Jennifer Aniston's Salad: High-Protein Quinoa Salad

Name: The Jennifer Aniston Salad: Fresh Gluten-Free Quinoa Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 22 min
Ingredients: 1 cup dry quinoa; 2 cups vegetable Broth; 1 cup canned chickpeas (drained and rinsed); 1/2 cup fresh parsley (finely chopped); 1/4 cup fresh mint (finely chopped); 1/4 cup red onion (finely diced); 1 English cucumber (diced); 1/2 cup pistachios (chopped ); 1/2 cup feta ((or vegan feta)); 1/4 cup olive oil; 1/4 cup lemon juice (1-2 lemons); 1 tbsp maple syrup; 1 tbsp fresh mint (finely chopped); salt to taste

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Our high-protein quinoa salad takes Jennifer Aniston’s viral salad to the next level—more protein, better texture, and bigger flavor. Quinoa replaces bulgur for a gluten-free, protein-packed upgrade, while chickpeas, fresh herbs, and crisp veggies add crunch. Our bright, lemony mint vinaigrette brings it all together for a light, satisfying, and meal-prep-friendly salad.

Close-up of a scoop of the Jennifer Aniston quinoa salad being served from a large bowl into a black and white patterned serving bowl, showing the creamy feta and fresh herbs on top.

The content provided is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as medical advice. For more details, please refer to our disclaimer page.

Update 2024: The recipe post was updated with tips and serving size adjustments.

Jump to:

😍What Makes This Salad Special?
🥗Ingredients and Flavor Notes
🔁Substitutions & Variations
👩🏽‍🍳Step-By-Step Instructions
💡Recipe Tips for Best Results
🍴Leftovers & Variation Ideas
🥡How to Store & Meal Prep
💪🏽Why This Salad is a Powerhouse
🫛Need More High-Protein Recipes?
❔FAQs About Jennifer Aniston’s Salad
🥣Recipe Pairings
📖 Recipe
📝Information Source

✋🏼E aí, pessoal! Hey there, friends!

Let’s talk about a salad that actually keeps you full. You’ve probably seen the Jennifer Aniston Salad making the rounds—fresh, simple, and packed with good ingredients. But as soon as I saw it, I knew I could make it even better.

Swapping bulgur for quinoa instantly gives this salad a protein boost, turning it into a high-protein quinoa salad that’s way more satisfying. Bonus? It’s naturally gluten-free and works for my mixed-diet family. And since Jen never shared a dressing recipe, I made my own—a bright, lemony mint vinaigrette that ties everything together perfectly.

If you’re looking for a fresh, protein-packed salad that actually works as a meal, this one’s a winner. It’s light but filling, easy to make dairy-free, and actually works as a meal.

Jennifer Aniston shared her version of this recipe on Instagram during a takeover for Living Proof. Titled "My perfect salad", this recipe went viral as a healthier tabbouleh recipe made with bulgar, cucumbers, parsley, mint, red onion, garbanzo beans, feta cheese, and pistachios.

Looking for more high-protein, hearty recipes? Try my Instant Pot Brazilian Rice and Beans, high-protein granola, or my spinach arugula salad with white bean croutons—another go-to for a satisfying meal.

😍What Makes This Salad Special?

High-Protein Salad: With chickpeas, quinoa, and feta, it's loaded with protein and nutrient-dense, keeping you full and fueled.
Gluten-Free: Made with quinoa and chickpeas, our Jennifer Anniston Salad is gluten-free and high in protein.
Dairy-Free and Vegan Option: Jennifer Aniston's salad is just as great without the feta or by swapping for vegan feta. Plus, our dressing is made without dairy or animal products.
Easy Meal Prep: This salad is easy to make, stores well, and makes great leftovers.
Travels Well: Perfect to take to work, pack into lunchboxes, or bring along to a picnic or your camping adventures.

The salad ingredients are fully mixed on a white plate with a red rim. The quinoa, chickpeas, cucumber, feta cheese, red onion, pistachios, and parsley are evenly distributed, showing a blend of colors and textures.

