I finally made a version of the Jennifer Aniston Salad that has been going around social media and I will never be the same! I can see why she supposedly ate this salad every day for 10 years on the set of Friends. It’s incredible!
I made a few changes to the viral salad recipe and I think you’re going to love it. I made it vegan by using Violife brand feta (or use my homemade vegan feta), added some fresh dill and extra chickpeas.
Here are the ingredients you need for the life changing Jennifer Aniston salad:
(Scroll down to the recipe card for the complete, printable recipe.)
- Bulgur – Bulgur is a cracked wheat grain that is full of nutrition and perfect for salads. It also cooks super fast on the stovetop, similar to rice. You can use quinoa or farro instead, if you like.
- Red onion – Leave out if you really dislike the flavor.
- Fresh parsley, mint and dill – Chopped small for maximum flavor. If you can’t find one of the herbs that’s okay, but I love this particular combination.
- Pistachios – I used shelled pistachios. Switch it up with sunflower seeds or chopped almonds.
- Cucumber – English cucumbers or mini Persian cucumbers are best in salads.
- Chickpeas – You could leave out the beans or use less, but they add a lot of filling power, protein and flavor.
- Vegan Feta – I used Violife brand, crumbled, but you can use any feta you like or make my vegan feta.
- Lemon Juice – Fresh squeezed, about 2-3 lemons worth. Add to taste.
- Salt + Pepper – Add to taste.
The process of making it is SO simple. Cook the bulgur, then add all ingredients to a bowl and stir. That’s it!
I made a double batch for meal prep and have been eating it nearly every day since. I’m still not tired of it!
More hearty salads to love
Jennifer Aniston Salad (Bulgur Salad)
Ingredients
- 2 cups bulgur, uncooked
- 4 cups water
- 1/2 small red onion diced small
- 1 cup fresh parsley finely chopped
- 2/3 cup fresh mint finely chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh dill finely chopped
- 3/4 cup shelled pistachios
- 1 large english cucumber diced
- (2) 15-ounce cans chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 block vegan feta crumbled or chopped, optional
- 2-3 large lemons, squeezed or to taste
- salt + black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the bulgur: Place the bulgur, water and a pinch of salt in a medium-large pot. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cover. Simmer gently for 12-15 minutes until cooked. Fluff with a fork and transfer to a large bowl and let cool so it's not hot when you add the other ingredients.
- To the large bowl with the cooled bulgur, add the red onion, parsley, mint, dill, pistachios, cucumbers, chickpeas, vegan feta, lemon juice and salt + pepper to taste. I added quite a bit of lemon juice, salt and pepper until I was happy with the flavor.
- Leftovers will keep for about 4 days in a covered container in the refrigerator, but some of the ingredients will become mushy after 2-3 days. It's perfect for meal prep!
Notes
- This makes enough for 4 large servings or 6 smaller servings. Feel free to double the recipe for a crowd or meal prep!
- If you don’t care for red onion, leave it out. You can also make substitutions pretty easy with this recipe depending on what you have on hand or preferences. Switch up the fresh herbs, nuts, or use quinoa instead of bulgur, or even farro.
As good as advertised! Whole Foods was out of Bulgur, so I used Farro (that I cooked in the Instant Pot) and it was delicious!
Thank you so much for the fantastic review, Erik!
Delicious and light! Thanks for another excellent recipe Nora!
Hi Jade. You are welcome! I’m so glad you love the salad! Thanks for your great feedback!
Such a great base salad! I don’t like cheese, so I left off the feta. Made with quinoa (since that is what I always have in the pantry) and it is perfect! I’ve also added turkey pepperoni, crisped up by frying it a little bit before chopping and adding. Any grilled meat goes so well in it! Thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad you love the salad, Christina! Thanks for using my recipe, and for your wonderful review!
I am unable to eat feta is there alternative I can use?
Yes, you can use my vegan feta cheese or Violife vegan feta instead 🙂
What’s a good starting measurement with the salt and pepper? I’m raw vegan, and all of my taste testers have flown the nest. I want to take this to work for co workers, but I don’t want it to be bland or too salty. Thank you!
I just add a pinch and a few shakes, stir, taste, and add more if it doesn’t taste like there is enough. This recipe tastes great without much salt or pepper, so you don’t need much. Hope that helps!
Bulgur is a type of whole wheat grain that has been partially cooked and then dried. It has a chewy texture and nutty flavor. Bulgur is a healthy alternative to white rice or pasta. It is high in fiber and protein, and low in calories.
This bulgur salad is a light and refreshing dish. It is made with cucumber, tomatoes, parsley, mint, and lemon juice. The salad can be served as a side dish or main course.
If you are looking for a healthy and flavorful salad, this bulgur salad is the perfect recipe for you!
Loved this salad. I’ve made it three weeks in a row and eat it for lunch all week long. Sometimes I can’t wait till lunch and eat it for breakfast too. It really is that good. Thank you for doing up a vegan version.
You are welcome! I’m so glad that you are enjoying the salad! Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback!
As I calculate the calories in this recipe – simply dividing each ingredient by 6 and adding them together – the calories are closer 450 per serving, almost twice the calorie count given in the nutrition information. I am wondering how there can be such a large underestimation.
I took a look and my calculation left out the cheese for some reason, so I updated it with vegan feta cheese. I still only get 388 calories per serving. I use an online automatic calculator, and can not guarantee nutrition information, it’s an estimate only.
Once again, this recipe is a winner!! Every single thing that i’ve tried from your site has been a hit. I left out the vegan feta as we are trying to stay away from processed foods but I didn’t miss it at all – this was so, so good! It was great for work week lunches and stayed very well in the fridge.
How wonderful to read you loved the salad! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review and feedback! I’m so glad you love the salad!
Delicious! Substituted bulgur with farro, skipped feta, and added shelled edamame. So refreshing and nutritious. Huge hit at a potluck.
I’m glad the salad was a hit at your potluck! Thanks for sharing your great feedback and review!
Hi! Love this recipe, I was just wondering if you could please give a more specific measurement for “one block” of feta. Maybe in ounces… Thank you!
Thanks Angie! I used about 8 ounces, but you can use more or less depending on your tastes. 🙂
This tastes better than it has any right to lol. Seriously so light and refreshing, yet satisfying. I may actually start meal prepping thanks to this gem of a salad! Nora is my go to for like 80% of what I cook
Haha thanks so much for your wonderful feedback, Sonya! I’m so glad you loved the salad!
This was wonderful and so fresh! I couldn’t find bulgur for the life of me (and didn’t have enough bulgur left in my pantry) so I made it with farro, which was also delicious! Thanks Nora!
I’m so glad it worked out for you! Thanks for leaving such a wonderful review!
Wow! This really is the best salad ever. I could eat this every day. It’s shocking how delicious it is, even with only lemon juice to dress it.
Made this today to have for lunches next week. So delicious. Will be a staple n my lunch rotation. So light, bright and fresh ???
Hi Shawn. Thank you for your wonderful feedback and review! I definitely love the freshness of this salad!
I enjoyed the salad immensely. it was refreshing, springy tasting. I shared with co-worker, he asked for the recipe. this will become a staple for me.
Thank you for sharing your fantastic feedback and review! I’m thrilled this will be part of your meal rotation! Happy cooking to you!
Loved this! Just got done eating it. Very refreshing. Your recipes always turn out awesome for me! You changed my life on soy curls. Of note, my calorie count came in quite a bit higher after I logged it. I only care because I’m tracking right now. Mine as calculated via MyFitnessPal was 411 per 1 of 6 servings. I know most ways of tracking are not perfect, and I even made sure to use the brand nutritional packaging for accuracy. Not sure what the difference is. Maybe the brand of bulgur. I used Bob’s Red Bulgur. I even went back and rechecked the recipe to make sure. Thanks for posting this! Adding it to my rotation. Love your recipes!
This is so wonderful to hear, Aimee! So glad you loved the salad!
How long does it last in the fridge if I make it for the week can I have it everyday for lunch or does it only last a couple days?
The leftovers will keep for about 4 days in a covered container in the refrigerator, but some of the ingredients will become mushy after 2-3 days.
looks so good!! Thank you for sharing your version!
xoxo Katharina
Soo good! Will definitely have this refreshing salad on repeat. Thank you so much for another great recipe!
You are very welcome! I’m so glad you love the salad! Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback, Stevie! Happy cooking!
This is HEAVENLY. I love the fresh flavors. I used two tubs of Follow Your Heart feta crumbles.
I’m so glad you liked it Ashley!
What kind of bulgur do you use? There seems to be red, fine, coarse.. etc. I’m so excited to try this and just want to get the right kind
I believe I used coarse bulgur, but any kind will work fine. Just check the package instructions for how long to cook it, as they can differ. Enjoy!
This sounds amazing except the feta. Is there a substitute you would recommend? Thank you for sharing, I am excited to try it.
You could stir in up to 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast to mimic the cheesy flavors. Otherwise, cubed firm tofu has a similar texture to feta but without the salty, cheesy flavor.