How to Make the Famous Jennifer Aniston Salad
Updated: Jan. 02, 2024
Everyone is talking about this viral Jennifer Aniston salad, and we can see why—it's delicious!
So no one told you life was going to be this way. Your job’s a joke, you’re broke, you eat the same salad every day…or, at least, if you’re Jennifer Aniston, that is. (Bonus points if you sang that line to the theme song; you’re a true Friends fan.)
As one of the most famous and beloved sitcoms in TV history, Friends has impacted global pop culture and our kitchens too. Example: the Jennifer Aniston salad recipe we’re putting to the test today. While Ross’ mouthwatering Moistmaker sandwich may be the most iconic recipe from the show, it’s Jennifer Aniston’s real-life favorite salad that’s currently blowing up social media.
Keep reading to learn more about the legend behind the viral Jennifer Aniston salad recipe, how to make it, and our tips for making the recipe even better.
What Makes This Salad Recipe So Famous?
Legend has it that Jennifer Aniston (and subsequently Courtney Cox and Lisa Kudrow, once they tried it) ate the same salad on the set of Friends for 10 years straight. In a 2010 Los Angeles Times article, Courtney Cox revealed the salad as one of her favorite rituals during her time filming the sitcom.
“It was a Cobb salad that Jennifer doctored up with turkey bacon and garbanzo beans and I don’t know what,” she explained. “She just has a way with food, which really helps. Because if you’re going to eat the same salad every day for 10 years, it’d better be a good salad, right?”
Years later, Jennifer herself elaborated on the recipe during a takeover of the company Living Proof’s Instagram account. She described her perfect salad as, “bulgur, cucumbers, parsley, mint, red onion, garbanzo beans, feta cheese and pistachios.”
However, according to this interview in Elle magazine, this isn’t actually the salad she ate every day! However, the internet seems to agree unanimously that this salad is healthy, well-balanced, bursting with fresh ingredients and, importantly, does not taste like feet. (Don’t miss out on other summer salads as well!)
How to Make Jennifer Aniston’s Salad Recipe
This recipe yields 6 entree portions (or 10-12 side servings).
Ingredients
- 3 cups bulgur wheat, cooked (about 1 cup uncooked)
- 1 cup cucumber, chopped (about 1 English cucumber)
- 1/2 cup red onion, diced (about 1 small onion)
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
- 1 cup feta, crumbled
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas/garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup pistachios, chopped
- 1/2 cup cooked turkey bacon, chopped (optional)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
Step 1: Cook the bulgur
In a saucepan, cook the bulgur according to the package directions. Once fully cooked, transfer to a bowl and let cool. (This is another Mediterranean bulgur salad we love.)
Step 2: Cook the turkey bacon
In a frying pan, cook the turkey bacon until crisp. Remove, let cool, then roughly chop.
Editor’s Note: This is the one ingredient discrepancy between the 2010 Courtney Cox interview and Jen’s Instagram takeover. We decided to add it to our recipe to marry the two recipes together and loved the savory, salty flavor it lent the recipe. However, feel free to omit if you would like to keep the recipe vegetarian.
Step 3: Chop everything “real nice”
Chop, slice and dice (or julienne if you please) the remaining salad ingredients and add them to a bowl.
Step 4: Make the dressing
In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper—just as you would for any homemade vinaigrette.
Step 5: Toss and serve
Combine the ingredients together in a serving bowl and toss to combine with the dressing. Serve immediately.
How to Store the Jennifer Aniston Salad Recipe
We enjoyed this salad at room temperature and also chilled after two days in the fridge. It’s a great recipe to meal prep for lunches or to make ahead for busy weeknight dinners. Try these salad-prep tips for the best results.
How to Make This Salad Even Better
Full disclosure: We’re obsessed. After devouring the first batch, I immediately made a second batch to enjoy for lunch all week long. It is light and refreshing, tastes healthy and is ultra-filling too.
However, one must ask themselves, could this salad be any more delicious?! The answer is: yes! Here are our tips and suggestions for taking the original Jennifer Aniston salad recipe to the next level.
- Change up the grains: If you don’t keep bulgur stocked in your pantry or want to make a gluten-free Jennifer Aniston salad, feel free to swap the bulgur for an equal amount of cooked quinoa or brown rice. Farro or barley would be other tasty (but not gluten-free) grains to try.
- Add lean protein: Between the chickpeas, turkey bacon and bulgur, this salad is actually pretty stacked with protein. However, if you’re looking to add another healthy dose of protein, we could see grilled chicken breasts, shrimp skewers or sliced marinated flank steak tasting great with this wholesome salad recipe.
- Add odds and ends: Don’t be afraid to deviate from the ingredients. Reach into the depths of your pantry and toss in a handful of chopped cherry tomatoes, roasted red peppers, kalamata olives, julienned sun-dried tomatoes or even dried cranberries. The thing we love most about this Jennifer Aniston salad recipe is that it’s easy to adapt.
- Roast the chickpeas: For a little extra crunch, we recommend roasting the chickpeas. It’s an easy way to add even more texture and another layer of flavor to this sensational salad.
Originally Published: June 23, 2022
