Love it. But now can you make it hot? And cheesy? Yes, ma’am! Smoked cheddar Southwestern dip is a hot, cheesy, bean and corn combo giving all the Southern comfort. Until it’s barbecue weather.
Bean and corn dip
Crowd-pleasing Cowboy Caviar, aka Texas Caviar, is the dish I always take to summertime potluck parties. It’s vegan, gluten-free and because it’s loaded with grilled corn and red peppers, most kids will eat it too. What’s more it’s heavy on the beans which means it’s protein packed and plant-rich. I’ve used a mix of 3 different kinds of bean; black beans for creaminess, pinto for earthiness, and black-eyed peas (yes, they are a bean) for nuttiness. Beans themselves are pretty mild in flavour, so I’ve ramped things up with lots of impactful vegetables; sweet red bell peppers, acidic tomatoes, tangy red onion and garlic, spicy jalapenos, and flowery coriander. You can customise your caviar with any variations you prefer, for example different types of beans or coloured peppers, fresh or canned corn, with or without tomatoes. The sheriff and deputy here are beans and corn, so they ain’t goin’ nowhere. And dressing. Lots of recipes suggest an Italian dressing; lemon, honey, herbs, as well as the usual oil and vinegar. I’ve kept it way simpler with just oil, vinegar and a teaspoon of mustard. I’ve already used lots of cilantro and I genuinely love the flavours of salad vegetables so I don’t want to drown them with a complex dressing.
Serving suggestions
This bean and corn salad is as lively as a bucking bronco and goes beautifully with meat straight off the grill like homemade beef burgers or chicken burgers, summer party mojito grilled chicken thighs, or chicken souvlaki. Oh, how I am longing for barbecue season! But it’s just not reached the UK yet. So far this year, all the outdoor parties I’ve been invited to have ended up indoor parties. But fortunately, this chunky dip is just as content beside a baked potato, cozying up to a quesadilla, or tucked up with a pulled pork taco. Or just dive right in with a tortilla chip!
Storage and leftovers
Party, picnic or potluck, get prepared by putting together this bean and corn salad a day ahead. Store it in an airtight container, one that’s good to travel if you’re guesting rather than hosting, and refrigerate. Keep the dressing separate for now and pour over just before serving. NB: I wouldn’t give this salad more than 2 days in the fridge as the red onion will begin to taint the other ingredients.
More salad recipes to try:
Garden Salad Dill Potato Salad Recipe Israeli Salad with Lemon Garlic Tahini Dressing Roasted Summer Vegetable Salad with Nuts and Seeds
