Jennifer Aniston Fresh Salad (Print Version)

A refreshing Mediterranean salad with grains, chickpeas, cucumber, feta, herbs, and toasted nuts.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa or bulgur, uncooked
02 - 2 cups water

→ Legumes

03 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 large cucumber, diced
05 - 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

→ Dairy

06 - 3/4 cup (100 g) feta cheese, crumbled

→ Herbs

07 - 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped

→ Nuts & Seeds

09 - 1/3 cup pistachios or slivered almonds, toasted and roughly chopped

→ Dressing

10 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
12 - 1 clove garlic, minced
13 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
14 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

# How to Make It:

01 - Rinse quinoa or bulgur thoroughly. In a medium saucepan, combine with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until tender—approximately 12 minutes for quinoa or 15 minutes for bulgur. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled quinoa or bulgur, chickpeas, diced cucumber, finely chopped red onion, crumbled feta, chopped parsley, chopped mint, and toasted nuts.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, minced garlic, sea salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss gently to combine evenly.
05 - Taste the salad and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It's hearty enough to be your whole lunch, but doesn't leave you feeling sluggish afterward.
  • The texture contrast between creamy feta, crunchy nuts, and tender grains is honestly addictive.
  • You can throw it together in 30 minutes flat, even on a weeknight when you're tired.
02 -
  • The grain has to be completely cool before the dressing goes on, or it'll absorb unevenly and taste soggy in some spots and dry in others.
  • Don't dress the entire salad if you're making it ahead—dress only what you're eating and leave the rest separate, or it gets mushy by the next day.
  • The mint is the diva here; add it at the last possible moment or it'll bruise and turn dark.
03 -
  • If you're cooking the grain ahead of time, store it in the fridge and bring it to room temperature before assembling—cold salads can taste muted.
  • The secret to this salad feeling restaurant-quality is finishing it with a pinch more salt and fresh cracked pepper right before you serve it, tasting as you go.
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