Redneck Caviar

I've made countless versions of Redneck Caviar over the years, and I always come back to this one because it skips the bottled Italian dressing in favor of fresh lime juice, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. This results in a brighter, fresher flavor that highlights the vegetables, instead of masking them.

Redneck caviar party dip is a simple rural dish that goes by many other names such as Hillbilly caviar, Texas caviar, Carolina caviar, or southern caviar dip. Whatever you choose to call it, this healthy dip is a delicious uncooked mixture of many different canned vegetables, fresh veggies, and a simple dressing.

Why you will love this recipe

• You'll love this easy side dish because it is as simple as dumping all of the ingredients together and mixing them to combine.
• It is ready in only five minutes, with no cooking require!
• It packs a fresh flavor similar to a pico de gallo, but loaded with non-traditional salsa ingredients like beans, black-eyed peas, and olives.
• It is the perfect healthy make-ahead dish to bring to potlocks and picnics.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Canned black beans
• Canned black-eyed peas 
• Canned corn - Fresh sweet corn can be substituted. It just needs to be cooked and sliced off the cob.
• Canned Rotel tomatoes with green chilies - Regular canned diced tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, or fresh Roma tomatoes can be substituted.
• Canned black olives 
• Red onion - A sweet onion can be substituted, but I think red onions lend more to this flavorful dip.
• Jalapeno pepper - Omit the jalapeno peppers if you don't want any heat in this dip. A green bell pepper is a good mild substitute.
• Red bell pepper - Yellow or red bell peppers also work well.
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Red wine vinegar - Zesty Italian dressing is commonly used to flavor this fresh dip, but I prefer to use red wine vinegar as a dressing. When combined with a little olive oil and lime juice it creates a fresher flavor. Apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar would also be a good substitute.
• Lime juice - You can use fresh lime juice or bottled.
• Salt - Table salt is ideal, but kosher salt can be substituted.
• Corn chips for serving such as Frito scoops or standard tortilla chips.
• Optional additions - Customize the flavor with green onions, garlic, fresh cilantro, or fresh parsley.

How to make it

Prep the ingredients for this easy redneck caviar recipe by draining the liquid from the cans and dicing the vegetables. Add everything to a large bowl and stir to combine.

You can mix the red wine vinegar dressing separately in a small bowl if you wish, but there isn't really a benefit to doing so. It is easier to just add the olive oil, vinegar, and lime juice right in with the vegetables and stir everything together.

How to store it

This is a great dip to make in advance. However, you can expect it to continue to expel liquid as it sits, making it a little soupy. This isn't a bad thing though, the liquid is very flavorful. This appetizer should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoyed within 4 days.

This recipe was originally published on October 13, 2021.

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