Jennifer Aniston Salad - iFoodReal.com (2024)

Jennifer Aniston Salad is fresh, vibrant, and famously delicious! It’s easy to make in one bowl, packed with protein, and perfect for meal prep.

If you love quinoa salads, this Mediterranean quinoa salad is one of our summertime favorites!

Jennifer Aniston Salad - iFoodReal.com (1)

Table of Contents

  • Ingredients for Jennifer Aniston Salad
  • How to Make Jennifer Aniston Salad
  • Tips for Best Results and Variations
  • What to Serve Viral Jennifer Aniston Quinoa Salad with?
  • Can I Make It Ahead for Meal Prep?
  • How to Store
  • FAQs
  • More Quinoa Recipes to Try
  • More Meal Prep Salad Recipes
  • Jennifer Aniston Salad Recipe

This Jennifer Aniston salad reminds me of quinoa tabbouleh salad, it’s one of those refreshing healthy salad recipes you can’t make just once.

Full of protein, crunchy veggies and pistachios, fresh herbs, feta cheese, and a lemon vinaigrette, it really is the perfect salad.

Jennifer shared her recipe on the Living Proof Instagram account, and I had to try it. I didn’t have bulgur on hand, so I went with quinoa for the base, it’s more widely available and used nowadays.

I am now obsessed with the Jennifer Aniston quinoa salad, it lives up the hype!

Some believed she ate this salad every day while filming Friends but further research revealed she ate a cobb salad. Which wasn’t really a cobb salad but rather a salad with added turkey bacon and garbanzo beans.

Ingredients for Jennifer Aniston Salad

This Jennifer Aniston Salad recipe is made with a small list of pantry staples and fresh ingredients.

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  • Quinoa: You can use naturally gluten-free white quinoa or tri-color quinoa.
  • Chickpeas: I like cooked Instant Pot chickpeas but canned chickpeas or garbanzo beans work too and save time.
  • Cucumber: Adds crunch! I like English cucumbers for their fresh taste.
  • Red onion: For depth of flavor and more crunch.
  • Fresh herbs: Finely chopped parsley and mint add another layer of flavor. You can use flat-leaf parsley or curly parsley, but fresh is best for both herbs.
  • Pistachios: You’ll want roasted and salted pistachios, they add healthy fats, more taste, and more protein!
  • Salad dressing: Extra virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, salt, and pepper make up the refreshing healthy salad dressing.
  • Feta cheese: Adds a sharp, creamy taste to the salad. I recommend buying a block of feta and crumble it yourself to avoid anti-caking agents.

How to Make Jennifer Aniston Salad

Here is an overview of how to make the viral Jennifer Aniston Salad. All it takes is one bowl and a few simple steps. There is a full recipe card below.

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  • Cook quinoa: Add quinoa, cold water, and a pinch of salt to a medium size pot. Cover, and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and cook covered for 12 minutes, or according to package instructions. Let it stand for 5-10 minutes covered. You can also follow my easy step-by-step on how to cook quinoa on the stove or make quinoa in Instant Pot.
  • Make the dressing: While your quinoa cooks, add olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, mint, salt, and pepper to a large salad bowl. Whisk well to combine.
  • Add other ingredients: Add chickpeas, cucumber, red onion, feta cheese and pistachios to the bowl with dressing. Meanwhile, fluff the quinoa with a fork and make sure it is cooled to at least room temperature.
  • Add quinoa and mix: Add cooked quinoa to the salad and stir very well. You can serve Jennifer Aniston salad immediately or chill in the fridge for about an hour.

Tips for Best Results and Variations

This Jennifer Aniston salad recipe is extremely easy to make, here are a few tips to make it incredibly delicious!

  • Let cooked quinoa cool: Freshly cooked quinoa will be hot, for best results make sure you let it cool for at least 5 minutes. Slightly warm, room temperature quinoa will soak up the dressing and melt the feta cheese a bit, but hot quinoa will make the salad mushy.
  • Cook quinoa al dente: Cooked quinoa should have a little bite to it with a firm, slightly chewy texture. That’s why I use less water.
  • No need to rinse quinoa: Most pre-packaged quinoa has been pre-rinsed so you can skip rinsing. However, if you find it a bit bitter because of the saponin coating, you can rinse in a very fine mesh sieve under cold water before cooking.
  • If you would like to use bulgur: This super grain is just as easy to make. Start by rinsing 1 cup bulgur wheat and drain well. Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil, stir in the drained bulgur along with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Once water bubbles, lower the heat, cover, and let it simmer for 12 minutes until no liquid remains. Remove from heat, let it sit covered for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
  • Add chicken: Add more protein to this nourishing salad with diced yogurt marinated chicken, grilled chicken breast, baked chicken breast or chicken breast in Instant Pot.
  • Make it vegan: Use vegan feta cheese. The feta adds amazing flavor so I do not recommend leaving it out.
  • Add avocado: Diced avocado will add more creaminess and healthy fats.
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What to Serve Viral Jennifer Aniston Quinoa Salad with?

