The viral Jennifer Aniston salad is super easy to make! Loaded with fresh ingredients – cucumber, red onion, parsley, mint, and feta – all tossed in simple lemon dressing. It’s not just healthy, but totally delicious too!
Jennifer Aniston recently described her perfect salad as, “bulgur wheat, cucumbers, parsley, mint, red onion, garbanzo beans, feta cheese, and pistachios.” And OMG the internet went CRAZY for it! Recipes similar to the salad the Friends actress described quickly popped up all over TikTok. The Jennifer Aniston salad went viral. So, as a foodie and fellow salad-lover, I had to give it a try for myself.
My version of the salad contains everything Jennifer described – bulgur wheat, cucumbers, parsley, mint, red onion, garbanzo beans, feta cheese, and pistachios – my only addition is a simple lemon, olive oil, salt, and black pepper dressing. Since Jen didn’t offer up a dressing herself, this is what I envisioned a salad like this being tossed in. And let me tell you, it TOTALLY lived up to the hype!
What You’ll Need to Make the Jennifer Aniston Salad
Bulgur Wheat or Quinoa – In keeping this super authentic to Jen’s recipe, I used bulgur wheat in my salad. However, bulgur wheat can be hard to come by, so I also offer up the option to use quinoa instead. Both are hearty, protein-rich, super nutritious grains. Never had bulgur wheat? It’s most similar to farro or barley, but smaller grain. Bulgur wheat has a nice nutty flavor, and will keep you full without feeling weighed down.
Garbanzo Beans/Chickpeas – What’s the difference between garbanzo beans and chickpeas? Literally nothing! They’re two names for the exact same thing. Jennifer Aniston called them “garbanzo beans,” but I call them “chickpeas,” so that’s what we’re sticking with. Chickpeas are an excellent source of protein, especially in this salad recipe!
Feta Cheese – Greek brined white cheese, made from sheep’s milk. Feta adds the perfect salty bite to this salad! And because it’s made with sheep’s milk, it has a lower lactose content. Meaning, those whoe are lactose intolerant (aka ME!), may have an easier time tolerating feta cheese. I, personally, can enjoy it in small amounts without any issue. However, if you can’t tolerate feta, or simply need a dairy-free option, check out my “make it vegan” section below!
Parsley and Mint – Don’t skimp on the fresh herbs! Fresh parsley and mint are my favorite parts of this salad. They add a super fresh and vibrant component to this recipe. Therefore, don’t leave ’em out!
Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs
Make it Gluten-Free: Yes, bulgur wheat contains gluten. Therefore, opt for quinoa instead of bulgur wheat to make this Jennifer Aniston salad entirely gluten-free.
Make it Vegan/Dairy-Free: For a vegan/dairy-free salad, either leave out the feta cheese, or replace it with your favorite vegan feta. I love the Violife Vegan Feta, it tastes and crumbles just like the real thing!
The viral Jennifer Aniston salad is super easy to make! Loaded with fresh ingredients – cucumber, red onion, parsley, mint, and feta – all tossed in simple lemon dressing. It’s not just healthy, but totally delicious too!
Ingredients
For the bulgur wheat/quinoa:
1cupbulgur wheat or quinoa, dry
2cupswater or vegetable broth
For the salad dressing:
1/2cupolive oil
1/2cuplemon juice
1/2teaspoonsalt
1/4teaspoonblack pepper
For the salad:
1(15 ounce) canchickpeas, drained and rinsed
1cupEnglish cucumber, chopped
1cupfeta cheese, crumbled
1/2red onion, diced
1/2cuproasted salted pistachios, roughly chopped
1/2cupfresh parsley, chopped
1/4cupfresh mint, chopped
Directions
Add either bulgur wheat or quinoa to a small saucepan, along with water or vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook over low heat for 12-15 minutes. Once bulgur wheat or quinoa has absorbed all liquid, remove from heat and let stand covered for an additional 5 minutes. Then, remove lid and fluff with a fork.
