This fresh and delicious Weight Watchers Cowboy Caviar Dip is quick and easy to make with canned corn, canned beans, and Cannellini beans. Loaded with healthy ingredients, the fresh veggies, cilantro, and lime give it a really fresh burst of flavor! It's also vegan, gluten-free, and Weight Watchers friendly! It's also vegan, gluten-free, 1 ww point), super filling, and delicious!
I actually ate caviar once, and I have to admit that I was not at all impressed. Given the hype, not to mention the price tag, I expected so much more. That was obviously BK (before kids). After kids, you just don't eat caviar. Fortunately, I much prefer this ww cowboy caviar. It pairs perfectly as an appetizer with so many dishes, but especially this Slow Cooker Beef on a Bun! You can also use it as a topping or filling in tacos, quesadillas, on eggs, and so much more!
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Cowboy Salsa is really a corn and bean salsa and although it goes by several different names including Cowboy Salsa, Redneck Caviar, Poor Man's Caviar and Texas Caviar, it's best known by the name Cowboy Caviar.
Looking for more healthy Calgary Stampede recipes? Check out this Stovetop Beef and Pork Chili Recipe or Old fashioned Slow Cooker Whiskey Beef Stew.
Weight Watchers dips are one of my fave things to make for a snack (see more WW dips at the bottom of this post.) And this Weight Watchers version is also perfect for movie night, as well as bringing along to a potluck, a backyard BBQ, or packing along on a picnic.
It's portable, easy, and healthy! I make some homemade healthy tortilla chips (see recipe) to go along with it so I can indulge guilt-free! Or you can serve this dip with regular tortilla chips for those who aren't following the WW program. No one will ever suspect this dip is WW friendly!
🥘 Ingredient Notes
The fresh veggies, cilantro, and lime give it such a fresh burst of flavor! For this recipe, you will need:
- Roma tomatoes. Roma tomatoes work well in salsas because they have a thick skin, fewer seeds, and a meaty texture. This helps to prevent a watery salsa. They also have a good balance of acid and sugar, making them flavorful.
- Canned corn. I use canned corn because it is economical and convenient. Just rinse it after you drain it to reduce the sodium.
- White Cannellini beans. I use these instead of black-eyed peas because they are much easier to find and have a creamy texture and slightly nutty, earthy flavor. They are the same as white kidney beans, although they taste milder than red kidney beans.
- Jalapeno peppers. I use jarred 'tamed jalapenos' - add more or less to your liking
- Cilantro. Fresh cilantro really elevates this dip!
- Agave. I use agave because it's vegan and is a tasty sweetener. The consistency also works well in this salsa dressing.
- Tortillas. I use spinach flour tortillas, but you could use any kind of tortillas (e.g., sun-dried tomato, white, or whole wheat). Or you don't have to serve this dip with homemade tortillas
*Please see recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities
📖 Variations & Substitutions
This hearty dip recipe is a little different than the usual because I don't make mine with black-eyed peas, but instead, I substitute Cannellini beans (white beans) for the black-eyed peas.
I couldn't find canned black-eyed peas, and I'm not interested in having to actually cook peas in order to make this dip. I LOVE the fact that this dip is super quick and easy because you don't have to actually cook anything, and it uses canned corn and beans, a quick dressing, and veggies that can be cut up in a few minutes.
- White Cannellini beans. You could substitute black-eyed peas, Great Northern Beans, or Navy Beans.
- Corn- you can also use frozen corn (thawed) or fresh corn, instead of canned corn.
- Agave - you can use honey instead, but you'll need twice the amount. You can also use a ½ teaspoon of white sugar as a substitute for agave.
- Wine vinegar - you could substitute white wine vinegar for red.
- Tortillas -you could use a gluten-free or corn tortilla to keep this gluten-free.
- Lime juice- fresh is highly recommended, but you could use concentrated lime juice in a bottle if you don't have fresh, but only use half the amount.
