Jennifer Aniston Salad
Published October 3, 2023 • Updated March 10, 2026
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I make this low-carb version of the Jennifer Aniston salad almost every week for lunch. Cauliflower rice, lupini beans, crunchy pistachios, and a bright lemon vinaigrette make it a high-protein meal that I actually look forward to.
Want to look like Jen? Just eat this for lunch every day.
I’m kidding. Mostly. But I have been making this salad on repeat since it went viral, and I get why she ate it every day on set. It’s a high-protein, no-lettuce situation loaded with fresh herbs and enough crunch from the pistachios to keep me full through the entire afternoon without that post-lunch crash. I toss it together in about 15 minutes and I genuinely look forward to it, which is not something I used to say about a salad that doesn’t involve lettuce or a massive pile of croutons.
What is the Jennifer Aniston salad?
This isn’t a chef salad situation built on a pile of lettuce. There’s no lettuce at all. The original recipe comes from a 2015 Instagram post where she shared a salad she’d been eating regularly (not the Cobb salad from Friends, which is a whole different thing). It uses quinoa or bulgur wheat as a base, adds chickpeas for protein, then piles on cucumber, red onion, pistachios, feta, fresh parsley and mint, all tossed in a simple lemon and olive oil vinaigrette.
My keto version swaps out the two high-carb ingredients for cauliflower rice and lupini beans (which also makes it naturally gluten-free). Everything else stays exactly the same. When I first tried the swap I figured the cauliflower rice would be a noticeable compromise. It wasn’t. The dry-skillet technique I use (more on that below) turns frozen cauliflower rice into something fluffy, dry, and completely neutral. And it absorbs the lemon dressing better than quinoa ever did. The lupini beans are close enough to chickpeas in texture and flavor that I made two bowls side by side and my husband couldn’t tell which was which.
What I keep coming back to is how well this salad works as a complete meal without feeling heavy. The feta adds creaminess, the pistachios add crunch, the cucumber keeps everything fresh, and the mint and parsley tie it all together with this bright, herby finish that makes it taste way more put-together than the 15 minutes it takes. I’ve made it for work lunches, brought it to a friend’s house alongside my Thai chicken salad, and eaten it standing over the counter at 2pm because I forgot about breakfast. It works in every context.
If you like salads that double as a full meal, my broccoli chicken salad and Asian cucumber salad are the other two I keep in weekly rotation. Between the three of them, I basically never eat the same lunch twice in a row.
How to make the Jennifer Aniston salad low-carb
I only changed two things to make this keto. That’s it.
- Cauliflower rice replaces quinoa. Quinoa has about 20g of carbs per half cup, so that’s out. I use frozen cauliflower rice cooked in a dry skillet (technique is below) and it absorbs the lemon dressing even better than quinoa does.
- Lupini beans replace chickpeas. Chickpeas are a solid plant-based protein but loaded with carbs. Lupini beans have a similar flavor and texture, and the carbs are mostly fiber, so they work on keto without any compromise.
These ingredients stay exactly as they are:
- Pistachios for crunch and a nutty, savory bite
- Feta cheese for tang
- Cucumber and red onion for freshness
- Fresh mint and parsley for that bright, herby finish I love
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Ingredients
1 1/2 cups frozen cauliflower rice -
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
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1 cup chopped cucumber
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2 tablespoons diced red onion
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2 tablespoons chopped roasted & salted pistachios
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1/2 cup lupini beans
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1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
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2 tablespoons chopped parsley
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1 tablespoon chopped mint
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1 teaspoon lemon juice
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1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Prepare cauliflower rice
Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add frozen cauliflower rice. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally until almost all of the visible moisture is out of the cauliflower. Add olive oil and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine. Remove from heat to cool.
- 1 1/2 cups cauliflower rice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- pinch of salt
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
How many calories are in this salad?
I designed this to be a full meal, not a side dish. One serving comes in at about 500 calories, 23g of protein, 35g of fat, and 13g net carbs. When I want to drop the carbs even lower, I cut back on the feta and add more cucumber.
What can I use instead of lupini beans?
I've tried a few swaps. Black soy beans are the closest match I've found in both texture and flavor. If you can't find those either, just skip the beans altogether and add more cauliflower rice and chopped cucumber. I've done that plenty of times and it still works as a full meal.
Can I make this ahead of time?
This is one of my go-to meal prep recipes. I prep a full batch on Sunday and eat from it through the week. The flavors actually build overnight as the lemon and olive oil soak into the cauliflower rice. I'd say it tastes best on day two or three.
Can I use fresh cauliflower rice instead of frozen?
I've tested both. Frozen works better because it has a more uniform texture that cooks down evenly in the dry skillet. Fresh cauliflower rice tends to have bigger, uneven pieces and takes longer to release moisture. If fresh is all you have, rice it yourself in a food processor to get smaller, more even pieces before cooking.
Is this the same salad from Friends?
Nope. The salad from the Friends set was a Cobb salad, which is a completely different recipe. This one comes from a 2015 Instagram post where she showed a salad she'd been making at home with quinoa, chickpeas, and fresh herbs. I see this confusion come up constantly, but they're two totally different meals.
What proteins can I add to make this more filling?
I toss in shredded chicken most often because I usually have leftovers in the fridge. Cooked shrimp, sliced hard-boiled eggs, or even crumbled bacon all work well too. Adding about 4-5 oz of chicken brings the protein up to around 40g per serving, making it more of a high-protein lunch if that's what you need.
Can I freeze this salad?
I don't recommend it. I tried once and the cucumber turned mushy and the feta got grainy after thawing. This salad stores beautifully in the fridge for up to 5 days, so I just make a fresh batch each week instead.
Is this salad gluten-free?
Yes, completely. My version uses cauliflower rice and lupini beans instead of quinoa or bulgur wheat, so there's no grain in it at all. I made the keto swap for carb reasons, not gluten, but it works out for anyone avoiding wheat. Every ingredient in the bowl is naturally gluten-free.
Toasted the pistachios in a dry pan first. Takes maybe two extra minutes but the nuttiness hits completely different. Also let the whole thing sit 20 minutes before eating so the lemon vinaigrette could work into the cauliflower. Way better.
Brought this to a spring lunch last weekend and the lupini beans became a whole thing. Nobody knew what they were, and once they found out, half the table wanted to know where to buy them. The lemon vinaigrette is sharp and actually bright, not like most store dressings. Pistachios give it real crunch, and somehow it held everyone over for hours. Not bringing a smaller batch next time.
Ha, lupini beans do that every time. Half my readers end up ordering them online because they're not in every store. Big batch next time is the only move.
I batch cook lunches every Sunday and always try to minimize cleanup. Does the cauliflower rice actually need the skillet, or could I just microwave it? I've done microwaved cauli rice in grain bowls plenty of times and it works fine, but I'm guessing the skillet is doing something for the texture here that the microwave won't.
Yeah the skillet dries it out, microwave just steams it. You'll get wet cauli rice sitting in the vinaigrette and it gets clumpy. Worth the pan.