🥗Ingredients and Flavor Notes

Our high-protien quinoa salad is the perfect blend of flavors and textures that make it a standout dish. Here's a look at the flavors and salad ingredients that bring this delicious salad to life:

Various ingredients are displayed on a marble countertop, each in separate white bowls with orange rims. The ingredients are labeled with text and include chopped pistachios, diced cucumber, dry quinoa, cooked chickpeas, diced red onions, chopped parsley, crumbled feta cheese, and minced mint. A note indicates that veggie broth is part of the recipe but not pictured.

Dry Quinoa: The base of our quinoa salad, providing a nutty flavor and a nice crunch, it's a great source of plant-based protein.
Vegetable Broth: Cooking quinoa in vegetable broth adds an extra layer of flavor, making the quinoa even more delicious.
Canned Chickpeas: Garbanzo beans boost the protein content and add a nice bit of texture to the salad.
Fresh Cucumbers: Cucumbers add a refreshing element to this salad along with a little crunch. Its mild flavor also allows the flavors of the mint, pistachios, and vinaigrette to come through.
Fresh Parsley: Adds a burst of freshness and color, echoing the fresh herbs that elevate any good salad.
Fresh Mint: This herb brings a unique freshness that complements the parsley beautifully, enhancing the salad's overall flavor profile.
Red Onion: Adds a sharp, slightly sweet flavor and a bit of crunch, contributing to the salad's complexity.
Pistachios: These nuts offer a delightful crunch and healthy fats, enriching the salad's texture and nutritional value.
Feta (or Vegan Feta): The creamy texture and tangy taste of feta cheese or its vegan alternative add depth, making Jennifer Aniston's salad even more versatile and appealing to various dietary preferences.

For full quantities, see the recipe card.

Our Signature Lemon-Mint Dressing Ingredients:

The perfect pairing for Jennifer Aniston's salad and the ultimate gluten-free salad dressing. Here is everything you will need:

Small containers hold ingredients for a salad dressing on a wooden serving board. The containers are labeled with text and include olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, and salt.

Olive Oil: A staple in creating a delicious salad dressing, olive oil not only adds a smooth texture but also contributes healthy fats to our viral Jennifer Aniston salad recipe.
Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice brings a bright, tangy flavor to the salad, enhancing the fresh herbs and making every bite of this healthy salad even more refreshing.
Maple Syrup: A touch of maple syrup in the dressing balances the acidity with a subtle sweetness, complementing the overall flavor profile of this famous salad.
Fresh Mint: Adding finely chopped fresh mint to the dressing ties together the flavors, echoing the fresh mint used in the salad itself for a burst of freshness.
Salt: A pinch of salt to taste perfects the salad dressing, highlighting the salad ingredients and ensuring this delicious salad is seasoned just right.

🔁Substitutions & Variations

Missing an ingredient? No worries, here are some easy swaps:

Quinoa: No quinoa? Try brown rice (gluten-free swap) or couscous (not gluten-free) for a similar texture and health benefits. The original Jennifer Aniston Salad was made with bulgar, which is another great choice if you aren't gluten-free.
Pistachios: Swap pistachios with sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds for that nice crunch. Each offers a unique flavor and a boost of healthy fats.
Herbs: If you're out of fresh parsley or mint, basil or cilantro can be a fresh alternative, adding a new twist to the original recipe.
Cucumber: Bell peppers or thinly sliced zucchini are great for adding crunch and color.
Red Onion: For a milder taste, green onion can be used in place of red onion, still keeping the salad flavorful.
Feta: Goat cheese is a creamy alternative, or for a dairy-free option, tofu feta can mimic the texture and tanginess of traditional feta.

👩🏽‍🍳Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1: How to Prepare the Quinoa:

Bring 2 cups of vegetable broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Once boiling, stir in 1 cup of dry quinoa and return to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer until all the liquid is absorbed about 8-12 minutes.

Pro Tip: Check your package instructions. Cooking quinoa, according to package directions, guarantees the best texture. We are simply replacing the water with veggie broth for this step.

A pot with vegetable broth is shown, and a hand is pouring dry quinoa into it, indicating the start of the cooking process.

A stainless steel pot on a grey cloth with cooked quinoa that appears fluffy and expanded after absorbing the liquid.

Step 2: Fluff and Cool Quinoa:

Once cooked, fluff the quinoa with a fork and let it cool to room temperature before adding it to the salad.

