If you’re on TikTok, you’ve likely encountered the viral Jennifer Aniston Salad. This nutritious chickpea salad blew up because it was supposedly what Jen ate every day on the set of Friends! Whether that’s true or not needs to be clarified, but either way, this is a delicious and nourishing lunch that will leave you satisfied.
Jump to:
Why you’ll love this salad
Packed with wholesome ingredients like chickpeas, brown rice, fresh vegetables, and aromatic herbs, this vegan version of the salad offers a burst of flavors and textures that will tantalize your taste buds. Not only is it a healthy choice, but it’s also easy to prepare and perfect for meal prepping.
Key ingredients
- Brown rice: The wholegrain base of this salad, brown rice provides a hearty and nutritious foundation. It offers a nutty flavor and is rich in fiber, minerals, and vitamins, promoting digestive health and sustaining energy. Some versions of this salad use bulgur wheat or quinoa as the base ingredient, but I have opted for brown rice as it’s more affordable. Of course, you could use whichever you prefer.
- Chickpeas: Packed with plant-based protein and fiber, chickpeas add a satisfying texture to the salad. They are also a good source of essential nutrients like iron, folate, and manganese.
- Pistachios: These delightful nuts bring a lovely crunch and subtle sweetness to the salad. Pistachios are a good source of healthy fats, protein, and various vitamins and minerals, offering heart-healthy benefits.
- Fresh parsley and mint: these herbs add a refreshing and aromatic element to the salad, so don’t skip them!
- Lemon: The tangy juice of lemon acts as a zesty dressing for the salad, enhancing the flavors and adding a citrusy kick. Lemons are rich in vitamin C and can aid digestion and boost immunity.
- Extra virgin olive oil: This healthy fat is used to dress the salad and gives the dish a rich and smooth texture. It provides beneficial monounsaturated fats and is known for its potential anti-inflammatory properties.
- Plant-based feta: Jen isn’t vegan; therefore, she would have used regular dairy feta. But as I eat plant-based, I’ve opted for a non-dairy feta. The choice is entirely up to you; it will give a delicious creamy texture and add a salty, tangy flavor. If you’re in Australia, I’d highly recommend you try my favorite vegan feta called ‘Yay! Foods.’
How to make the Jennifer Aniston salad
Here’s an overview of how to make this salad. You can check out the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post for a detailed recipe with ingredients.
- Start by preparing all the ingredients, including cooking the brown rice, draining and rinsing the chickpeas, and chopping the veggies, herbs, and pistachios.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked brown rice, chickpeas, cucumber, red onion, pistachios, chili (if desired), parsley, and mint.
- Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the salad and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Gently toss the ingredients to ensure they evenly coat with the dressing. This step allows the flavors to meld together.
- Finally, crumble the plant-based feta over the salad and give it one last gentle toss.
Expert tips
- If you’re making this your lunch for the work week, consider meal prepping some of the ingredients in advance to save time. Cook the rice and chop the vegetables and herbs ahead of time for quick and convenient assembly later.
- You can omit the red chili from the recipe if you prefer a milder flavor.
- Experiment with different grains. Substitute brown rice with quinoa, bulgur wheat, or any other nutty-flavored grain of your choice to add variety to your salad.
FAQs
Absolutely! The Jennifer Aniston Salad is excellent for meal prepping. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Add the extra crumbled feta just before serving.
While the recipe calls for plant-based feta, you can substitute it with regular feta. The choice is entirely up to you.
Brown rice is used for its affordability and nutritional benefits. However, recipe variations often include bulgur or quinoa as substitutes for added variety. Feel free to experiment with different grains to suit your preferences.
So there you have it, the Jennifer Aniston Salad ā a TikTok sensation that’s taken the internet by storm! This vegan twist on a Hollywood classic is worth all the hype. It’s a wholesome, flavorful, and easy-to-make salad perfect for anyone craving a nutritious meal. If you want more weekday lunch inspo and love healthy salads, try my viralĀ Brown Rice SaladĀ orĀ Avocado Pasta Salad. I hope you love this recipe and would love to get your thoughts in the comments below š
The Jennifer Aniston Salad (vegan)
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked brown rice
- 800 g canned chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 large cucumber quartered and sliced
- 1/2 red onion finely diced
- 100 g pistachios roughly chopped
- 1 red chilli finely chopped, optional
- 1/2 bunch italian parsley (approx 1/2 a cup) chopped
- 1/4 bunch fresh mint (approx 1/3 cup) chopped
- 1 lemon juiced
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 200 g plant based feta crumbled
To serve
- 50 g plant based feta extra, to serve
Instructions
- Prepare all ingredients (cook rice, drain chickpeas, chop veggies and herbs etc) then combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
- Serve and top with extra crumbled feta.
Video
Liz Douglas says
So filling and works really well as a vegan version!
Tiffany Castle says
This is something I’m going to make all the time – but with tofu not feta. It sounds so good.
sarah says
Simple yet scrumptious, definitely a favorite.
Hong Nguyen says
It is so yummy. Canāt wait to make it!