Now, an updated version of the “Jennifer Aniston salad” is making the rounds on social media.
Photo of Arielle Tschinkel
As far as lunch options go, it’s understandable if you’re not shouting from the rooftops about salad. Still, when it comes to packing tons of nutrients and a variety of flavors into one bowl, you can’t go wrong with the dish, especially if you go with a recipe like the combo Jennifer Aniston once called her “perfect salad.” The cheesy, herby mix skips the wilted lettuce leaves and sad veggies. (Related: The Exact Moment Jennifer Aniston ‘Committed to Being Mindful’ of What She Consumes)
Aniston’s love of salads was first revealed by her longtime pal and Friends co-star Courteney Cox in 2010. At the time, Cox told the Los Angeles Times that she and fellow Friends star Lisa Kudrow ate lunch with Aniston throughout the entire decade-long run of the beloved sitcom. All three actresses ate the same thing every single day: a “doctored up” Cobb salad with a few creative add-ins. “It wasn’t really a Cobb salad,” clarified Cox. “It was a Cobb salad that Jennifer doctored up with turkey bacon and garbanzo beans and I don’t know what. She just has a way with food, which really helps. Because if you’re going to eat the same salad every day for 10 years, it’d better be a good salad, right?” While Cox and her co-stars haven’t shared additional details about the recipe, you could easily add garbanzo beans and swap turkey bacon into your favorite Cobb salad recipe if you’re feeling inspired.
In her post-Friends years, Aniston revealed that she still loves a good salad, but that she’d moved onto a new recipe. Her updated go-to continues making the rounds on social media and food blogs, because not only is it super easy to make, it’s also packed with flavor. A sad, uninspired salad, this is not.
Before joining social media herself, the former Living Proof spokesperson took over the brand’s Instagram page in 2015, sharing a photo of her “perfect salad” in a since-deleted post. Aniston’s new salad included cooked bulgur for a base, with diced cucumbers, parsley, mint, red onion, garbanzo beans, crumbled feta cheese, and chopped pistachios for crunch. Though it’s unclear if the Morning Show star still eats this same salad in 2022, she did tell Shape last year that salad is still a staple in her diet, revealing, “Mexican food and a good chopped salad make me happy.” (Related: 5 Genius Ways to Totally Overhaul Your Salad Game)
As you may have already guessed, Aniston’s “perfect salad” packs in a variety of nutritious ingredients. ICYDK, bulgur is a quick-cooking whole grain that’s rich in fiber. Garbanzo beans are also filled with nutrients such as folate, fiber, and iron, which may be why they made an appearance in both of Aniston’s salad recipes. Cucumbers provide vitamin K and red onions contain flavonoids, while herbs such as mint and parsley add flavor and brightness. (Related: 3-Ingredient Salad Dressings You Can Whip Up in No Time)
If you’ve become bored with your usual salads, you can take a cue from Aniston’s bulgur salad or the Cobb salad she was faithful to for a decade. You can make make omissions, add dressing, or swap out some of the ingredients until you achieve your own idea of a perfect salad.
