Cowboy caviar is cool, easy and protein packed. Here's how to make the ideal summer recipe

On a hot summer day, what could be better than a cool dish of tender beans, crisp vegetables, sweet corn, fiery jalapeno and smooth avocado with hints of garlic, lime and cilantro? Not much. Serve it as a dip with crunchy tortilla chips, a salad, atop grilled chicken, steak or seafood or even stuffed into tacos, fajitas and burritos. There's almost nothing that cowboy caviar can't do.

Better still, this is a simple dump-and-stir recipe, making it an excellent last-minute option for picnics, tailgates, potlucks, cookouts or summer nights when you can't stand the idea of going near the stove.

What is cowboy caviar?

This prized combination is honored for a reason: Each element perfectly balances the next. Meaty beans commingle with juicy tomatoes. Crisp bell pepper and onion unite with creamy avocado. Sweet corn balances the heat of the jalapeno. And the tangy lime vinaigrette adds a burst of fresh flavor to every element. When served with tortilla chips, the saltiness and crunch add yet another layer of flavor and texture.

To ensure your batch is the stand-out offering at the potluck, follow a few tips.

Finely chop your ingredients. If you're serving cowboy caviar as a dip, it’s best to have small pieces of each ingredient so the finished medley mounds perfectly on your tortilla chip. Chop your onion, bell pepper and tomatoes into bean-size pieces or smaller.

Rinse and drain your beans. Since we’re using canned beans, you need to drain them, rinse them under cold water and drain them again. This quick step removes excess sodium and any cloudy liquid that can alter the color of your dish. Make sure your rinsed beans are well drained before adding them to the bowl (you don’t want to dilute your dressing with water).

Consider your corn options. You can make this dip with fresh, frozen or canned corn. When using fresh, you can slice it right from the cob and add it raw (it will marinate and essentially pickle in the dressing). When using frozen corn, there’s no need to thaw first; the kernels soften quickly once added to the other ingredients. If you’re using canned corn, make sure you drain well.

Use red onion. Red onion is best for uncooked dishes because it can be eaten raw and delivers a sweet-yet-sharp depth of flavor. You can also use green onions.

Choose your favorite bell pepper. Any color works in this dip. I used orange for sweetness and color. You can also use red, green, yellow or a combination.

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Use Roma tomatoes. Also called plum tomatoes, Roma tomatoes are firm and will hold up in this dip without getting mushy. Pro tip: Make sure to remove and discard all the seeds before chopping.

Use as much jalapeno as you want. You can make this dish as spicy as desired, which means you can add an entire jalapeno or just part of it. Note that not all jalapenos are created equal; some can be quite mild, while others can make you teary-eyed. Heat level varies depending on the age and thickness of the pepper, when and where it was grown and climate and soil conditions.

Get this: A jalapeno pepper can range from 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville units! My advice? Taste a little bit of the jalapeno before deciding how much to add to the dip. Most of a jalapeno’s heat comes from the seeds and whitish innards. Remove the seeds and white portion if you want to keep spiciness in check.

Use fresh lime juice. Since this is a dip crammed with fresh ingredients, don’t be tempted to use bottled lime juice. Bottled lime juice simply can’t deliver the same fresh flavor.

Let your dip chill. For the best flavor experience, chill your cowboy caviar for at least an hour before serving. Marinating ensures that the bold flavors in the lime vinaigrette penetrate the beans and vegetables. And since some of the dressing will sink to the bottom of the bowl when marinating, stir your dip just before serving.

Consider serving this dip in other ways. As mentioned above, cowboy caviar can be served many ways, so consider serving it as a salad, a topping for meat and seafood or as a filling for lettuce wraps, tacos, fajitas, burritos and enchiladas.

Don’t freeze leftovers. You likely won’t have any excess dip, but if you do, store your cowboy caviar in the refrigerator for up to three days. Sadly, the freezer won’t be kind to your avocado and tomatoes.

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Cowboy caviar recipe

Makes: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

For the dressing:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar or honey

• ¾ teaspoon ground cumin

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

For the salad:

• 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

• 15-ounce can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained

• 1 ¼ cups fresh, frozen, or canned sweet corn

• 2-3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced (I used 2)

• 1 bell pepper, any color, seeded and diced (I used orange)

• ⅓ cup diced red onion

• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced (more or less, to taste)

• 1 ripe avocado, diced

• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

• Tortilla chips, optional for serving

Instructions:

1. Whisk together all dressing ingredients: olive oil, lime juice, red wine vinegar, sugar, cumin, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper and garlic powder. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine the black beans, black-eyed peas, corn, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion and jalapeno pepper. Toss to combine. Add the dressing to the bean mixture and toss to coat everything with the dressing. Fold in the avocado and cilantro. Season to taste with more salt and black pepper.

3. Refrigerate for at least an hour. Stir before serving.

Questions or comments? Email the culinary team at cooking@azcentral.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Cowboy caviar might be the ultimate summer side. Here's how to make it