History tends to repeat itself, and Cowboy Caviar is proof of just that.
This summer, the recipe blew up on TikTok. You may know it as Texas Caviar, Dawn’s Salsa or by its original name, pickled black-eyed peas. This Southern salad is traditionally made with vegetables and beans — black-eyed peas and/or black beans, depending on who you ask — tossed in a tangy vinaigrette-style dressing and chilled. Almost every version of this recipe includes a base of red onion, bell peppers and corn, but avocado, mango, tomato and black olives have been thrown into the mix.
The recipe dates back to 1940s Texas and a woman named Helen Corbitt. While working as the food director at Neiman Marcus’ Zodiac Room in Dallas, she served the salad — which some called Texas Caviar, jokingly comparing its appearance to the fish egg dish.
It was eventually canned and sold under the Neiman Marcus brand.
This recipe has persisted throughout the years, with Trader Joe’s even making their own jarred version in 2013. But this summer, it went viral after TikTok star Bria Lemirande began posting about it.