Here’s how to make the viral Jennifer Aniston salad with bulgur (or quinoa!), cucumbers, pistachios, fresh herbs, chickpeas, and salty feta.
The short answer: bulgur or quinoa, cucumber, chickpeas, pistachios, herbs and feta in a lemon dressing. Let the grain cool completely before dressing, or the salad goes soft and loses the crunch that makes it work.
Drizzle the salad with fresh and simple lemon olive oil dressing and serve right away! A healthy lunch idea for any day!
Everyone is talking about this viral Jennifer Aniston salad recipe, and I can see why, it's incredibly delicious and packs lots of nutrients!
Like fulfilling salads? Try our Smoked Chicken and Beet Salad or Hawaiian Macaroni Salad.
Jump To
Many sources claim that apparently, Jen ate this salad every day for 10 years while filming the show Friends.
But after a little more research, other sources say that on the set of Friends, Jennifer made herself a Vegan Cobb Salad for lunch.
This is NOT the real Jennifer Aniston Salad. This chickpea feta salad was posted via Living Proof brand on Instagram while she was part owner of this particular hair brand.
Now, this was way back in 2015. But since then this salad has gone viral multiple times, and for a reason!
Who doesn't love an easy chickpea feta salad, that is so easy to make ahead and one of the best salads for potlucks and picnics?
You can use either canned chickpeas or cook them from scratch, or roast them in the pan or grill. Add lots of different spices just like in this Roasted Chickpea Salad (one of my favorite chickpea salads!).
Ingredients
Another favorite worth bookmarking: our Russian Potato Salad (Olivier Salad).
Friend's star's original salad version calls for bulgur but you can easily make it gluten-free by replacing this with quinoa or rice. It works great and is not heavy on the stomach (everything in moderation though!)
- Bulgur. If this is hard to find you can substitute bulgur with farro, rice, or quinoa instead.
- Chicken or Vegetable Stock: I love cooking bulgur and any grains in stock or broth (vegetable broth in this case) instead of water to give it more flavor. Or if you have some Vegeta seasoning, add a teaspoon to the water while cooking bulgur.
- Fresh Lemon Dressing. In the initial Instagram post it was not mentioned which dressing was used for the chickpea salad. A fresh bowl of plenty of fresh ingredients requires in my opinion, a more simple and light dressing.
- I have used a combination of lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil (make sure it's of good quality!), salt, and black pepper.
- If it seems too sour for you, add a splash of honey or maple syrup. Both options are delicious depending on your preferences. Any basic vinaigrette-style salad dressing should work here just fine too!
- Pistachios. For extra protein and healthy fats! Use roasted and salted are preferred but any store-bought ones will do.
- Chickpeas/garbanzo beans. I used canned chickpeas, just as they are, properly rinsed and dried. This is an easy and quick version of a salad but if you are willing to spend a little more time, roast them! Add some regular or smoked paprika, more favorite seasoning salt, and black pepper, drizzle with olive oil, and roast in the oven or pan.
- Cucumbers. Cucumbers and red onion add a nice crunch to the salad along with pistachio nuts. What cucumbers can I use for salad? Usually, for salads, the best suitable cucumbers are Dutch, Persian, and English Cucumber.
- These have very less or almost no bitterness to them and have smooth skins. If using any type of small cucumber I suggest removing the thick skins first as they are too tough to chew on and taste quite bitter.
- Feta cheese. The crumbled feta also adds a nice salty flavor to this salad, which means that you can go light on the dressing and still have a super flavorful chickpea salad. Other alternatives could include goat cheese or grated parmesan or pecorino cheese (will have to adjust the amount in this case).
- Red onion - adds that needed zing to this salad but simple substitutes include green onion, scallions, or sweet salad onion.
For the complete list of ingredients, please scroll down to where you'll find the recipe card.
How To Cook Bulgur (the right way!)
For bulgur to be properly cooked and ''crumbly'':
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a pot over medium-high heat.
Add in bulgur and stir for a couple of minutes until you get a deliciously nutty aroma.
Slowly pour in boiled water (with a ratio of 1:2), do this in batches. Take it to a gentle boil and reduce the heat to low.
Close the lid and cook for 20 minutes. Bulgur will absorb all the water and will expand in size. Proceed to use bulgur in your favorite recipes!
Pro Tip: For more flavor, I like to use vegetable broth instead of water.