🔪Step-by-Step: How to Make the Best Cowboy Caviar
- Step 1: Combine tomatoes, onion, black beans, Cannellini beans, corn, peppers, jalapeno pepper, and cilantro in a large bowl. Toss/stir well so that ingredients are well-combined.
- Step 2: In a separate bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, red wine vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and garlic.
- Step 3: Pour dressing over other ingredients and stir/toss until well combined. Keep refrigerated.
- Step 4: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F/204 degrees C. Spray a baking sheet with non stick cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Stack tortillas and cut into 6 triangles.
- Step 5: Lay tortillas on baking sheet, in a single layer, spinkle with salt (optional) and bake 6-8 minutes or until lightly browned. *You will have to do this on 2 baking sheets. *You could sprinkle with garlic powder or onion powder instead.
- Step 6: Sprinkle with additional salt, if desired, cool and serve with cowboy caviar dip.
Expert Recipe Tips
- Drain and rinse your canned beans and corn thoroughly. This helps remove excess sodium and prevents the dip from becoming watery.
- Use Roma tomatoes for the best texture. Their lower water content and firm flesh help keep the dip from turning soggy.
- Let the dip sit before serving. Refrigerating it for at least 30 minutes allows the flavors to develop and meld together beautifully.
- Chop vegetables evenly for consistent texture and flavor. Uniform pieces ensure every bite has a balanced mix of ingredients.
- Adjust heat to taste. Use more or less jalapeños depending on your spice preference-fresh jalapeños will give a sharper heat than jarred "tamed" ones.
- Use homemade tortilla chips for a healthier crunch. Baking your own chips with minimal oil helps keep the recipe WW-friendly while still satisfying.
- Customize based on what's in your pantry. No Cannellini beans? Try black-eyed peas or navy beans. No red wine vinegar? White wine vinegar works too.
- Double the dressing if using as a salad. If you're turning this dip into a full bean and corn salad, a little extra dressing goes a long way.
- Garnish with fresh lime wedges or extra cilantro before serving. This brightens the flavor and adds a visual pop to your serving bowl.
What to serve with Cowboy Caviar
Although I primarily use it as a salsa or dip, this recipe makes A LOT of servings! And since I had to find other ways to use it, I discovered how amazing it is when you use it on scrambled eggs or egg whites!
What else to serve with this delicious dip:
- Add it to a vegetarian breakfast burrito
- Add to baked beans
- Add it to a ham or turkey sandwich
- Add it to cooked chicken breast
- Add it to quesadillas
- Add it to baked or BBQ'd fish or pork
- Add it to tacos - it pairs perfectly with my Healthy Fish Tacos (with broccoli slaw) or Healthy Air Fryer Steak Tacos!
But mostly I enjoy this poor man's caviar straight up with healthy homemade tortilla chips!
👪 Serving Size
This easy appetizer makes 30 servings. If you want to cut the recipe in half, double, or triple it, simply click on the servings in the recipe card, select the number of servings you'd like, and the ingredient amounts will adjust accordingly.
NOTE: Makes about 7.5 cups. You will get about 30 servings @ ¼ cup
🔢WW Points
This Weight Watchers cowboy caviar recipe is 1 WW point on its own and 2 ww points WITH flour tortillas.
🌡️Storage
Store this Weight Watchers friendly Cowboy Caviar in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. After this, it starts to break down and get a bit watery. These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.
You can make this up to a day in advance. For optimum freshness, make it just prior to serving.
❔ Recipe FAQs
Absolutely. If you're not a fan of cilantro, you can leave it out or substitute it with fresh parsley for a milder herb flavor.
It has a mild kick from the jalapeños, especially if you use the "tamed" jarred variety. You can increase or decrease the heat by adjusting the amount or type of jalapeños used.
Yes, especially if you use mild jalapeños or omit them. It's a great way to introduce kids to beans and fresh vegetables.
Yes, but you'll need to soak and cook them first. Canned beans are used for convenience in this recipe, but cooked dried beans work just as well.
