Jennifer Aniston’s Perfect Quinoa Salad

I’ll be honest—despite how often this salad shows up all over the internet, and how much people seem to love it, I didn’t think it would actually be that good. Whenever there’s that much hype around a recipe, I find myself wondering if it can possibly live up to it. So I’m very happy to report that this one does.

They say this is Jennifer Aniston’s favorite salad, and honestly, I completely understand why. On one hand, it’s healthy, nourishing, filling, and easy to make. On the other, it’s genuinely delicious—you don’t feel like anything is missing, not even meat or a more substantial main dish. It’s one of those salads that truly is a full meal.

Now, the recipe here is a little different from Aniston’s version. I made a few changes that I really, really love. But the base stays the same: quinoa with vegetables, chickpeas for softness and substance, fresh herbs, and feta cheese—which you can also swap for chicken if you prefer.

Jennifer Aniston’s Perfect Quinoa Salad

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Serves: 6-8 Prep Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 25 minutes 25 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup uncooked white quinoa
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 red onion, peeled
• 2 firm cucumbers
• 1/2 cup pistachios
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries or dried blueberries
• 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained
• 1 ripe avocado (in season), diced
• 3.5–5 oz feta or Bulgarian cheese
• 20 mint leaves
• 1/3 bunch cilantro or parsley (or a mix)

For the dressing:

• 4–5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• Juice of 3/4 lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

– Rinse the quinoa under running water for 2–3 minutes and drain well.
– In a medium pot, add olive oil and the quinoa and sauté together for 5 minutes. Add boiling water and salt, stir, and cover with a lid. Cook over the lowest heat for 20 minutes, or until the quinoa is fluffy. Let cool at room temperature.
– Finely dice the onion and cucumbers into small, even cubes. Roughly chop the pistachios. Cut the avocado into 3/4-inch cubes.
– Roughly chop the herbs and crumble the cheese.
– In a very large bowl, add all the ingredients and gently mix.
– Drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, salt, and pepper, and mix again.

Jennifer Aniston’s Perfect Quinoa Salad

Notes

– Best served at room temperature.
– Instead of feta, you can add chicken or boneless thighs—slice into strips and sear in a pan with a little salt until golden.
– Instead of pistachios, use chopped walnuts, pecans, or toasted sliced almonds.
– Instead of quinoa, you can use medium or coarse bulgur.