Salad: The Jennifer Aniston

In the last month, The Jennifer Aniston Salad aka “The Jen”has been all over my social media feeds. And after the hundredth time of seeing it, I decided to give it a try – because, hello? Jenifer Aniston.

This wholesome salad stays fresh, savory and savory for 4 to 5 days – which makes it great for meal prep! I surely enjoyed this salad the most on the day of, because the pistachios were crunchy. So if meal prepping, I would recommend leaving those out and add to a smaller container and add them in fresh every day. Somedays I ate it with a spoon, or tossed it with micro greens and I’ve also would scoop it up whole grain chips.

What is The Jennifer Aniston Salad?

A fresh salad consisting of cooked bulgur wheat, chickpeas, diced cucumber, red onion, crumbled feta, chopped roasted and salted pistachios and fresh herbs. The dressing is simple; lemon juice and olive oil. There’s a lot of different variations but this is my take on it.

What’s The Story Behind The Jennifer Aniston Salad:

It came out in a People Magazine Article that when she took over a brands instagram feed she shared pieces of her life. And one of those things was her idea of a reliable salad. I’ve also read that she ate this salad on the set of Friends everyday for 10 years, but I’m not sure how accurate that is.

To Make The Jennifer Aniston Salad Set out:

• bulgur wheat
• red onion
• persian cucumber
• chickpeas
• roasted and salted pistachios
• fresh mint
• fresh parsley
• feta cheese
• lemon juice
• olive oil
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper

What Is Bulgur Wheat?

Bulgur wheat is a whole grain that comes from cracked wheat and is packed-full of protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber. Making this one powerhouse whole grain! It’s especially straightforward and short to cook and can be made into warn breakfast, as a side dish or added to a plethora of dishes like soups, stews and salads. One common known salad recipe being tabbouleh.

Add 1 cup bulgur to a saucepan and to that pour in 2 cups water.

Bring to a boil (uncovered) over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to low (simmer) cover and cook 12 minutes.

Once cooked, remove and drain excess unabsorbed water (if any). Fluffy with a fork and transfer to a large plate, spread evenly and let cool. If making this step in advance; cook, fluff and completely cool before storing in an air-tight container.

While the cooked bulgur wheat cools, prep the salad ingredients. Starting with 1/2 a red onion. Dice and add to a small bowl with ice and water. Let this soak for about 10 or so minutes or until you’re about to throw the salad together.

Soaking onions in ice water removes a lot of the bite. You still get onion flavor but it’s mellowed out considerably.

In a large bowl add; (cooled) cooked bulgur wheat and 1-1/2 cups finely diced Persian cucumbers. Drain the red onions and add them along with 1 (15 ounce) can rinsed and drained chickpeas, 1/2 cup chopped (roasted and salted) pistachios – or reserve if meal prepping for the week, 2/3 cup crumbled feta an 1/2 cup each finely chopped fresh mint and parsley.

Toss to combine.

Next, squeeze in the juice from 1 medium lemon or about 2 tablespoons.

And pour in 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil.

And season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Sometimes I like to serve this with micro greens as a way to bulk it up even more, but this is optional. It’s memorable as is or eaten with whole grain tortilla chips (imo).

The flavors of this salad are notable. I particularly love the flavor of the pistachio with the creamy feta and cool cucumber. Such a light yet filling salad that’s incredibly fresh and savory!

Prepare salad excluding the pistachios if wanting them to stay crunchy. Divide the chopped pistachios among 6 smaller containers or baggies. Measure and divide the salad among 6 containers (about 1-1/4 cups each) with tight fitting lids. Refrigerate for up to 6 days.

Enjoy! And if you give The Jennifer Aniston Salad recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!