Redneck Caviar is a popular salad from the southern states. It is also known as Texas and Cowboy caviar from the southwest, the only difference is that the ingredients may vary a little regionally.

This recipe can be made one of two ways - the no-cook way or roasted – meaning that more flavor can be added to this already delicious scoop-able dip, just by toasting and roasting a couple of the ingredients and is the way I prefer if I have the time.

The first time I tried the no-cook recipe was a frantic, last minute put-together when friends showed up on the doorstep and I asked, “Would you like to stay for dinner?” This is a fantastic potluck, no-cook dish to take to a picnic or a church function and the like.

This is probably one of the easiest recipes I’ve thrown together. However, having no time that day I wondered if I could make this tastier – and I could. Therefore, I’m giving you both recipes here, only because they are similar but prepared in a slightly different way.

I added a little char and smoky taste by roasting the peppers and toasting the corn in a skillet and by adding smoky chipotle chili peppers instead of the jalapenos it can easily be renamed as a southwestern recipe.

Check out version II at the end of the recipe for options to make this a little tastier.

Don’t get me wrong! Version 1 is delicious!

No-cook Version 1 - mild

Ingredients

1 can black eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 cans shoe peg corn, rinsed and drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
4 ripe roma tomatoes, diced
1 large bell pepper (any color) diced
2 large jalapenos, seeded and diced
½ large red onion, diced
1 cup (packed) fresh cilantro, chopped
6 green onions, sliced thinly (white & light green parts)
3 crushed garlic cloves
1 tbsp. kosher salt, to taste
1 tsp. ground black pepper

¼ cup of any of the following vinaigrettes work well in this:-
Italian, raspberry, balsamic (white or dark) or try a spicy, creamy dressing.

Method

Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours for the flavors to blend, stirring occasionally. Serve with Fritos scoops and/or Tostitos scoops.

Version 2

Roasted Redneck Caviar

For added flavor to this ridiculously easy-to-make recipe, roast the bell peppers and chilies in a 400 degrees F. oven until blackened. Place them in a sealed container or bag for 10 minutes to sweat and then peel off the skin, seed and dice.

If you can get fresh, shuck 3 ears of corn and roast them in a large skillet with a little olive oil until they begin to look toasted, while you roast the peppers, approximately 7 minutes, stirring only once or twice or the kernels will not brown. Let cool slightly, add to the recipe, along with 4 canned chipotle chilies with 2 tbsp. Adobo sauce from the same can, add to the recipe and follow the remaining directions.