Recipe Background
Cowboy Salad is a bold, flavorful mix perfect for outdoor gatherings.
The first time I made this Cowboy Salad was during a moving-in barbecue at our suburban new house, steps away from wide open fields. Boxes still cluttered the living room, but the backyard begged for a gathering. Our trusty grill smoked away as neighbors-turned-friends brought dishes around the picnic table. A simple salad wouldn’t do; I needed something with bold, harmonious flavors. Enter the dance of barbecue sauce and Dijon mustard, a pairing that seemed odd until their sweetness and tangy bite got cozy with the velvety mayo. It was love at first whisk.
As the nearby wildflowers basked in the golden hour, I combined romaine with black beans and black-eyed peas, staples from my pantry that I love for their earthy contrast. Bacon sizzled on the side—never one to miss an opportunity for a crispy, smoky element. Cherry tomatoes were halved with mindless precision, their colors echoing that of the blazing sunset. With corn, I took the extra step to thaw and drain—no soggy salads here. The avocado, ever so perfectly ripe, was the creamy crowning touch I adore.
In those first bites, I realized something special redefined our meal. Jalapeños added just the right kick, while red bell pepper brought a crisp sweetness. Each taste was a reminder of that new chapter and its promise. Everyone piled their plates high, making space for yet another forkful, and vowed to recreate it at their own tables. In that moment, our house turned into a home, with stories shared and the salad unanimously loved.
Ingredients
For the barbecue ranch dressing:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
For the salad:
- 1 head romaine lettuce chopped
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans drained
- 1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas drained
- 1 cup frozen corn thawed and drained
- 6 slices bacon cooked and chopped
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 avocado chopped
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 jalapeño seeded and minced
- 1/2 red onion diced
- scallions to taste, sliced
Directions
- In a medium bowl, add the mayonnaise, the barbecue sauce, the Dijon mustard, the Worcestershire sauce, and the lime juice and whisk to combine. Set the dressing aside.
- In a large serving bowl, add the lettuce, the black beans, the black-eyed peas, the corn, the crumbled bacon, the tomatoes, the cheese, the avocadoes, the bell peppers, the jalapeños, the onions, and the scallions and toss to combine.
- Serve the salad drizzled with the dressing.
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