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This is the viral Jennifer Aniston Salad recipe that it's rumored she ate every day for 10 years while filming Friends. This salad is SO tasty and nutritious it's easy to see how you could eat it every day!
About This Recipe
This salad is full of bright flavors and fresh textures. It's made with crunchy pistachios, creamy feta, protein-dense chickpeas and more.
The base of this salad is bulgur wheat, which is a whole wheat grain that's easy to cook in about 15 - 20 minutes. If you prefer, you could use quinoa instead.
Jen's salad is hearty enough to be a full meal meal or you could eat it as a side dish with a protein like chicken, salmon, or shrimp.
This recipe is also great for meal prep: you can make it ahead of time and it says good for 4 - 5 days.
Ingredient Notes
Here are a few popular substitutions and additions to this recipe:
Bulgur wheat: the best substitute for this is quinoa; but you could also use brown rice or couscous.
Parsley, mint: this recipe calls for both of these fresh herbs; but if you dislike the taste of one skip it and add a little extra of the other.
Chickpeas: these can be swapped out for white beans.
Feta: fresh mozzarella can be used instead.
Pistachios: pistachios add a lot of flavor to this recipe; but if you need to substitute them you can use chopped almonds.
Dressing
The dressing for this salad is a classic mix of olive oil and lemon juice. Once your salad is mixed with the dressing, taste it and add more lemon, salt, or pepper to adjust it to your own preferences.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is this called the 'Jennifer Aniston' salad?
This salad went viral on social media (TikTok) because it's rumored that Jennifer Aniston ate it everyday for 10 years while she was filming Friends!
How do you cook bulgur wheat?
Cook the bulgur wheat with 1 cup of water in a medium saucepan according to the instructions on the bulgur package. Most instructions say to bring the water and bulgur to a boil, cover it, and then simmer it for 12 - 15 minutes.
How to Serve This Recipe
This salad is best served cold and can be served as a main course or as a side dish.
This recipe is hearty enough to be a main dish and makes about 5 servings. If you serve it as a side dish, popular proteins to pair it with include chicken, salmon or shrimp.
PRO TIP: let your salad sit, covered, in the fridge for 1 - 2 hours before serving it to let the flavors marinate.
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 - 5 days.
The flavors of this salad will actually get stronger (and more tasty!) as it sits and marinates in the fridge.
How to Meal Prep This Recipe
This is a great recipe for meal prep. You can make a batch of this salad and it will taste good all week long.
To meal prep this recipe, make it according to the instructions below and then store it in a single large container or serving-size ones in the fridge.
Similar Recipes
If you like this recipe, you'll love our Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with similar ingredients.
Or if you're wanting to try more viral recipes, check out our Viral Hot Girl Summer Salad.
Jennifer Aniston Salad
- Author: Megan
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 5 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This is the viral Jennifer Aniston Salad recipe that it's rumored she ate every day for 10 years while filming Friends. This salad is SO tasty and nutritious it's easy to see how you could eat it every day!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup bulgur wheat (or quinoa), uncooked
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup cucumber, chopped (about 1 cucumber)
- 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ½ cup roasted and salted pistachios, chopped
- ⅓ cup parsley, chopped
- ⅓ cup mint, chopped
- ⅓ cup red onion, diced
Dressing:
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 lemons, juiced (5 tablespoons)
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook 1 cup of bulgur wheat (or quinoa) with 2 cups of water according to the package instructions. The bulgur should be cooked through and all of the water absorbed. Set aside to cool.
- In a small bowl, stir together the dressing ingredients.
- Add all of the salad ingredients, including the cooled bulgur to a large bowl. Drizzle the dressing on top and toss to combine. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper, or lemon as preferred.
- Enjoy! For best flavor, refrigerate 1 - 2 hours before eating. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 - 5 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅕ of recipe
- Calories: 394
- Sugar: 2.6g
- Sodium: 445mg
- Fat: 20.5g
- Saturated Fat: 4.6g
- Carbohydrates: 42.1g
- Fiber: 8.9g
- Protein: 12.1g
- Cholesterol: 13mg
Keywords: bulgur wheat, quinoa, feta, viral recipe, cucumber, chickpeas, mediterranean inspired
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Reader Interactions
Comments
TJ
Love this version of the salad. It's simple, crisp, refreshing and healthy.
★★★★★
Reply
Carole
I have made this several times and it is delicious, however you only need 1.5 cups of water for the 1 cup of bulgar wheat. And 12 minutes is perfect. I am afraid any more water that will make it sticky.
Reply
Renee
Such a refreshing and easy to make salad. This is my go-to salad for week day lunches!
★★★★★
Reply
