Cowboy caviar, also known as Texas caviar, is a popular bean salad in the United States. It typically contains black-eyed peas, black beans, corn, tomato, onion, cilantro, and a vinaigrette dressing. While often associated with Tex-Mex cuisine, cowboy caviar has origins in Mexican cooking.
What are the origins of cowboy caviar?
The dish we know as cowboy caviar has roots in Mexico. Combining beans, corn, and tomato into a salad is common in traditional Mexican cuisine. Similar bean and vegetable salads can be found throughout Latin America under different names.
Some of the key ingredients in cowboy caviar like black-eyed peas and black beans are native to Mexico and Central America and were eaten by indigenous populations long before European contact. The name “cowboy caviar” references the influence of vaquero (Mexican cowboy) culture in Texas and the American Southwest.
What is it called in Mexico?
Cowboy caviar goes by a few different names when you cross the border into Mexico:
- Ensalada de fríjoles – This translates to “bean salad” and is a common name for versions found in Mexico.
- Botana de fríjoles – Another variation is calling it a “bean snack.”
- Ensalada vaquera – Some call it “cowboy salad,” a direct nod to the vaquero origins.
- Varras enchiladas – In parts of Central Mexico they call it “enchilada sticks” referring to scooping the salad with tortilla chips.
But the most common Spanish name for cowboy caviar in Mexico is simply frijoles charros. This translates to “cowboy beans” and ties the dish directly to Mexican cowboy culture.
Why is it called frijoles charros in Mexico?
There are a few reasons this bean salad came to be known as frijoles charros in Mexico:
- Charro refers to traditional Mexican cowboys, called vaqueros in Spanish. Frijoles charros means beans in the style of the cowboys.
- It’s considered a hearty, rustic dish that vaqueros would eat around the campfire after long days of ranch work.
- Vaqueros traditionally ate black beans and black-eyed peas as a protein source, two key ingredients in the salad.
- Tomatoes, onions, garlic and cilantro were staple ingredients for vaqueros. When combined with beans, these ingredients created a type of frijoles charros.
So while cowboy caviar has roots all over Latin America, Mexico is where the cowboy connection stuck. The vaquero lifestyle formed a core part of Mexican culture and cuisine in states like Texas, Tamalipas, Nuevo Leon, and Jalisco.
Where did the name “cowboy caviar” come from?
The term cowboy caviar is actually an American invention. It likely originated in Texas but gained widespread popularity across the United States. There are a few theories behind the colorful name:
- The salad’s similarity to real caviar – small black beans resembling caviar eggs.
- A marketing term meant to increase appeal – associating beans with a luxury ingredient.
- The cowboy-style ingredients like black-eyed peas.
- A play on words using alliteration – cowboy and caviar have the same first two letters.
Whatever the reasoning, the name cowboy caviar stuck once it entered common use in America. But in Mexico, frijoles charros remains the preferred term.
What are some variations of frijoles charros in Mexico?
While the core ingredients stay the same, frijoles charros recipes vary across different regions of Mexico. Some popular variations include:
- Frijoles charros tapatíos – Adds chopped jicama and grated cheese. Tapatío refers to the region around Guadalajara.
- Frijoles charros poblanos – Incorporates minced poblano pepper and cumin. From the state of Puebla.
- Frijoles charros norteños – Uses more tomatoes and often swaps out cilantro for parsley. Popular in northern Mexico.
- Frijoles charros costeños – Adds mango, jicama, and dried shrimp. Costeño refers to coastal regions.
There are endless ways to give frijoles charros a local twist. While the beans and vegetables stay constant, ingredients like tropical fruit, peppers, corn, and cheese distinguish versions from different parts of Mexico.
How popular is frijoles charros in Mexico?
Frijoles charros has cemented itself as a quintessentially Mexican dish. It’s become popular nationwide but remains an especially typical staple in certain states:
- Nuevo León – Considered one of the birthplaces of frijoles charros thanks to the state’s cowboy culture.
- Sonora – Beans and vegetables are mixed with seafood like shrimp in this coastal state’s take.
- Sinaloa – Uses tomato, cucumber, and chili peppers for a fresh twist.
- Tamaulipas – Claims to be the creators of the original vaquero-style frijoles charros.
It’s most ubiquitous as an everyday food in northern Mexico where beef cattle ranching and vaquero traditions have deep roots. But the salad has become a staple appetizer, side, or party snack across the whole country.
How do Mexicans eat frijoles charros?
Here are some of the most common ways frijoles charros shows up in Mexican cuisine:
- As a dip – Scooped up with tortilla chips or crudités.
- A salad – Served chilled as a healthy starter or side dish.
- In tacos – Added protein and flavor piled on corn or flour tortillas.
- On tostadas – Heaped on crisp tortillas and finished with cotija cheese.
- As a stuffing – Used to fill chiles, quesadillas, and burritos.
It also makes a fantastic protein-packed topping for leafy greens, grains like rice or quinoa, nachos, stuffed potatoes, and more. Creative chefs use frijoles charros as a key component in entrees of all kinds.
What about outside of Mexico?
While frijoles charros originated in Mexico, the dish has spread far beyond the border under the name cowboy caviar. Key facts about its popularity include:
- Cowboy caviar is served throughout the American Southwest, especially Texas.
- It’s become a staple recipe for potlucks, BBQs, and parties countrywide.
- Health-conscious cooks use it as a high-protein, meatless taco filling.
- Vegan versions with soyrizo or seitan swap out the meat.
- Modified takes like Greek caviar or Hawaiian caviar change up the beans and veggies.
So while Mexico sticks close to the classic frijoles charros, other countries creatively reinvent it based on local tastes under the cowboy caviar moniker.
Conclusion
Cowboy caviar has its roots in frijoles charros – a bean salad with ties to Mexico’s vaquero cowboy culture. While the Americanized name is widespread today, Mexicans still call it by the original Spanish term that translates to “cowboy beans.” From street food to restaurant cuisine, frijoles charros remains a cornerstone of regional Mexican cooking. It’s especially popular in the north but enjoyed all over the country in endless flavorful variations.