This Jennifer Aniston salad is such a textural delight! Made with bulgur, fresh veggies and herbs, simple dressing, chickpeas, crumbled feta, and roasted pistachios, this salad is a symphony of salty and acidic flavors.
Like Kim Kardashian’s famous chia pudding or Gigi Hadid’s pasta, Jen’s salad also took the internet by storm.
Ever since the actor revealed her lunch salad to the world, the recipe has gone viral over the internet. And because it is so quick and easy to make, everyone is obsessed with it!
If you aren’t aware of what this famous salad entails, it’s made up of bulgur, crunchy veggies, creamy feta, and a generous helping of pistachios and chickpeas.And because our beloved actress does not like sugar, the salad has no sweet elements.
Table of Contents
- Why this recipe works
- Ingredients (and substitutions)
- How to make a Jennifer Aniston salad
- Recipe tips and variations
- Storage instructions
- Frequently asked questions
- More fresh salad recipes to try
- Jennifer Aniston Salad (Recipe Card)
Why this recipe works
Similar to my wedge salad, Green Goddess salad, or Asian cucumber salad, this salad is also filling, full of refreshing flavors, and easy to make!
- Light yet filling. This salad is a perfect lunch recipe, especially if you’re a vegetarian! You won’t feel stuffed, yet it’ll keep you full for a long time.
- Healthy and balanced. This salad is healthy and balanced with carbs from bulgur, healthy fats from pistachios, oil, and feta, proteins from chickpeas, vitamins, antioxidants, and veggie fibers.
- Simple. Like a chicken avocado salad or chicken salad with grapes, you don’t need complicated appliances, cooking techniques, or long durations to put together this salad.
- Tasty. Despite a simple vinaigrette, this salad wins all the brownie points for a fantastic taste.
- Perfect for meal prep. You can simply prep the veggies and herbs and cook the wheat bulgur in advance. Once ready to eat, combine everything with the dressing and serve!
Ingredients (and substitutions)
Besides the chickpeas and bulgar, everything else involves simple pantry staples to make. Here is what you’ll need:
- Bulgur. It is parboiled cracked wheat, rife with nutrients. Start with uncooked bulgur. If you cannot find bulgur wheat, make this recipe with quinoa or even couscous.
- Water. To cook bulgur.
- Cucumber. Persian cucumbers adds a nice crunch to the salad. Thinly slice your cucumber so it becomes evenly distributed.
- Chickpeas (garbanzo beans). You’ll need one can of cooked chickpeas. Remember to drain and rinse them, before use. You can also make chickpeas from scratch if you’d prefer that or use roasted chickpeas instead.
- Red onion. Finely diced. This adds a nice peppery element.
- Fresh herbs. I use fresh parsley and mint for this salad. Chop your herbs finely so that they distribute well.
- Pistachios. I like unsalted and roasted pistachios, but raw ones work just fine. Other nuts like almonds or seeds like sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds will work.
- Feta cheese. Every good salad needs a cheesy element, and this one uses feta. To keep this salad dairy free, use a vegan feta.
- Lemon juice. For the tangy vinaigrette. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice if possible.
- Extra virgin olive oil. To make the oil lemon juice vinaigrette.
- Salt and black pepper. For the seasoning.
How to make a Jennifer Aniston salad
Step 1- Boil the bulgur. Add bulgur and water to a pot and allow it to boil. Simmer it covered for 10 minutes.
Step 2- Make the dressing. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
Step 3- Toss the salad and serve. Mix all the veggies, chickpeas, and cooked and drained bulgur in a large bowl. Top it off with pistachios and cheese, and drizzle with lemon dressing.
Recipe tips and variations
- Use stock to cook your bulgur. Use chicken or vegetable stock instead of good old plain water for cooking your bulgur.
- Customize it. This salad is easy to make, and there aren’t any pain points. So, experiment with your additions to create a smashing salad.
- Soak onions. Soak chopped onions in cold water to remove the sharp onion flavor.
- Cool bulgur before combining. Let the bulgur cool down before mixing it with the rest of the ingredients. You don’t want a mushy, warm salad.
- Add sweet elements. Add pomegranate or dried berries to the salad to balance off the savoriness.
- Add more protein. While chickpeas are full of protein, feel free to increase the protein content by adding tofu pieces or your favorite meat (I love to quickly air fry some chicken breast, shrimp, or some steak!). For a flavor explosion, add some sliced smoked chicken breast.
Storage instructions
To store. This salad is excellent for meal prep. You can make it in bulk and portion it in airtight containers so that it lasts the whole week in the refrigerator!
To freeze. I don’t recommend freezing this salad! Serve fresh and devour!
Frequently asked questions
Is this salad gluten-free?
No, unfortunately, this salad contains gluten. But if you wish to make a gluten-free salad, substitute bulgur with quinoa.
Did Jennifer Aniston have this salad during the filming of Friends?
Interestingly, this is not the said salad. Jennifer Aniston ate Cobb salad during the ten years of filming Friends.
More fresh salad recipes to try
Boring salads are a no-go around here, so try one of these flavor-packes ones for some meal time variety.
- Kani salad– The famous Japanese steakhouse-style salad with crisp and creamy elements.
- Steak salad– This is my family’s favorite dinner salad that is perfect during the warmer months.
- Hot German potato salad– Yes, a warm salad and yes, it’s fabulous.
- Asian chicken salad– Loaded with all the crispy and crunchy elements.
Jennifer Aniston Salad
5 from 134 votes
This Jennifer Aniston salad is such a textural delight! Made with bulgur, fresh veggies and herbs, simple dressing, chickpeas, crumbled feta, and roasted pistachios, this salad is a symphony of salty and acidic flavors.
Servings: 4 servings
Prep: 1 minute min
Cook: 12 minutes mins
Total: 13 minutes mins
Rate This Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
Place the bulgur in a small pot with water and bring it to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover the pot with a lid. Cook for 10 min and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
In a salad bowl, combine cucumber, chickpeas, red onion, mint, and parsley.
Drain any excess water from the bulgur and combine it with the veggies in the salad bowl.
Sprinkle with pistachios and feta cheese, followed by the dressing, and serve immediately.
Notes
TO STORE. This salad is excellent for meal prep. You can make it in bulk and portion it in airtight containers so that it lasts the whole week in the refrigerator!
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 413kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 13gFat: 17gSodium: 315mgPotassium: 601mgFiber: 15gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 665IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 93mgIron: 4mgNET CARBS: 42g
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Author: Arman Liew
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