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Texas Caviar

Name: Texas Caviar
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 200 g Canned sweetcorn; 3 tbsp Apple cider vinegar; 1 Fresh jalapeño; 0.5 Red onion; 1 Green pepper; 2 cloves Garlic; 400 g Canned black-eyed peas; 150 g Cherry tomatoes; 30 g Fresh cilantro; 4 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil

15 min (15 prep + 0 cook) Easy 6 servings Texas

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: Mar 29, 2026 · Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Chilled Tex-Mex black-eyed pea salad with sweetcorn, jalapeño and cilantro vinaigrette.

About this recipe

Texas Caviar is a chilled salad of black-eyed peas with sweetcorn, pepper, cherry tomatoes, fresh jalapeño and red onion, all dressed with a garlic and cilantro vinaigrette. Ironically named as a Texan take on luxury caviar - being an accessible and abundant version - this dish was born in the 1940s in Texas and became the star appetizer of picnics, barbecues and parties across the American South. Served cold with tortilla chips for scooping, or as a side dish for grilled meats. Fresh, colourful, full of texture and very easy to prepare.

History & Origin

Texas Caviar was invented in 1940 by Helen Corbitt, catering director at Neiman Marcus in Dallas, who prepared this black-eyed pea salad for a New Year's Eve reception. In the American South, eating black-eyed peas on 1 January brings good luck and prosperity - a tradition dating back to the Civil War, when Union troops withdrew from Texas leaving behind these beans that the Confederates considered cattle feed. Corbitt humorously called it 'Texas caviar' to elevate a humble ingredient to luxury status. The recipe became massively popular in the 1980s with the publication of Helen Corbitt's Cookbook, and today it is impossible to imagine a Texan barbecue without a bowl of Texas Caviar served alongside tortilla chips.

Estimated cost

$7.00

Total cost

$1.20

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on US supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

195

Calories

Protein

28g

Carbohydrates

Fat

Fiber

420mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Drain and rinse the canned black-eyed peas. If using dried, cook them first with salt until tender but not falling apart.
💡 Canned ones save time and work perfectly for this chilled salad.
2
Finely dice the green pepper, jalapeño (remove seeds for less heat), red onion and quarter the cherry tomatoes. Shell the corn if using fresh.
💡 Uniform cuts make the salad look better and give a consistent texture in every mouthful.
3
Make the vinaigrette: mix the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, lime juice, cumin, sugar, salt and pepper. Emulsify well with a fork.
💡 The sugar balances the acidity of the vinegar - don't leave it out even if it seems unusual.
4
Mix the peas, sweetcorn, pepper, jalapeño, onion, tomatoes and chopped cilantro in a large bowl. Pour over the vinaigrette and mix well.
💡 Only add diced avocado just before serving to prevent it browning.
5
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavours to meld. Serve cold with tortilla chips or as a side dish.
💡 Keeps for 3 days in the fridge covered. It tastes even better the next day.