A hand is stirring the cooked quinoa in the pot, showcasing the texture of the quinoa after being cooked.

Cooked quinoa is transferred from the pot to a white plate with a red rim, similar to the first image, on a marble surface.

Step 3: How to Make The Dressing:

Into a mason jar (or small bowl), combine the olive oil, fresh lemon juice, maple syrup, salt, and finely chopped fresh mint. Secure the lid and shake well until the ingredients are well mixed.

A hand is pouring olive oil into a clear glass container to prepare the dressing.

A clear glass container is shown with olive oil and chopped herbs in it, the contents are being mixed.

The final image of the dressing shows a glass container with a greenish mixture of olive oil and lemon juice infused with herbs, shaken and ready to be used.

Pro Tip: Making your simple lemon vinaigrette in a mason jar not only ensures a well-emulsified dressing but also makes for easy storage in an airtight container if you have leftovers.

Step 4: Combine Salad Ingredients:

Into a large bowl, combine the ingredients for your Jennifer Aniston salad. Mix the cooled quinoa, chopped parsley and mint, finely diced red onion, chopped pistachios, feta, and drained and rinsed chickpeas.

A bowl of prepared ingredients including cooked quinoa, diced cucumber, and whole chickpeas arranged in separate sections on a white plate with a red rim, placed on a marble surface. A wooden sushi mat and a grey cloth napkin can be seen in the background.

Jennifer Aniston Salad-ingredients (11).jpg: Alt Text: "Overhead view of a large white plate with a red rim on a marble countertop, with neatly arranged portions of diced cucumbers, cooked quinoa, whole chickpeas, finely chopped parsley, and minced red onions.

Step 5: How to Dress This Salad:

Drizzle your homemade dressing over the salad and gently toss to ensure everything is evenly coated. Pour the dressing gradually, tasting as you go, to ensure the salad isn't overdressed. This keeps it light and allows the natural flavors of Jenifer Aniston's salad ingredients to shine.

A large white plate with red trim holds ingredients for a salad, including cooked quinoa, diced cucumber, crumbled feta cheese, chopped pistachios, diced red onion, minced parsley, and chickpeas. A hand is shown pouring a dressing made of olive oil and herbs over this Jennifer Aniston Salad recipe.

Ingredients on a large white plate are being mixed with a silver spoon by a hand. The plate contains quinoa, cucumber, feta cheese, chickpeas, red onion, parsley, and pistachios with a green herb-infused dressing drizzled over.

Step 6: Serve And Enjoy

Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. This salad is versatile; enjoy it immediately or let it chill in the fridge for an hour to allow the flavors to meld. It's perfect for meal prep as it tastes even better the next day.

A person's hand is sprinkling crumbled feta cheese over a salad in a black and white patterned serving bowl, which is resting on a wooden striped board. A silver spoon and a second bowl of salad are also visible on the board.

💡Recipe Tips for Best Results

Quinoa Cooking: For fluffy quinoa, ensure you're using a 2:1 ratio of liquid to quinoa. Cook in broth, ensure all the liquid is absorbed, and fluff with a fork.
Dressing Balance: Always taste and adjust your salad dressing recipes! The key is to find a balance between your preference for tangy and sweet.
Prevent Sogginess: To keep the salad fresh, dress the salad lightly before storing it. You can always add a bit more dressing before serving. Store your Jennifer Aniston salad in an airtight container in the fridge!
Herb Freshness: Use freshly chopped herbs for the best flavor. If you're meal prepping, consider adding the herbs closer to serving time to keep their flavors bright.

🍴Leftovers & Variation Ideas

Leftovers of this delicious Jennifer Aniston Salad are perfect for meal prep, tasting even better the next day as the flavors meld together. For a variation, consider:

Adding Grilled Chicken or Crispy Tofu: To up the protein content and keep it meatless, we love adding our crispy tofu recipe. We also used it for our famous fiery spring rolls.
Veggie Loaded: Add roasted sweet potatoes, squash, or whatever you have on hand to increase the fiber and nutrients.
Brisket topping: One of our current favorite ways to eat leftovers is topped with our beef brisket! We meal prep both on the weekend and enjoy them together as leftovers.
Wrap it up: This quinoa salad is amazingly wrapped into a burrito.
Dressing Switch up: We make this high-protein quinoa salad often, so we like to check up the dressing. Try it with our basil-balsamic vinegarette or our creamy tahini caesar!

