Jennifer Aniston Salad
Published Sep 30, 2025
This TikTok viral Jennifer Aniston salad recipe is made with quinoa, chickpeas, feta, cucumbers, fresh herbs, and a lemon vinaigrette.
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Loving this viral “Jennifer Aniston salad”!
This Jennifer Aniston salad recipe was all over TikTok, and I had to try it. I mean, it literally has all of my favorite things and I could just hear it calling my name… quinoa, chickpeas, cucumbers, pistachios, feta, herbs… I could not not make it. And yeah, it totally lives up to the hype.
Now I get why it went viral. Fun fact: in an interview with ELLE, Jennifer said the viral salad wasn’t actually the one she ate every day on the set of Friends; that version was more of a chopped Cobb salad. But she admitted this recipe “looks delicious,” and it is. Plus, it’s got 18 grams of protein and 11 grams of fiber, so it actually keeps me full. I’ve been making it for easy lunches, and it holds up great in the fridge all week.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Jennifer Aniston Salad Ingredients
- Quinoa: I like to toast mine before cooking for extra flavor. You can also swap in couscous or bulgur if that’s what you have.
- Chickpeas: Canned works great here; just make sure to rinse and drain them well.
- Persian cucumbers: They’re less watery and have thinner skin than regular cucumbers, but you can sub in English cucumbers if needed.
- Red onion: Dice it small so it doesn’t overpower the salad.
- Pistachios: I chop them roughly so you still get crunch. Almonds or walnuts also work if that’s what’s in your pantry.
- Fresh parsley & mint: Use fresh if you can; dried herbs won’t give the same flavor.
- Feta cheese: I usually buy it in a block and crumble it myself it tastes fresher than the pre-crumbled kind.
- Dried cranberries: You can swap in golden raisins if you want.
- Dressing: Extra-virgin olive oil has the best flavor, but any good olive oil works, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
How to Make Jennifer Aniston Salad
Jennifer Aniston Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 ½ cups boiling water
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 2 Persian cucumbers finely diced
- ¼ red onion finely diced
- ½ cup shelled pistachios roughly chopped
- ½ cup fresh parsley finely chopped
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves finely chopped
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Place the quinoa in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Toast for 5 minutes, or until the seeds start to make popping sounds. Add the salt and water, bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep covered for an additional 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and transfer to a large salad bowl to cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
- Add the cooled quinoa on top of the dressing along with the chickpeas, cucumber, red onion, parsley, mint, pistachios, feta, and cranberries. Toss well until everything is evenly combined. Serve immediately.
Equipment
Notes
- Cool the quinoa: Let it come to room temperature before mixing so the herbs stay fresh and the feta doesn’t melt.
- Mellow the onion: Soak diced red onion in cold water for 5–10 minutes if you want a milder flavor.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Tips
- Cool the quinoa: Let it come to room temperature before mixing so the herbs stay fresh and the feta doesn’t melt.
- Mellow the onion: Soak diced red onion in cold water for 5–10 minutes if you want a milder flavor.
- Keep nuts separate: Store pistachios in a separate container and add them right before serving to keep them crunchy.
Serving Ideas
