Jennifer Aniston Salad

4.97

291

Save to FavoritesPrintJump to Recipe

This post may include affiliate links. Thank you for your support.

Here’s how to make the viral Jennifer Aniston salad with quinoa or bulgur, cucumber, fresh herbs, pistachios, chickpeas and feta all tossed in lemon juice and olive oil.

Given my love for salads, I just had to try Jennifer Aniston’s salad that went viral on TikTok!

Some sources say she ate the salad every day for 10 years while filming the show Friends, but after a little research I found that this is actually a salad she shared while doing an Instagram takeover for the Living Proof brand. It’s no longer on Instagram, but you can still find it on the Way Back Machine (aka the best site for looking up old content). This post was from 2015 and in the caption Aniston said the salad, with bulgur, cucumbers, parsley, mint, red onion, chickpeas, feta cheese and pistachios was her “perfect salad.”

Quinoa salad on a white plate with a gold fork.

And according to an article in the Los Angeles Times, the salad she ate daily on the set of Friends with her co-stars Lisa Kudrow and Courteney Cox, was a spruced up Cobb salad with turkey bacon and chickpeas. Sounds delish and probably similar to my vegan Cobb salad, but with turkey bacon.

Either way, after trying Jen’s tabbouleh-inspired salad I can totally see why she (and the whole internet) is obsessed. It’s not only delicious and packed with SO much flavor, but it also has the perfect amount of protein, smart carbs, healthy fats, and veggies – all the components of a good meal-sized salad.

Jen’s original version of this salad calls for bulgur wheat as the base, but when I went to make this salad for the first time I couldn’t find bulgur wheat anywhere, so I decided to make it with quinoa. It worked great and this salad is easily becoming a new staple in our house.

Quinoa salad on a white plate.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • It has all the components of a good meal-sized salad… protein, smart carbs, healthy fats, veggies and satisfaction factor!
  • It’s light, flavorful and jam-packed with tons of fresh herbs!
  • Quick and easy to whip up – you only need 10 ingredients (plus salt + pepper) and one bowl! 
  • It holds up well in the fridge so it’s the perfect meal prep recipe. Prep this over the weekend and have lunch ready to go for the entire week!
Ingredients measured out to make the Jennifer Aniston salad: salt, pepper, mint, quinoa, chickpeas, red onion, lemon juice, pistachios, feta, parsley, cucumber and olive oil.

Ingredients Needed

  • quinoa – instead of bulgur I used white quinoa as the base. That said, you can totally use bulgur wheat or even farro as the grain in this salad. Quinoa is a good source of protein, high in fiber, rich in vitamins and minerals and naturally gluten-free. It’s also a complete protein, which means it has all nine essential amino acids including lysine… a rare find when it comes to plant-based foods.
  • cucumber – adds a nice crunch! I personally like using mini cucumbers because they don’t have large seeds.
  • fresh parsley – flat-leaf parsley and curly parsley both work well in this recipe. Make sure your bunch of parsley is washed and dried well before chopping it!
  • fresh mint – the addition of fresh mint adds so much flavor! Again, make sure your mint is washed and dried before chopping it.
  • red onion – the perfect way to add a bit of flavor and more crunch. You can use yellow onion if needed. 
  • pistachios – roasted and salted. Adds some healthy fat and more protein to this salad.
  • chickpeas – I used canned chickpeas (otherwise known as garbanzo beans) for ease, but of course, you can totally cook the chickpeas from scratch if desired. Freshly cooked beans are really delicious if you have the time.
  • feta cheese – this adds some healthy fat and such a good flavor to the salad so I wouldn’t recommend omitting it. If needed you can use vegan feta.
  • dressing – instead of an elaborate dressing, we’re using lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper to add a light and refreshing flavor to the salad. 
Ingredients for Jennifer Aniston's salad combined in a bowl.

How to Make

This salad is super easy to whip up. To start, cook your quinoa according to the package (you can also follow my full tutorial on how to cook quinoa) directions until it has softened. Drain out any excess water, if needed.

In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa, cucumbers, parsley, mint, red onion, pistachios, chickpeas, feta, lemon juice, olive oil, sea salt, and pepper. Taste and add more salt or pepper if necessary.

