Tex Mex Cowboy Salad

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Bright, bold, and packed with flavor, this cowboy salad is a fresh favorite that’s perfect for any table. Loaded with crisp romaine, juicy tomatoes, creamy avocado, and a zesty lime kick, every bite feels satisfying and refreshing. It’s easy to toss together and makes a great option for lunches, casual dinners, or serving alongside grilled meats. Once you enjoy this simple yet hearty dish, it’s sure to become a staple recipe in your kitchen.

This colorful and satisfying cowboy caviar salad is more than just a side — it brings fresh ingredients together in the best way. The blend of crunchy romaine, black beans, sweet corn, and creamy avocado makes each bite exciting. Add in jalapeño and lime juice, and you’ve got a Tex-Mex inspired dish with just the right touch of zing. If you enjoy simple, hearty recipes, this easy recipe cowboy salad belongs on your menu. It’s also easy to prepare for busy days or gatherings. Mix everything but the tomatoes and dressing in advance, then toss together just before serving to keep it fresh. Once you taste this easygoing dish, you’ll see why it’s quickly becoming a go-to favorite right alongside other fresh, feel-good meals.

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Why We Love This Recipe Cowboy Salad

It’s made with seasonal ingredients that are easy to get your hands on and easy to swap out with garden produce or discount alternatives.
Plenty of serving options.
While it makes the perfect summer side dish, it’s fantastic as a game-day snack, too. Serve it with some chips and treat it like a dip – when do this with Tuscan salad, it’s always a hit!
It’s beyond simple to make.
Just throw everything together, and you’re done. With just 15 minutes of prep, it’s even quicker than a 30-minute meal!

Tex Mex salad with avocado, bell peppers, corn kernels, red onion, cilantro, black beans, and diced tomatoes.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Almost everyone is familiar with the corn and black bean salad known as ‘cowboy caviar’ or ‘Texas caviar’. This Tex Mex salad is our tasty take on that popular dish! If you enjoy it with pasta, you can even make a cowboy caviar pasta salad.

Romaine – hearty, crunchy greens are best for holding up to the heavy weight of the other ingredients in this Mex salad. While it isn’t as nutritious as Romaine lettuce, iceberg can be used in a pinch.
Tomatoes – We like to use cherry or grape tomatoes — small, flavorful varieties with meaty flesh and fewer seeds are the best.

🎯 TFN Pro Tip

If you’re unable to find any good-quality tomatoes, substitute fresh ones with a can of diced tomatoes! Just be sure to drain the juice so it doesn’t water down the cowboy caviar salad.

Black Beans – Using canned beans is convenient and easy, but there’s no reason why you can’t cook them from scratch if you prefer.
White Corn – Canned or frozen, either will do, and yellow corn is absolutely fine to use.
Cilantro – This is our favorite herb for southwest and Mexican recipes. But flat-leaf parsley is also delicious and suitable — you could even use both.
Bell Pepper – Use any color you like or a mix of them.
Avocado – The amount of avocado you use is completely up to you! If you don’t have it (or don’t like it), go ahead and leave it out.
Jalapeno – Poblano and Anaheim peppers are great substitutes. To add a big kick of spicy heat, use habanero, serrano, or even a healthy helping of red pepper flakes.
Dressing – Use your favorite! Creamy dressings like Southwest Ranch and Panera cobb salad are fabulous, but lighter options like pesto dressing for salad are tasty on a cowboy salad, too!

Assembling summer side dish in a white salad bowl.

Recipe Variations

Add extra veggies for even more crunch: Boost the texture and color by tossing in peas, corn kernels, or diced capsicum (bell pepper). These simple additions create an even heartier cowboy caviar salad that feels satisfying and full of garden-fresh flavor.
Swap the dressing for a tangy twist: Instead of pesto vinaigrette, drizzle the salad with a blend of olive oil and red wine vinegar. This easy homemade dressing adds a bright, zesty note that pairs beautifully with the mix of veggies and beans.
Make it perfect for wraps or burritos: Transform leftovers into something new by using the salad as a filling. Spoon the mixture into tortillas for fresh and tasty wraps or roll it up in burritos for a simple, no-cook lunch option.
Mix in bold flavors with olives and herbs: Add sliced black olives for a briny bite and sprinkle with chopped coriander (cilantro) for extra freshness. This version brings out even more Tex-Mex flair and makes your recipe cowboy salad truly stand out.

Serving Tex Mex Salad as an Entree

There are a few ways you can make this recipe a bit heartier, while still keeping with the Southwest theme.

For a vegan chopped salad, add some more healthy legumes – chickpeas (garbanzo beans) are a great choice. You can also double the avocado.
These are great ways to add protein, fiber, and healthy fats to your meal.
Add a meat-based protein. If you don’t need a vegetarian dish, another good option is to add some meat.
For example, we bulk up our calico bean casserole by adding ground hamburger and bacon. Chicken would be tasty too!
Add some pasta, like rotini, ziti, macaroni, or shell pasta.

Chopped tomatoes and red onion on top of romaine lettuce with black beans and corn.

Equipment Used in this Recipe

Chef’s knife
Large bowl

How to Make Cowboy Caviar Salad

Take time to properly drain and/or dry the wet ingredients.
The Tex Mex salad contains quite a few wet ingredients: canned corn, canned beans, juicy tomatoes, and lettuce. To prevent an overly wet dish, avoid using large tomatoes, and properly drain the liquid from the canned products.
Use caution when seeding chiles!
Unless you want a fiery bite, carefully remove the seeds and membranes from the peppers. Also, we recommend that you wear kitchen gloves while cutting chiles. This helps to prevent the capsaicin in hot peppers from irritating your skin.

Pouring vinaigrette dressing over a Tex Mex salad.

Chill the ingredients beforehand.
So that you can serve the Tex Mex salad right away, start with everything cold and ready to use. Otherwise, after making the dish, pop it in the fridge for 15 to 30 minutes before serving.
Don’t add the dressing until you’re ready to serve.
Not much tastes worse than soggy lettuce, so wait until just before serving to toss it with dressing.

Tossing romaine lettuce, chopped vegetables, and dressing in a large serving bowl.

Serving Suggestions

For a delightful Tex-Mex cowboy salad, top it with a generous dollop of creamy avocado dressing and sprinkle with crushed tortilla chips for an extra crunch. Or add it with our street tacos recipe pork. Serve alongside warm, homemade cornbread with creamed corn for a comforting and hearty meal. Pair with a refreshing glass of basil mint lemonade to complete the southwestern dining experience. This is also great with main dishes like chicken breast cast iron skillet recipes.

Recipe FAQs

Can I store leftovers?

Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and served as-is. However, the sooner you enjoy it, the better, because the longer it sits in dressing, the more soggy your cowboy salad will become.

Can I make this ahead of time?

To make salad ahead, mix all salad ingredients together, except tomatoes. Keep it in one large or a few individual airtight containers in the fridge. Wait to add tomatoes and the dressing until ready to serve.

What if I don’t have tomatoes?

If you’re unable to find any good-quality tomatoes, substitute fresh ones with a can of diced tomatoes! Just be sure to drain the juice so it doesn’t water down the cowboy caviar salad.

More Healthy Recipes To Try…

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Why We Love This Recipe Cowboy Salad