I love meal prepping this Jennifer Aniston salad for lunches throughout the week, bringing with me on a potluck, or serving it next to protein for a full, hearty meal!

We love it next to chicken! Yogurt marinated chicken, bruschetta chicken, chimichurri chicken, and crockpot BBQ pulled chicken are on repeat for us right now. We also love grilled salmon in the summer.

Can I Make It Ahead for Meal Prep?

Yes! This Jennifer Aniston salad recipe is perfect for meal prep. Once mixed, the salad is great for 3-4 days and you can make it up to 5 days in advance with the below suggestions.

Cook quinoa ahead: Cooked quinoa will last up to 5 days if stored in an airtight container and refrigerated.

Make dressing ahead: You can also prepare the dressing with olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper, and store in a jar.

Pre-cut cucumber: Store chopped cucumber on the side and add before serving.

How to Store

Store: Place salad leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freeze: You can freeze the salad. I recommend to omit the cucumber because the leftovers won’t thaw well with cucumber becoming soggy.

FAQs

What is a Jennifer Aniston salad?

A Jennifer Aniston salad is a viral salad made with bulgur wheat, cucumber, red onion, chickpeas, pistachios, fresh mint and parsley, and feta cheese. Then drizzled with a simple salad dressing of lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

How healthy is Jennifer Aniston salad?

It is very healthy! All the ingredients are packed with protein, healthy fats, and gluten-free. It’s also a great source of fiber, magnesium, and iron.

Did Jennifer Aniston eat the Jennifer Aniston salad?

Jennifer Aniston ate the Jennifer Aniston salad all the time and explained it as her “perfect salad”.

What salad did Jennifer Aniston eat for 10 years?

According to anarticle in the Los Angeles Times, Jennifer Aniston ate a cobb salad with turkey bacon and garbanzo beans every day, for ten years, while filming Friends.

More Quinoa Recipes to Try

  • Broccoli quinoa salad
  • Kale and quinoa salad
  • Avocado blueberry quinoa salad
  • Southwest quinoa salad
  • Black bean quinoa salad
  • One pot chicken quinoa
  • Black bean quinoa casserole

More Meal Prep Salad Recipes

  • Avocado tuna salad
  • Avocado chicken salad
  • Chicken salad
  • BBQ chicken salad
Jennifer Aniston Salad - iFoodReal.com (5)

Jennifer Aniston Salad - iFoodReal.com (6)

Jennifer Aniston Salad

Jennifer Aniston Salad is fresh, vibrant, and delicious! It's easy to make in one bowl, packed with protein, and perfect for meal prep.

5 from 4 votes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 389

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Print RecipeSave RecipeRate Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa uncooked
  • 1 3/4 cups cold water
  • 1/3 cup olive oil extra virgin
  • 1 large lemon zest and juice of
  • 3/4 cup parsley finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup mint finely chopped
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 15 ounces can chickpeas drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 long English cucumber diced
  • 1/3 cup red onion diced
  • 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled
  • 1/2 cup pistachios roasted and salted

Instructions

  • In a medium pot, add quinoa, cold water and a pinch of salt. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 12 minutes. Let it stand for 5-10 minutes covered.

  • Meanwhile, in a large salad bowl, combine olive oil, lemon zest and lemon juice, parsley, mint, salt and pepper. Whisk well.

  • Then add chickpeas, cucumber, red onion, feta cheese and pistachios. Fluff quinoa with a fork and make sure it is cooled to at least room temperature.

  • Add cooked quinoa to the bowl, stir salad very well and and serve immediately or let chill in the fridge for about an hour.

Video

Notes

  • Store: Refrigerate covered for up to 5 days.
  • Freeze: Omit cucumber then. Leftovers won’t thaw well with cucumber becoming soggy.

Nutrition

Calories: 389kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 286mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 2g

Course: Salad

Cuisine: North American

Author: Olena Osipov

Did you make this recipe?Mention @ifoodreal or tag #ifoodreal!

Categories:
4th of July-Memorial Day-Labour Day, Diet, Gluten Free Recipes, Lunch, Meal Prep, Quinoa Salads, Salad Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes, Video

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About Olena

Welcome! I grew up in Ukraine watching my grandma cook with simple ingredients. I have spent the last 11 years making it my mission to help you cook quick and easy meals for your family!

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Jennifer Aniston Salad - iFoodReal.com (2024)

FAQs

Is Jennifer Aniston salad good for weight loss? ›

Aniston's salad is low in calories, high in vitamins and nutrients, filling, and great for weight loss goals, according to Feder. "This salad recipe is very calorie friendly and is a complete meal," he says. "It contains healthy amounts of fats, and protein, and is low in carbohydrates.

