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Fresh Jennifer Aniston Salad (40 Mins)

Jennifer Aniston salad with quinoa, chickpeas, cucumber, red onion, feta, pistachios, parsley, and dill served in a modern white ceramic bowl on a bright white marble surface, showing a fresh lemon-garlic dressed Mediterranean texture.
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Fresh Jennifer Aniston Salad is a crisp, filling quinoa salad with chickpeas, cucumber, red onion, fresh herbs, feta, pistachios, and a bright lemon garlic dressing. It is easy to prep ahead, holds well in the fridge, and makes a fresh lunch, picnic salad, or simple vegetarian side.

Ingredients

Scale
  • ½ cup dry quinoa, or 1 to 1 ½ cups cooked quinoa
  • ¾ cup water
  • ¼ teaspoon salt, for cooking the quinoa
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 small garlic clove, grated
  • ½ teaspoon salt, for the dressing
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 can chickpeas, 15 oz, drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups diced cucumber, from about 1 medium cucumber
  • ½ cup finely diced red onion, from about ½ medium onion
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
  • 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled, about 1 cup
  • ½ cup roasted salted pistachios, roughly chopped

Instructions

  1. Rinse the quinoa: Add the quinoa to a fine mesh sieve and rinse well under cool running water to remove any bitter coating.
  2. Cook the quinoa: Add the rinsed quinoa, water, and ¼ teaspoon salt to a small pot. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 mins.
  3. Steam and cool: Turn off the heat and keep the pot covered for 20 mins. Fluff with a fork, then refrigerate until cooled.
  4. Make the dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, grated garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper.
  5. Build the salad: Add the cooled quinoa, chickpeas, cucumber, red onion, parsley, dill, feta, and pistachios to the bowl.
  6. Toss and serve: Toss gently until everything is evenly coated in the lemon garlic dressing. Serve right away or refrigerate until ready to eat.

Notes

  • Rinse the quinoa well before cooking so it tastes clean instead of bitter.
  • Let the quinoa cool completely before tossing so the salad stays fresh and does not soak up too much dressing.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
  • Freezing is not recommended because the cucumber, herbs, feta, and quinoa lose their best texture.
  • If the salad seems dry after chilling, stir in a small drizzle of olive oil before serving.

Nutrition

Keywords: Jennifer Aniston salad

Find it online: https://cozyhomeplate.com/fresh-jennifer-aniston-salad-40-mins/