Jennifer Aniston Salad

By Rena Awada, nutritionally reviewed by Ella Davar RD

5 from 5 votes

Mar 29, 2024, Updated Feb 09, 2025

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The famous Jennifer Aniston Salad is a hearty, flavorful salad recipe made with a base of quinoa and chickpeas, and loaded with cucumber, red onion, fresh herbs, tangy feta, chopped pistachios, and tossed in a simple lemon vinaigrette.

You may also love my Lentil Salad or my watermelon feta salad.

Top view green salad with chickpeas topped with crumbled cheese in a wooden bowl.

The Jennifer Aniston salad, also called the “Rachel Salad,” is rumored to be the lunch that Jennifer Aniston ate every day on the set of the TV show Friends. I’ve been making this salad consistently now because I love all the flavor and texture of it. It also fills me up, so it makes for a great lunch option.

To make this salad a well-rounded meal, I like to serve it with some grilled chicken like this honey mustard grilled chicken or this grilled chimichurri chicken.

Salad Summary

Filling: This salad will keep you full. It is wholesome with the addition of quinoa and chickpeas.
So delicious: The combination of crisp vegetables, fresh herbs, hearty quinoa, nutty chickpeas, and feta cheese creates a refreshing flavor profile. And the light, bright salad dressing is the perfect finishing touch.
Quick and easy: Once you have the quinoa cooked, this salad comes together in no time at all. To save time, I like to prep the fresh ingredients while the quinoa cooks. It lasts several days in the fridge.

Jennifer Aniston Salad in a large bowl topped with fresh herbs and crumbled feta cheese.

Ingredients Needed

You will fall in love with the taste and texture of this salad. I love it so much and even my kids love it too. From the tasty vinaigrette to the crisp cucumber, fresh herbs, and crunch from pistachios, every bite gets better than the next. Here’s everything you’ll need to make it. Full measurements are listed further down in the recipe card.

Quinoa: This protein-packed, gluten-free grain makes this dish filling and satisfying.
Chickpeas: A great source of plant-based protein in this vegetarian salad.
Cucumber: I recommend English cucumbers because they are sweeter and contain very few seeds.
Red onion: Adds color and a delicious depth of flavor.
Herbs: A combination of fresh parsley, mint leaves, and dill really elevates this dish.
Pistachios: Use roasted, shelled pistachios for the best flavor and a nice crunch.
Cheese: Creamy feta cheese adds tang, and is a great complement to the other flavors in the salad.
Salt & pepper
For the dressing: The homemade vinaigrette is a simple mix of lemon juice, lemon zest, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, olive oil, salt, & pepper.

How To Make Jennifer Aniston Salad

Below is a step-by-step process of how to make this salad. If you would like to print this recipe, there is an option to do so on the recipe card.

Step 1: Prepare and chop all the ingredients. Cook the quinoa and get ready to set up the salad.

Herbs, cucumber, quinoa, chickpeas and pistachios added to a large wooden bowl.

Step 2: To a large bowl, add the cooked quinoa, chickpeas, cucumber, onion, and finely chopped fresh herbs. To a small jar, add all the dressing ingredients and shake to emulsify.

Pouring a lemon vinaigrette over a large salad.

Step 3: Drizzle the salad with the dressing and toss to combine.

Step 4: Top with the pistachios and feta cheese and season to your taste, if needed.

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Tips from my kitchen

Recipe Tips

To cool the quinoa quickly: You will want to use quinoa that has been cooled in this recipe. If you’re cooking the quinoa just before making the salad, you can transfer it to a bowl place it in the freezer, and toss occasionally until cooled.
To take the bite out of the onions: If onions are a bit strong for your taste, soak them in a small bowl with cold water while you prep the other ingredients.
Add the dressing just before serving: To keep the salad fresh, it’s best to toss the salad in the dressing just before serving.

Frequently asked questions

What is the actual Jennifer Aniston salad?

This particular salad recipe went viral for being the original salad that Jen ate every day for 10 years. However, since it became so popular, she has explained that her salad actually was made with shredded lettuce, chicken, egg whites, a couple of garbanzo beans, bacon, and a basic vinaigrette.

Is the Jennifer Aniston salad good for you?

This recipe for the Jennifer Aniston salad is packed with wholesome ingredients and it contains under 500 calories for a large meal-size salad. It is also completely gluten-free and vegetarian. Make it vegan and dairy free by omitting the cheese or using a dairy-free cheese.

How long does Jennifer Aniston salad last in the fridge?

This salad will last up to 5 days in the fridge. I do not recommend freezing. The best taste and texture will be by day 3.

Possible Variations

Salads like this one, are easy to customize to your taste preference and what you have available. Here are some options if you would like to change it up.

Add greens: You can use this recipe as a topper over baby spinach leaves, mixed greens, or chopped romaine. Or you could simply mix in a handful of chopped greens to this salad.
Change up the grain: Many recipes for the Jennifer Aniston salad use bulgur instead of quinoa. It’s similar to quinoa, but it has less protein, and it is not gluten-free.
Cheese: Feel free to swap the feta cheese with goat cheese, blue cheese, gorgonzola cheese, or mozzarella.
Nuts: If you don’t have roasted pistachios on hand, try almonds, pecans, or walnuts.
More protein: Add grilled chicken or shrimp for a boost in protein!