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Bright, crunchy, and packed with fiber and protein, this classic Texas Caviar is the ultimate meal prep bean salad that doubles as a crowd-pleasing potluck dip. While it’s good plain, my favorite way to eat it is with cilantro lime dressing!
I’ll admit it.
I’ve been influenced by “Bean-Tok.”
If you have no idea what that means, that’s completely fine. Probably, good, actually. You’ll still love this recipe for Texas Caviar (just a fancy name for bean salad.)
A few weeks ago I went down a rabbit trail on Tik-Tok and discovered this whole sub-culture of bean eaters.
We have long been told about the health benefits of eating beans. They are packed with fiber, which helps with all sorts of gut issues and they are a good source of plant-based protein as well.
Now, they are being extolled as the new miracle food specifically for the many “weird” things that the body goes through during peri-menopause. And being a woman of that particular age who is also dealing with all sorts of weird body stuff, the bean craze found me at the perfect time. 🙂
I can’t tell you for sure if eating 2 cups of beans a day will cure all that ails you, but I can tell you that when I make a batch of this and keep it in the fridge for lunches all week, I feel better. I am fuller so I don’t snack between meals, and my “gut” isn’t quite as cranky as it used to be.
That may be purely anecdotal evidence, but at the very least, you’ll have a delicious lunch or potluck side to enjoy if you make this Texas Caviar!
Ingredients needed for Texas Caviar
- black beans
- pinto beans
- white beans
- corn
- Roma tomatoes, chopped
- red onion, diced
- bell pepper-red, orange or yellow, diced
- jalapeno, chopped small
- cilantro, chopped
- cumin
- chili powder
- salt/pepper
Overall, it’s cheaper to buy bags of beans and cook them to use in bean salads like this one. However, it’s much faster to use canned beans. Either one is totally fine-I’ve done both and the recipe will turn out the same.
If you have the time to make your own (a slow cooker is great for that) then you can save some money. Most canned beans are less than $1 still, so even if you opt for the more “expensive” option, this is one of cheapest (and nutritionally dense) meals you could create.
Instructions for this Easy Bean Salad
- Dump
- Mix
- Dress (and that’s optional, really)
OK, here’s the more “official” instructions: Add all the ingredients to a large bowl and toss with your favorite dressing or leave plain.
Chill for at least 30 minutes to best develop the flavors. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 9-10 cups (4-6 servings as a meal, or 18-20 servings as a side dish or appetizer)
My favorite part about this recipe is how easy it is to put together. All the work comes in the prep. You do need to rinse the beans and chop the veggies. But after that, it’s just a matter of putting all the goodies in a bowl and giving them a good mix!
Dressing ideas for Texas Caviar
My most favorite dressing for this bean salad is my Cilantro Lime Sauce. You can also use oil and vinegar, lime juice and olive oil, Italian dressing or just serve it “naked.”
Other options for a dressing are oil and vinegar, lime juice and olive oil, or even Italian dressing.
Optional garnishes and toppings
If you’re serving a large bowl of this as a side dish, add some extra cilantro, sliced or diced avocado, and queso fresco (crumble cheese) to the top. Serve with some fresh lime wedges on the side to be extra *fancy*
Texas Caviar
Ingredients
- 1 15.5 oz can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15.5 oz can pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15.5 oz can white beans great northern, cannelini, or navy, drained and rinsed
- 1 15.5 oz can corn drained
- 2 roma tomatoes diced
- 1 red onion diced
- 1 bell pepper diced (red, orange or yellow)
- 1 jalapeno seeded and diced
- 1 cup of cilantro chopped
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- salt/pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a large bowl and toss with your favorite dressing or leave plain.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes to best develop the flavors. Store in an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
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