What was the salad Jennifer Aniston ate every day? ›

The salad Jen ate on the set of Friends was a Cobb Salad, while this salad is a riff on a tabbouleh.

Is the Jennifer Aniston salad low carb? ›

Jennifer Aniston's go-to lettuce-less salad boasts a nutritious blend of assorted vegetables, crunchy nuts, and hearty plant-based proteins to deliver a high-protein, low-carb meal that you can make in minutes.

What is the actual Jennifer Aniston salad? ›

Even though this recipe went viral, Jennifer explained in an interview that her salad was actually quite different. The salad she made on a daily basis consisted of shredded lettuce, chicken, egg whites, a couple of garbanzo beans, bacon, and a basic vinaigrette.

What does Jennifer Aniston eat for lunch everyday? ›

When lunch comes around, she's hungry for something more substantial. "I'll usually have lunch around one or two, and it's usually some form of vegetables and a protein."

What does Jennifer Aniston eat to stay slim? ›

"For me, I stick to 1.7 grams of carbs and 2 grams of protein per my kilo weight to support muscle-building." In 2016, Jennifer herself told Yahoo! Food, "It's pretty clear: eat as much organic fruits and veggies as you can, keep sugar [intake] low, drink tons and tons of water, and get good sleep." Noted.

Did Jennifer Aniston really eat the same salad every day on Friends? ›

It dates back to a 2010 Los Angeles Times interview with Courteney Cox where she says she, Aniston, and Lisa Kudrow ate lunch together every single day and ate the same salad every day. "We always had the same thing — a Cobb salad. But it wasn't really a Cobb salad.

What to avoid in salad for weight loss? ›

Crunchy Noodles, Wontons, and Tortilla Strips

“Crunchy noodles are like eating chips,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, R.D.N., creator of BetterThanDieting.com and author of Read It Before You Eat It. All they add to your salad are calories (around 120 per half cup) and fat (half of those calories, at around 60 grams).

What does Jennifer Aniston eat for breakfast? ›

“When I wake up, I have warm lemon water and then I have a shake or avocado and eggs, which is one of my favorites,” Aniston says. “I sprinkle a little coconut oil on that. Sometimes I'll have a puffed millet cereal with a banana, or I'll do oatmeal with an egg white whipped in at the end.”

What does Jennifer Aniston eat in the morning? ›

Aniston starts her day with plenty of protein, sharing that her go to breakfast is avocado and eggs. and a shake, to which she'll add maca powder and cinnamon to. Another one of Aniston's go-to breakfasts? A smoothie, which always includes some sort of pure protein, bananas, berries, and a mix of greens.

Did Jennifer Aniston really eat the same salad every day for 10 years? ›

Jennifer Aniston used to eat the same salad every day for 10 years on the set of "Friends." Videos on TikTok have been going viral with what they claim was Aniston's salad recipe. Aniston has now debunked the videos and said her recipe was "totally different."

Should salad be eaten first or last? ›

Eating a salad after a meal can help digestion, while eating one before a meal may help discourage overeating. No matter when you choose to eat your salad it will still come with health benefits. The most important thing is that you have vegetables regularly.

Does Jennifer Aniston skip breakfast? ›

I noticed a big difference in going without solid food for 16 hours,' she told Radio Times at the time. After facing some backlash over the diet, Jennifer defended the diet and opened up further about why fasting worked for her personally - explaining that it happened naturally since she often skipped breakfast.

What are the healthiest nuts for salads? ›

Nuts and seeds — such as pistachios, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, almonds, peanuts and chia seeds — are highly nutritious salad toppings. For example, 1 ounce (28 grams) of pumpkin seeds has 5 grams of protein and close to 20% of the Daily Value (DV) for zinc.

What was the salad Jennifer Aniston ate on Friends? ›

The true salad that she ate on set consisted of shredded lettuce, chicken, egg whites, chickpeas, bacon, and a basic vinaigrette, she explained. Occasionally, Aniston would add pecorino cheese from a nearby Italian restaurant to top off the Cobb-style salad.

What does Jennifer Aniston's diet consist of? ›

It's pretty clear: Eat as much organic fruits and veggies as you can, keep sugar [intake] low, drink tons and tons of water and get good sleep." But does she indulge every now and again? Of course she does! "I allow myself to indulge once in a while... I don't give myself any rules anymore," she confessed.

What did Jennifer Aniston eat in a day during Friends? ›

"Jennifer and Lisa [Kudrow] and I ate lunch together every single day for 10 years. And we always had the same thing — a Cobb salad," Cox said. "But it wasn't really a Cobb salad. It was a Cobb salad that Jennifer doctored up with turkey bacon and garbanzo beans and I don't know what."

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