Instructions
Jennifer Aniston's Salad is fresh, crunchy, and packed with healthy plant-based protein.
This salad will be great if you are craving for healthy but fulfilling lunch or dinner.
To start, cook your bulgur according to the package directions until it has softened. (Read my tips on how to correctly cook bulgur above).
Drain out any excess water, if needed.
Prepare all the salad ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl or mason jar, whisk the dressing ingredients.
Rinse and dry the chickpeas with kitchen towels or paper towels. Remove any loose skins. Or roast them. Add them to the salad.
Drizzle the bulgur salad generously with dressing, mix to combine and serve right away.
Tips
- Optional add-ons. I love how versatile is Jennifer Aniston salad, you can customize it with basically any ingredients and fresh veggies.
- My favorite add-ons are chopped avocado, cherry or plum tomatoes, roasted red peppers, olives, sunflower seeds, nuts, and dried berries. I also love using different dressings when making the salad each time.
- Want a Vegan version? This salad is vegan already minus the cheese. However, if you are willing to spend some time, Monica from Hidden Veggies has an amazing homemade Vegan feta cheese recipe, in addition to tons of her other homemade vegan cheese recipes.
Freezing and Storing Instructions
For best results, serve right away, or consume within 24 hours. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. No freezing.
Make ahead. There's not much prep involved so best to make it on the day. However, if you need to prep in advance, simply dice the cucumbers, and onions and keep them in an airtight container for 1-2 days.
Other ingredients should be added right before serving. Especially mint which will brown quickly after cutting it. Dressing can be mixed and stored for 1-2 days in the fridge as well.
To keep your salad fresh for longer, only add the dressing into individual serving bowls and keep the salad undressed in the fridge.
Fun Variations to Try
- Add protein. Stir in grilled chicken or shrimp for a heartier meal.
- Different grain. Use quinoa instead of bulgur for a gluten-free version.
- Extra herbs. Add fresh mint alongside the parsley for a brighter flavor.
What to Serve With This Salad
- Grilled chicken or salmon for a complete meal
- Warm pita bread on the side
- A dollop of hummus or tzatziki
Easy Salad Recipes
We have quite a few salad recipes on this blog. From our all-time favorite Hawaiian Macaroni Salad, the good old classic and light Caesar Salad to our special Chicken Fajita Salad and many more.
For more recipes please take a look at my ALL SALAD recipe collection.
FAQ
How long does the Jennifer Aniston salad last?
For best results, serve right away, or consume within 24 hours. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. No freezing.
What salad did Jennifer Aniston eat every day on the set of Friends?
Chickpea Feta Salad is not the REAL Jen's salad and she actually ate a Cobb Salad with turkey bacon and plenty of other ingredients according to Courtney Cox.
What's in the Jennifer Aniston salad?
According to Jen, she ate a vegan cobb salad on the set of filming Friends. However, this is another version of Jennifer Aniston salad (NOT the real Jennifer Aniston salad) that she posted a while back via Living Proof brand on Instagram while she was part owner of this particular hair brand. This is a chickpea feta salad that consists of canned chickpeas, cucumbers, fresh herbs, lemon juice, olive oil, and red onion.
This post was way back in 2015. But since then this salad has gone viral multiple times, and for a reason!
Thank you so much for reading about this chickpea feta salad. Please feel free to comment with any questions you may have! I love reading your feedback.
Rita
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below. Thank you!
📖Recipe
Jennifer Aniston Salad (Chickpea Feta Salad)
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa or bulgur wheat uncooked
- 1 cup cucumber chopped
- ½ cup fresh parsley chopped
- ¼ cup mint chopped
- ⅓ cup red onion chopped
- ½ cup roasted and salted pistachios chopped
- 1 15 ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 4-5 tablespoons of lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt to taste
- ground pepper to taste
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- To start, cook your bulgur according to the package directions until it has softened. (Read my tips on how to correctly cook bulgur below). Drain out any excess water, if needed.
- Prepare all the salad ingredients in a large bowl. I na small bowl or masoon jar, whisk the dressing ingredients.
- Rinse and dry the chickpeas with kitchen towels or paper towels. Remove any loose skins. Or roast them. Add them to the salad.
- Drizzle the bulgur salad generously with dressing, mix to combine and serve right away.
Before You Go
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Rita
delicious chickpea feta salad for any occasion!