🥡How to Store & Meal Prep

Fridge Storage: Store any leftover high-protein quinoa salad in an airtight container in the fridge. Properly stored, the salad will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
Meal Prep Tip: If storing for more than 1-2 days, I recommend storing the salad dressing separately. Add just before serving to prevent soggyness.

This high-protein quinoa salad is the perfect dish to meal prep. Easy to batch-make and store; it's almost better the next day. It works great in lunchboxes or as an afternoon snack, too!

Close-up of the Jennifer Aniston salad showcasing the textures and colors of the combined ingredients: chickpeas, diced cucumber, crumbled feta, chopped pistachios, red onion, parsley, and quinoa.

💪🏽Why This Salad is a Powerhouse

As someone with a PhD in Health Science and Neuroscience, I love meals that fuel both body and brain. Here’s why this high-protein quinoa salad is a smart choice:

High in Protein (14g): Supports brain cell repair and neurotransmitter function (1, 2).
Contains Plant Fiber (7g): Feeds gut bacteria, strengthening the gut-brain connection (3).
Rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Boost cognition and protect against neurodegeneration(4).
Rich in Vitamin A (1211IU) & Vitamin C (19mg): Aid brain cell growth and fight oxidative stress (5).

🫛Need More High-Protein Recipes?

If you are looking for more high-protein or well-balanced recipes be sure to check out these:

A bowl of the Jennifer Aniston quinoa salad, neatly arranged on a wooden board with a sushi mat underneath. The mix includes chickpeas, quinoa, cucumber, and feta, sprinkled with red onion and herbs

❔FAQs About Jennifer Aniston’s Salad

What makes Jennifer Aniston's salad so special?

This salad gained popularity for its healthy ingredients and the fact that Jennifer Aniston reportedly enjoyed it regularly. It's known for being a balanced meal with a good mix of protein, smart carbs, healthy fats, and veggies.

Can I use a different grain instead of quinoa?

Yes, the Jennifer Aniston salad is traditionally made with bulgur wheat, but quinoa is a great gluten-free alternative. Brown rice or farro can also be used as substitutes.

Can I prepare Jennifer Aniston's salad in advance for meal prep?

Yes, this salad is perfect for meal prep. Prepare the ingredients and store them separately or assemble the salad without the dressing, which can be added right before serving.

🥣Recipe Pairings

If you enjoyed this high-protein version of Jennifer Aniston's Salad then we know you will love these too:

👋🏼 Até logo, amigos! Hope you love this recipe as much as we do. Cooking is always better when shared, so enjoy every bite and keep bringing good food to the table. Até a próxima! 🎉

📖 Recipe

📝Information Source

Das, K. P., Das, P. C., Dasgupta, S., & Dey, C. D. (1993). Serotonergic-cholinergic neurotransmitters' function in brain during cadmium exposure in protein restricted rat. Biological trace element research, 36(2), 119–127. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02783170
Ansari, A. H., Singh, D., & Singh, S. (2024). Effect of plant-based diets on the brain. In Nutraceutical Fruits and Foods for Neurodegenerative Disorders (pp. 249-260).
Berding, K., Carbia, C., & Cryan, J. F. (2021). Going with the grain: Fiber, cognition, and the microbiota-gut-brain-axis. Experimental biology and medicine (Maywood, N.J.), 246(7), 796–811.
Rao, A. S., Nair, A., Nivetha, K., Ayesha, B., Hardi, K., Divya, V., Veena, S. M., Anantharaju, K. S., & More, S. S. (2024). Impacts of Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Natural Elixirs for Neuronal Health, on Brain Development and Functions. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.), 2761, 209–229.
Fiona E. Harrison, James M. May (2009). Vitamin C function in the brain: vital role of the ascorbate transporter SVCT2. Free Radical Biology and Medicine. 4696) 719-730, ISSN 0891-5849.
Ward, R. J., Zucca, F. A., Duyn, J. H., Crichton, R. R., & Zecca, L. (2014). The role of iron in brain ageing and neurodegenerative disorders. The Lancet Neurology, 13(10), 1045-1060.

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