Jennifer Aniston Salad

Fresh, filling, and full of texture, this is one of my favorite make-ahead salads. The quinoa, chickpeas, cucumber, fresh herbs, feta, and pistachios all come together with a bright lemon dressing that makes it especially good for lunches throughout the week.

Ingredients

For the Salad

• 2 cups water

• 1 cup tri-color quinoa

• 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 1 English cucumber, chopped

• ½ small red onion, minced

• ½ cup packed fresh parsley, finely chopped

• ½ cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

• ½ cup roasted salted pistachios, chopped

• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese

• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Lemon Dressing

• ½ cup fresh lemon juice, about 3–4 lemons

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoon honey

• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Make the Lemon Dressing

Add the lemon juice, olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper to a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake well until combined. You can also whisk everything together in a small bowl.

Make the Salad

1. Add 2 cups of water to a small saucepan and bring to a boil.

2. Stir in the quinoa, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 12–15 minutes, or until the quinoa is tender and the water has been absorbed.

3. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and transfer it to a large bowl or storage container to cool. Once cooled, refrigerate until chilled. This step can easily be done a day or two ahead.

4. Add the chilled quinoa to a large mixing bowl along with the chickpeas, cucumber, red onion, parsley, mint, pistachios, and feta.

5. Pour over your desired amount of lemon dressing and toss everything together until well combined.

6. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

Salt Note

This salad is even better the next day after everything has had time to sit together. It keeps well in the refrigerator for up to three days, which makes it such an easy lunch to prep ahead.