I made the Jennifer Aniston salad on a Tuesday night when my fridge was almost empty and both kids walked in saying they were starving.
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I had cooked bulgur sitting in a container, half a bag of pistachios, and a block of feta I bought for something else. Thirty minutes later we were all eating out of one big bowl at the counter.
Sarah went back for seconds. Alex, my twelve year old who calls most salads rabbit food, ate a full plate and asked what the crunchy green bits were. (Mint. He decided he likes mint now.)
Here's the thing about this salad. It looks fancy, but it's really just cooked grain, chopped vegetables, herbs, and a lemon dressing you stir in a mug. Nothing complicated, nothing you can't find at your regular grocery store.
If you like cold grain bowls like this one, my healthy couscous salad with fresh veggies works the same way and takes even less time on a night when you're running behind.
Why You Will Like This Salad
Let me tell you why this one stays in my rotation.
- Simple to put together. Cook the bulgur, chop everything, toss it. That's the whole method.
- Ready in about an hour, and most of that is waiting for the grain to cool.
- It tastes fresh and a little salty, with lemon and mint doing most of the work.
- The texture is what makes it. Soft bulgur, crunchy cucumber, creamy feta, and pistachios in every bite.
- It gets better on day two, which almost never happens with salad.
- Real ingredients only. Chickpeas, herbs, olive oil, lemon. Nothing weird.
What You Need For The Jennifer Aniston Salad
Everything here comes from one grocery run. I usually grab the herbs last so they stay perky.
- 3 ½ cups cooked bulgur wheat (I start with 1 cup uncooked red bulgur and cook it in 2 cups water)
- 3 mini cucumbers, quartered and sliced (about 2 cups)
- ½ cup chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley
- ½ cup chopped fresh mint
- ⅓ cup chopped red onion, soaked 10 minutes in cool water, then drained
- ½ cup coarsely chopped pistachios
- 2 cups chickpeas, drained and rinsed (a 14.5 ounce can gives you a little less than 2 cups, so buy the bigger can or use slightly less)
- Juice of 1 lemon, about 3 tablespoons
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup crumbled feta, plus more for serving
A few notes from my kitchen. Quinoa, couscous, or farro all work if bulgur isn't at your store. Almonds or walnuts stand in for pistachios. And please use fresh mint, not dried. I tried dried once when I was out, and it tasted like tea.
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Jennifer Aniston Salad
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
The Jennifer Aniston salad is cooked bulgur tossed with cucumbers, chickpeas, herbs, pistachios, and feta in a lemon dressing you stir in a mug. It looks fancy, but it comes together on a weeknight and tastes even better on day two.
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups cooked bulgur wheat (start with 1 cup uncooked red bulgur cooked in 2 cups water)
- 3 mini cucumbers, quartered and sliced (about 2 cups)
- ½ cup chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley
- ½ cup chopped fresh mint
- ⅓ cup chopped red onion, soaked 10 minutes in cool water, then drained
- ½ cup coarsely chopped pistachios
- 2 cups chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- Juice of 1 lemon, about 3 tablespoons
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup crumbled feta, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Cook the red bulgur according to the package directions, usually about 15 minutes with the lid on.
- Spread the bulgur on a sheet pan right away and let it cool completely, fluffing it with a fork so it does not clump.
- Chop the red onion and drop it in a small bowl of cool water for 10 minutes, then drain it well.
- Quarter the mini cucumbers lengthwise, then slice them. Chop the parsley and mint.
- Rinse and drain the chickpeas well, then roughly chop the pistachios.
- Whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper together in a mug or small jar.
- Put the cooled bulgur in your biggest bowl and add the cucumbers, chickpeas, herbs, drained onion, and pistachios.
- Pour the dressing over the top and toss gently with two big spoons.
- Add the feta last and fold it in so it stays in nice crumbles.
- Taste and add one more pinch of salt and an extra squeeze of lemon if it needs it.
- Spoon into bowls and scatter a little more feta over each portion. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Notes
Do not dress the salad while the grain is still warm, or the feta melts and the herbs wilt. Drain the chickpeas well so the bowl does not go watery. Quinoa, couscous, or farro work if bulgur is not at your store, and almonds or walnuts stand in for pistachios. Use fresh mint, not dried. Keeps 4 days in an airtight glass container in the fridge. Do not reheat and do not freeze. Making it ahead for a party? Mix everything except the feta and pistachios, then add those right before people eat.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 370
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 13mg
How To Make The Jennifer Aniston Salad
I broke this into small steps because the order matters more than the difficulty.
