Tex Mex Cowboy Salad

$Vegan chopped cowboy salad in a white bowl.$

5 from 19 votes

Fresh, colorful, and easy to make, this cowboy salad is loaded with romaine, beans, corn, avocado, and lime. Perfect for lunches, dinners, or potlucks!

Prep Time15

Total Time15

Course: Side Dish, Salad

Cuisine: American, Tex Mex

Keyword: cowboy salad, vegetarian, Tex Mex salad, corn and black beans

Servings: servings

Calories: 242kcal

Author: Renae Gerhardstein

Equipment

chef's knife
large bowl

Ingredients

6 cups chopped romaine lettuce (about 2 small heads of lettuce)
3 Roma tomatoes diced, or 15 oz canned diced tomatoes, drained
15 ounces canned black beans drained and rinsed well
11 ounces canned white corn drained and rinsed, or 1 1/2 cups fresh, frozen, or other canned corn
½ cup diced red onion (about 1 onion)
¼ cup chopped cilantro or flat leaf parsley
1 bell pepper any color (seeds and membrane removed), cut into slices
1 avocado pitted and chopped
1 jalapeno pepper (seeds and membrane removed), minced
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1 small lime
pesto vinaigrette or your favorite salad dressing

Instructions

Add all ingredients to a salad bowl in the order listed. Add lime juice and toss to combine. OR, spread the salad ingredients on a large serving platter, and squeeze lime juice over the top.
Just before serving, make pesto vinaigrette (or your favorite dressing). Pour over the Tex Mex salad, then toss well to combine.

Notes

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.

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.

Storing Instructions:

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.

Make Ahead Instructions:

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

Nutrition