While the bulgur wheat or quinoa cooks, make the salad dressing by adding all ingredients to a bowl and whisking to combine.
Add cooked bulgur wheat or quinoa to a large bowl, along with the remaining salad ingredients. Pour dressing over salad and toss, then either serve immediately or let chill in the fridge for a few hours before serving.
Recipe Video
Notes
Leaving the salad to chill for a few hours before eating will increase the flavor!
Leftover salad will stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. No need to store the dressing separately.
She did in fact, eat a cobb salad instead everyday consisting of chopped lettuce, chicken breast, turkey bacon, boiled egg, and so on with her co-star Lisa Kudrow.
She did in fact, eat a cobb salad instead everyday consisting of chopped lettuce, chicken breast, turkey bacon, boiled egg, and so on with her co-star Lisa Kudrow.
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.
The salad Jen ate on the set of Friends was a Cobb Salad, while this salad is a riff on a tabbouleh. She shared it years ago on Instagram with the caption “My perfect salad”, and was nice enough to also list the ingredients that were inside her bowl. Celebrities — they're just like us!
This viral Jen Aniston salad, also known as the Rachel Salad, is made up of bulgur wheat, cucumber, chickpeas, red onion, fresh mint and parsley, pistachios, and feta cheese. The simple salad dressing recipe combines lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
A wholesome diet with low sugar and minimal processed food." Another of Jen's trainers, Leyon Azubuike, co-owner of Gloveworx, told Women's Health that he encourages the actress to go for healthy fats too. "I love avocados, coconut oil, salmon, fish oil... anything that's a good form of fat is great," he said.
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.
In the issue, Aniston detailed the four rules she lives by to stay healthy, telling the publication, "I drink a lot of water, move my body daily, try to eat whole, fresh foods, and get as much sleep as I can." "That last part is challenging for me, but it's so important," she added.
Although Aniston doesn't eliminate any food groups from her diet, she typically avoids processed foods and limits her intake of sugar. Here are some of the foods she limits: Processed foods: frozen meals, french fries, chips, pretzels, fast food, fried foods.
Lunch. Lunch is "some form of vegetables or salad with protein—pretty basic," she tells Elle. But just because it's basic doesn't mean Aniston leaves it up to chance. She plans ahead to make it possible to toss something nutritious together even during the busiest of days.
'Jennifer, Lisa [Kudrow] and I ate lunch together every single day for 10 years,' she said. 'And we always had the same thing - a Cobb salad. 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.
Aniston shared, “My body doesn't love carbs. These days, if I was being super picky, I would love to drop 5 pounds. That is just where I have always been really comfortable at about 110 to 113 pounds.
Over the years, Jennifer Aniston has revealed her top skincare secrets, and one of her favourite beauty buys seems to be one of the most popular supplements right now. Jen-approved Vital Proteins collagen powder has over 77k 5-star ratings at Amazon - and right now it's on sale at both Amazon UK and Amazon US.
The actual salad that she ate for 10 years while Friends was being filmed was actually a doctored up Cobb salad with shredded lettuce, chicken, egg whites, a small amount of garbanzo beans or chickpeas, bacon and a basic vinaigrette.
According to Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston had her own special recipe for Cobb Salad that she ate every day on the set of Friends for 10 years. However, Aniston later clarified that she did not eat the salad every single day, as has been widely reported.
The real Jennifer Aniston salad is a riff on a Cobb salad and contains salami, chicken, turkey bacon, garbanzo beans, pecorino cheese, tomatoes, and Italian dressing. It does not contain cucumbers, feta cheese, a whole grain, or a lemon vinaigrette.
My general philosophy is to eat healthy. 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. I allow myself to indulge once in a while... I don't give myself any rules anymore."
Hobby: Reading, Ice skating, Foraging, BASE jumping, Hiking, Skateboarding, Kayaking
Introduction: My name is Cheryll Lueilwitz, I am a sparkling, clean, super, lucky, joyous, outstanding, lucky person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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