Jennifer Aniston Protein Salad (Print)

A vibrant salad with quinoa, chickpeas, cucumber, feta, fresh herbs, and toasted nuts for a satisfying bite.

# Ingredients:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup uncooked quinoa or bulgur
02 - 2 cups water for cooking grains

→ Legumes

03 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 large cucumber, diced
05 - 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

→ Dairy

06 - 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (approximately 3 oz)

→ Herbs

07 - 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped

→ Nuts & Seeds

09 - 1/3 cup toasted pistachios or slivered almonds, roughly chopped

→ Dressing

10 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
12 - 1 clove garlic, minced
13 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
14 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Rinse quinoa or bulgur thoroughly. In a medium saucepan, combine with 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until tender—approximately 12 minutes for quinoa or 15 minutes for bulgur. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled quinoa or bulgur, chickpeas, diced cucumber, finely chopped red onion, crumbled feta, chopped parsley, chopped mint, and toasted nuts.
03 - Whisk together extra virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, minced garlic, sea salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
04 - Pour the dressing over the combined salad ingredients and toss gently to ensure even coating.
05 - Taste the salad and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout, yet tastes like you spent all morning in the kitchen.
  • The combination of creamy feta, crunchy nuts, and fresh herbs hits every texture and flavor note your taste buds could want.
  • It's filling enough to eat as a main course but elegant enough to serve alongside grilled fish at a dinner party.
02 -
  • Dress this salad right before serving, or the grains will absorb all the liquid and it'll taste dry by the next day. If you're meal-prepping, keep the dressing separate and add it just before eating.
  • Those fresh herbs are doing most of the heavy lifting flavor-wise—don't use dried herbs as a substitute, or you'll lose what makes this salad feel alive and refreshing.
  • Toasting the nuts yourself takes three minutes and transforms them from bland to absolutely delicious. It's worth the tiny bit of effort.
03 -
  • Buy pre-crumbled feta if you're short on time, but if you have a block, crumble it yourself right before serving—it holds its shape better and tastes fresher.
  • The secret to a perfectly balanced salad is to taste as you build it. Add the dressing, take a bite, then adjust before serving the whole thing. Your palate knows better than any recipe ever could.
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