Quinoa salad on a white plate with a fold fork.

Cooking Quinoa for Salad

When it comes to cooking quinoa to use for salad, it’s basically the same process as normal, but I like to make my quinoa a day in advance, let it cool and chill it in the fridge overnight and then use it for the salad the next day.

Prepping it in advance is just so the quinoa doesn’t heat up the other salad ingredients. Of course it’s fine to cook it the same day and just let it cool a bit before using. I do this all the time when I’m in a rush!

Quinoa salad in a white bowl with a parsley garnish.

Notes and Substitutions

  • Quinoa – I love this salad with quinoa, but you can totally swap it with cooked bulgur wheat or farro instead.
  • Cheese – I love the creaminess and flavor the feta adds, but you can easily swap it with another cheese. I bet goat cheese would be delicious! You can also skip the cheese altogether or use a dairy-free feta cheese if you want the salad to be vegan.
  • Avocado – Want to add a little more creaminess and healthy fat to your salad? Add in some chopped avocado.
  • Pistachios – Feel free to swap the pistachios with another nut. I bet roasted and salted almonds would be delicious. If you need this salad to be nut-free, you can totally swap the nuts for roasted sunflower seeds.
  • Protein – You can totally swap the chickpeas with a different type of protein or even add more protein to this salad. I love serving the salad alongside my apple cider vinegar chicken or air fryer chicken breast on top. It would also be delicious with baked tofu, tempeh, grilled shrimp or air fryer salmon.

How to Store

I love meal prepping this salad for lunches throughout the week! It stores so well and even tastes better the next day as the ingredients have time to soak up more of the flavors. To store, place leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

More Quinoa Recipes to Try

Be sure to check out all of my quinoa recipes as well as the full collection of salad recipes on EBF!

Want to save this recipe? Enter your email below and we’ll send the recipe to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes every week!
4.97 from 416 votes

Jennifer Aniston Salad

Here's how to make the viral Jennifer Aniston salad with quinoa or bulgur, cucumber, fresh herbs, pistachios, chickpeas and feta all tossed in lemon juice and olive oil.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients  

  • 1 cup quinoa or bulgur wheat, uncooked
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup cucumber, chopped
  • ½ cup parsley, chopped
  • ½ cup mint, chopped
  • cup red onion, chopped
  • ½ cup roasted and salted pistachios, chopped
  • 1 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 2 lemons, juiced (about 5-6 Tablespoons)
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • sea salt, to taste
  • ground pepper, to taste
  • ½ cup crumbled feta cheese

Instructions 

  • Rinse and drain quinoa. Add quinoa and water to a small pot and bring the water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool for 5-10 minutes. 
  • In a medium bowl, stir together cooked quinoa, cucumber, parsley, mint, red onion, pistachios, chickpeas, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and feta.
    Ingredients for Jennifer Aniston's salad combined in a bowl.
  • Serve immediately or let the salad chill in the fridge a couple hours before serving.
  • Store salad in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.

Notes

  • Feel free to use bulgur if desired. Add bulgur and water to a small pot and bring the water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 12 minutes. Drain off any access water. Fluff with a fork and let cool for 5-10 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/6 recipe | Calories: 391kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 274mg | Potassium: 317mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 3g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: jennifer aniston salad
Did you make this recipe?Mention @eatingbirdfood and tag #eatingbirdfood!

About Brittany

Hey there, I’m Brittany, the creator of Eating Bird Food, cookbook author, health coach and mama of two littles. Here you’ll find quick and easy recipes that make healthy fun and enjoyable for you and your family!

More about Brittany
Chicken fajita filling on a sheet pan with a wooden spoon. Tortillas are resting on the bottom of the sheet pan.
Get Your FREE High-Protein Meal Plan
Struggling to eat enough protein? Subscribe to my email list and I’ll send you a 3-Day High-Protein Meal Plan with a Shopping List!

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




291 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I made this using pearl couscous and it was the most delicious salad I’ve ever eaten! The fresh mint and the pistachio really make it. I’d happily eat this for lunch every day!

    1. WOO! Sounds delicious, Shirley. I am so glad you are loving this recipe and it turned out great for you. Thanks so much for sharing your review & star rating, it means so much to me!

See More Comments