Jennifer Aniston vibrant salad (Printable Version)

Mediterranean-inspired quinoa salad with chickpeas, feta, fresh herbs, cucumber, and toasted nuts.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 (100 g)

→ 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

# Directions:

01 - Rinse quinoa or bulgur thoroughly. In a medium saucepan, combine with water and bring to a boil. 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 the cooled quinoa or bulgur with chickpeas, diced cucumber, finely chopped red onion, crumbled feta, parsley, mint, and toasted nuts.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, sea salt, and black pepper until well combined.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently to evenly coat all ingredients.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper if desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in 30 minutes but tastes like you spent the afternoon on it.
  • The warm grain soaks up the lemon dressing while the fresh herbs keep everything bright and alive.
  • It's equally good straight from the fridge or left on the counter, making it perfect for unpredictable days.
02 -
  • If you make this ahead, wait to add the mint until just before serving or it'll darken and lose its freshness.
  • The dressing will soak into the grain over time, so if you're making it hours ahead, taste it again before serving and add a splash more lemon juice if needed.
03 -
  • Buy your feta from a deli counter if you can; it tastes fresher and crumbles better than vacuum-sealed blocks.
  • The secret to a balanced dressing is whisking it in a small bowl before adding it to the salad, and tasting it on its own—adjusting acid and salt before it hits the vegetables.
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