Cook And Cool The Bulgur
Cook the red bulgur according to the package directions, usually about 15 minutes with the lid on.
Spread it out on a sheet pan or a big platter right away and let it cool. Fluff it with a fork so it doesn't clump.
Warm grain will melt your feta and wilt your herbs. I learned that the hard way the first time I made this and served a sad, soupy bowl to Donald. He ate it anyway. He's nice like that.
Take The Bite Out Of The Onion
Chop the red onion and drop it in a small bowl of cool water for 10 minutes, then drain it well.
This one small step is why nobody at my table complains about raw onion. It softens that sharp taste and keeps the color pretty.
Chop Everything Else
Quarter the mini cucumbers lengthwise, then slice them. Chop the parsley and mint. Rinse and drain the chickpeas. Roughly chop the pistachios so you get real crunch instead of dust.
Do all of this while the bulgur cools and you'll save yourself ten minutes.
Mix The Dressing And Toss
Whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper together in a mug or small jar.
Put the cooled bulgur in your biggest bowl. Add the cucumbers, chickpeas, herbs, drained onion, and pistachios.
Pour the dressing over the top and toss gently with two big spoons. Add the feta last and fold it in so it stays in nice crumbles.
Taste And Serve
Taste it before it hits the table. Mine almost always needs one more pinch of salt and an extra squeeze of lemon.
Spoon it into bowls and scatter a little more feta over each portion. Cold or room temperature, both work.
Storage And Reheating
This salad keeps in the fridge for 4 days in an airtight glass container. Plastic holds onto the onion smell, so I stopped using it.
Don't reheat it. It's meant to be cold, and warming it turns the cucumbers soft and sad.
The herbs will darken a little by day three. The taste is still good, so I just stir in a small handful of fresh parsley before serving to wake it back up.
If you want to make it ahead for a party, mix everything except the feta and pistachios. Add those right before people eat so the nuts stay crunchy.
I don't recommend freezing it. Cucumbers and freezers are not friends.
Tips And Variations For The Jennifer Aniston Salad
Want to know what I've picked up after making this maybe fifteen times?
- Salt the chickpeas on their own before they go in the bowl. They soak up seasoning better that way.
- Toast the pistachios in a dry pan for 3 minutes. It's a tiny step with a big payoff.
- Grilled chicken turns this into dinner. I slice it and lay it over the top so Alex can pick around it if he's in a mood.
- Swap feta for goat cheese if that's what you have open.
- Add halved cherry tomatoes in summer. Sarah and I did that last July and it was the best version yet.
- Cracked green olives or a spoonful of capers add a nice salty kick.
One pitfall to skip: don't dress it while the grain is still warm, and don't skip draining the chickpeas well. Watery chickpeas make the whole bowl loose.
Jennifer Aniston Salad Questions I Get Asked
What is in the Jennifer Aniston salad?
It's cooked bulgur wheat mixed with cucumbers, chickpeas, red onion, parsley, mint, pistachios, and crumbled feta. The dressing is just lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. That's it. When I first heard about it, I assumed there was some secret step. There isn't.
Can I make the Jennifer Aniston salad ahead of time?
Yes, and I usually do. Mix it up to a full day ahead, then hold back the pistachios and part of the feta until serving time. The bulgur soaks up the lemon overnight and the taste gets deeper. I make it Sunday afternoon and pack it for lunches all week.
What can I use instead of bulgur wheat?
Quinoa is my first pick, and it keeps things gluten free. Couscous, farro, or even cooked orzo work too. Cook the grain, cool it completely, and use the same 3 ½ cups. Donald prefers the quinoa version, which surprised me since he's usually the one asking for the original.
How long does it last in the fridge?
Four days in a sealed container. After that the cucumbers start giving off water and the texture goes soft. If yours smells sharp or looks watery, toss it. Mine has never lasted past day three in this apartment anyway.
Recipes You May Like
- Healthy Greek Pasta Salad For Fresh Flavor if you love that feta and lemon combination but want pasta instead of grain.
- Easy Three Bean Salad With Fresh Parsley for another cold bowl that sits happily in the fridge all week.
- Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad when the weather turns and you want something a little warmer and sweeter.
Final Thoughts
So that's the whole thing. Cook the bulgur, cool it down, chop your vegetables and herbs, soak the onion, and toss it all with lemon and olive oil.
I love this Jennifer Aniston salad because it feeds my family without any fuss and still feels like something I made on purpose. It's the bowl I bring to potlucks now, and someone always asks for the recipe.
Make it once this week and see what your people think. Then come back and tell me how it went, because I read every comment.
Save this one to Pinterest so it's waiting for you the next time your fridge looks empty.
