where they disappeared in no time, Thien’s always with a glass of wine “for digestion.”
Those noodles were so. damn. good. This is partly because Thien always used fresh rice noodles, which he purchased from a shop called Ding Ho near Reading Terminal Market, where they were made daily and sold in large sheets, folded and wrapped in oily cellophane to prevent them from drying out. If Thien ever disappeared midmorning, chances were he had snuck out on his bike to pick up the noodles, which he stashed in the plastic take-out bag on the shelf beneath his work station.
I always marveled at how efficiently Thien worked. Before chopping an herb or slicing a vegetable, he would throw a sauté pan over a burner set over low heat to warm up, ready for anything he might need to crisp or cook. And in no time, all of the other elements would materialize: the dressing, nuoc cham, the spicy, sweet, sharp condiment ubiquitous at nearly every Vietnamese meal; the chopped herbs, a mix of cilantro and Thai basil; the julienned vegetables, often cucumbers and carrots; and some sort of meat, often shrimp, which he would throw into his warm pan, heat now cranked to high, with oil, garlic and chilies.
When everything was ready, he unwrapped the noodles, sliced them into wide strips, and piled them into bowls. He then topped each heap of noodles with the various herbs, vegetables and meat, before pouring the dressing over top. He never tossed everything together all at once—we tossed with chopsticks as we ate, which kept the vegetables crisp and the herbs fresh. These noodles made me sweat—Thien made the nuoc cham very spicy—but somehow I always finished feeling refreshed.
With every heatwave we get, I think of these noodles, and Thien, too, who sadly is no where to be found. Thien was often difficult to work for, and he had issues, the extent of which I never learned, but there was so much good, too—good stories, good food, good drink, and really , really good noodles. Here’s to that.
Here’s a visual how-to guide:
Cook the rice noodles for 4-6 minutes or according to package instructions.
Drain and rinse under cold water.
For the nuoc cham , chop garlic and chilies:
Add fresh lime juice…
… along with sugar, fish sauce, and water.
Slice scallions and toss with …
… the cooked noodles, chopped herbs, and julienned cucumbers.
Toss noodles with nuoc cham and protein of choice, see recipe for details.
Description
These noodles are inspired a dish a chef I worked for in Philadelphia often made for lunch during the summer.
Notes:
Nuoc cham is a spicy, sweet, sharp condiment ubiquitous at nearly every Vietnamese meal. When using it as a dipping sauce, as here , you can omit the water.
In place of shrimp or other meat (see story above), I made Sarah Jampel’s crispy sesame tofu on Food52 ages ago and absolutely loved it. I adjusted the recipe here slightly for simplicity: instead of using 2 teaspoons soy sauce, I use 2 teaspoons of the nuoc cham dressing, and I omit the sesame oil. If you wish to follow her original recipe, do so here . For some visual guidance on pressing tofu, see this post .
If tofu isn’t your thing, grilled or sautéed shrimp would be delicious as would really any protein you like: I’d serve them with grilled chicken thighs, skirt steak, or pork tenderloin, to name a few.
I like to slice cucumbers on a mandoline , but if that scares you, simply slice them thinly using your knife. Carrots or radish or daikon would all be nice here, too. A sprializer is a good tool for this as well and also less scary than using a mandoline.
for the nuoc cham dressing:
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup fish sauce
- 1/3 cup fresh lime juice, plus more to taste
- 2 to 3 garlic cloves, sliced or minced
- 2 red Thai chilies or serrano or jalapeño peppers, thinly sliced
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup water
- squirt Sriracha, optional
for the tofu:
- 14 -oz block extra-firm tofu, pressed if you have time
- 2 tablespoons oil such as peanut, vegetable or olive
- 2 teaspoons nuoc cham dressing, see notes
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 1 tablespoon panko
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
for the noodle dish:
- 8 oz dried rice noodles
- 6 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts
- 1 cucumber or carrot or other vegetable, thinly sliced, see notes
- herbs: cilantro, mint, Thai basil (if you can find it), thinly sliced
- nuoc cham dressing to taste
- crispy tofu or other protein of choice, see notes
- Make the nuoc cham dressing : In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, fish sauce, and lime juice until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the garlic, chilies, and 1/4 cup of the water. Add Sriracha, if using. Taste and adjust flavors if necessary with more lime, hot chilies, and the remaining 1/4 cup water if desired. Set aside.
- To make the tofu: Heat the oven to 400° F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Cut the tofu into 1/2-inch cubes and place in a bowl. Add the oil, nuoc cham, corn starch, panko, and sesame seeds, and stir to coat. Spread the tofu onto the baking sheet, leaving excess dressing behind. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crisp on top and bottom.
- To assemble the noodles: Fill a large pot of water and bring it to a boil. Boil according to package instructions, typically 4-6 minutes. Drain and rinse until cold water. (Notes: To prevent sticking, you could toss the noddles in a few drops of sesame (or other) oil). Transfer noodles to a large bowl. Add the scallions, cucumbers or other vegetables, herbs, and dressing to taste. Toss. Add more dressing if necessary. Add tofu or other protein and toss again.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Noodles
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese
