Jennifer Aniston Protein Salad (Printable version)

Vibrant protein salad with quinoa, chickpeas, cucumber, feta, fresh herbs, and toasted nuts, perfect for a quick, tasty meal.

# What you need:

→ Grains

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

→ 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 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
12 - 1 clove garlic, minced
13 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
14 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# Steps to follow:

01 - Rinse quinoa or bulgur thoroughly. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add grains, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until tender: about 12 minutes for quinoa or 15 minutes for bulgur. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool.
02 - In a large bowl, mix cooled quinoa or bulgur with chickpeas, diced cucumber, finely chopped red onion, crumbled feta, chopped parsley, chopped mint, and toasted nuts.
03 - Whisk together extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, sea salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
04 - Pour dressing over salad mixture and toss gently until evenly coated.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in 30 minutes flat, making it perfect for nights when you want something wholesome without the fuss.
  • The combination of protein and fiber keeps you satisfied for hours, no afternoon slump required.
  • You can prep it once and eat it for days, which means less thinking about food during a busy week.
02 -
  • Don't dress the salad too far in advance or it will get soggy; make it no more than an hour before you plan to eat it, or dress it just before serving.
  • The magic is in the fresh herbs—don't skimp or use dried ones, as they're what make this salad feel alive and summery.
03 -
  • Toast your nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for two to three minutes—you'll smell when they're ready, and this step alone elevates the entire salad.
  • Squeeze your lemon juice fresh right before making the dressing; bottled lemon juice tastes noticeably flat by comparison and will disappoint you.
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