Jennifer Aniston Salad

Jennifer Aniston Salad! This is my version of the salad Jennifer made and ate on the set of Friends for 10 years! Bulgur, cucumbers, chickpeas, mint, parsley and more, I see how she ate this salad for 10 years. It’s so good!

See my variations below. Also, if you’re coming from my video from Instagram or TikTok, everything you need is included in the recipe card below. I hope you make this!

Apparently, in an interview Courtney Cox shared a salad that Jennifer Aniston would make for her and Lisa Kudrow on the set of Friends for lunch. I don’t know if they all ate the salad for 10 years but Jennifer did and I believe it. I had heard of this salad, or a salad that Jennifer ate for 10 years but thought it was a cobb salad. 

“It was a Cobb salad that Jennifer doctored up with turkey bacon and garbanzo beans and I don’t know what,’ she shared. ‘She just has a way with food, which really helps. Because if you’re going to eat the same salad every day for 10 years, it’d better be a good salad, right?”

Read more here.

Jennifer Aniston Salad

It’s hard to believe that she ate this salad for 10 years without changing things up. I would imagine that she did. Here are my variations or ways I think you can change things up!

• Bulgar, quinoa or brown rice, or even farro 
• cucumbers
• I added cherry tomatoes and I think a diced red bell pepper would also be lovely in this
• parsley
• mint
• red onion. Pickled red onion would also be lovely
• Jennifer added roasted and salted pistachios. I used walnuts and I think pecans, almonds, pine nuts or even sunflower seeds would work.
• chickpeas (for protein). I think grilled chicken or even a diced up hard boiled egg would be delicious. 
• lemon juice
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• feta cheese. If you’re not into feta, I would add diced avocado.

Print Recipe

Jennifer Aniston Salad

Apparently, this is the salad that Jennifer Aniston ate for lunch on the set of Friends for 10 years! This is my version of her salad.

If you want to make my Dijon vinaigrette: 1-2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 2-3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1/2 to 3/4 cup good quality olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Whisk (or shake), taste and adjust anything as needed. I like to add finely diced shallots as well sometimes.

If adding tuna: 1 can of albacore tuna, drained. Mash with a fork. Add some Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt and pepper and capers (as much as you want; start with 1 tablespoon). Mash and mix again. Add to salad.

Cook time will vary based on what you use. For the brown rice, I simply microwaved a bag of brown rice and it was ready in 3 minutes. If making quinoa or bulgur, that can take up to 15 minutes.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time5 minutes mins

Total Time15 minutes mins

Course: Main or Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Jennifer Aniston Salad

Servings: 4

Author: hipfoodiemom

1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 2 to 3 cups cooked quinoa, bulgur or brown rice
• 1 cup cucumber diced
• 1/2 cup parsley chopped
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup fresh mint chopped
• 1/3 cup red onion or pickled red onions* diced
• 1/3 cup cherry tomatoes** sliced in half
• 1/2 cup pistachios, walnuts, pine nuts or almonds chopped
• 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas drained and rinsed
• 2 lemons about 5 to 6 tablespoons, or to taste
• 1/4 cup olive oil extra virgin
• kosher salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta***

Instructions

• Using a large mixing bowl, mix together and combine all of the ingredients. Taste and adjust anything as needed. Enjoy immediately or place in the fridge to chill and allow the flavors to meld together. I would make ahead and refrigerate only 1 to 2 hours before serving.****
• Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Enjoy within a day or two.

Notes

*If wanting to add pickled red onions, click here for the recipe

**I think a raw red bell pepper, diced, would also be delicious

***instead of feta, I think a diced avocado would also be delicious 

****If wanting to make this ahead of time, longer than 1 to 2 hours, don't add the lemon juice or olive oil or feta cheese until an hour to 2 before serving. If added beforehand and stored in the fridge overnight for example, I think that might make everything too soggy. 

If you want to make my Dijon vinaigrette: 1-2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 2-3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1/2 to 3/4 cup good quality olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Whisk (or shake), taste and adjust anything as needed. I like to add finely diced shallots as well sometimes.

If adding tuna: 1 can of albacore tuna, drained. Mash with a fork. Add some Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt and pepper and capers (as much as you want; start with 1 tablespoon). Mash and mix again. Add to salad.