Although this colorful Cowboy Caviar Dip is great ANY time of the year (game days included!) it makes a fabulous summer dip because not only a simple dip, it's easy, delicious, no-cook, and Weight Watchers friendly!
Enjoy~
📋 More Healthy Weight Watchers Dips!
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📋 Cowboy Caviar Dip recipe (Weight Watchers)
Ingredients
Dip
- 3 Roma tomatoes, diced
- ⅓ cup red onion, chopped
- 341 ml canned corn, drained and rinsed or use frozen corn, defrosted
- 540 ml black beans, drained and rinsed
- 398 ml can white Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 3 tablespoon jalapeno peppers, chopped * I use jarred 'tamed jalapenos' - add more or less to your liking
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Dressing
- 5 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lime -juice of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon agave syrup
Homemade Tortilla Chips
- 3 10 inch (large) tortillas * I use spinach
- kosher or sea salt optional
Garnish (optional)
- lime wedge
- cilantro leaves
Instructions
Dip
- Combine tomatoes, onion, black beans, Cannellini beans, corn, peppers, jalapeno peppers, and cilantro in a large bowl. Toss/stir well so that ingredients are well-combined.3 Roma tomatoes, diced, ⅓ cup red onion, chopped, 341 ml canned corn, drained and rinsed, 540 ml black beans, drained and rinsed, 398 ml can white Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, 1 green bell pepper, diced, 1 red pepper, diced, 3 tablespoon jalapeno peppers, chopped, ⅓ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Dressing
- In a separate bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, red wine vinegar, agave, salt, and garlic.5 tablespoon olive oil, 1 lime -juice of 1 lime, 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar, ¼ teaspoon table salt, ½ teaspoon agave syrup, 1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
- Pour dressing over other ingredients and stir/toss until well combined.
- Keep refrigerated.
Homemade Tortilla chips
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees/204 degrees C.
- Spray a baking sheet with non stick cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
- Stack tortillas and cut into 6 triangles.3 10 inch (large) tortillas
- Lay tortillas on baking sheet, in a single layer, spinkle with salt and bake 6-8 minutes or until lightly browned.kosher or sea salt
- Sprinkle with additional salt, if desired, cool and serve with cowboy caviar dip.
Notes
- Drain and rinse your canned beans and corn thoroughly.This helps remove excess sodium and prevents the dip from becoming watery.
- Use Roma tomatoes for the best texture. Their lower water content and firm flesh help keep the dip from turning soggy.
- Let the dip sit before serving. Refrigerating it for at least 30 minutes allows the flavors to develop and meld together beautifully.
- Chop vegetables evenly for consistent texture and flavor. Uniform pieces ensure every bite has a balanced mix of ingredients.
- Adjust heat to taste. Use more or less jalapeños depending on your spice preference-fresh jalapeños will give a sharper heat than jarred "tamed" ones.
- Use homemade tortilla chips for a healthier crunch. Baking your own chips with minimal oil helps keep the recipe WW-friendly while still satisfying.
- Customize based on what's in your pantry. No Cannellini beans? Try black-eyed peas or navy beans. No red wine vinegar? White wine vinegar works too.
- Double the dressing if using as a salad. If you're turning this dip into a full bean and corn salad, a little extra dressing goes a long way.
- Garnish with fresh lime wedges or extra cilantro before serving. This brightens the flavor and adds a visual pop to your serving bowl
Elizabeth W Kanyua
I use birds eye fire roasted corn cooked in the oven.
Rinse and strain beans. You can use any beans you have on hand really. Vary it a bit by making it Mediterranean add mint and paisley as well as smoked paprika cumin and coriander. Also add a sweet pepper or 2. Fresh jalapeño and lime zest. Never waste a zest. Soak onion in cold water for 10 minutes. A little more work but it's so worth it.
Terri Gilson
Sounds good!
Terri Gilson
This Cowboy Caviar is always a hit! I love how it's loaded with beans, corn, and fresh veggies. It's perfect for Stampede season or any get-together. At only 1 WW point, I can enjoy it guilt-free with some homemade tortilla chips.