Jennifer Aniston Couscous Salad

This Jennifer Aniston Couscous Salad is the original, made better! One of the coolest things to have happened to us on social media is to have started a trend with our original Jennifer Aniston Salad video which has now made it all over the world, TikTok, the New York post and so many other articles too. We want to take a moment to say thank you to all of you who shared it, made it, and to all our fellow creators that tagged us in their creations and versions. It has made our heart extremely happy to see all of the different versions out there but we truly think that this couscous recipe is the best by far. We love couscous in any dish and it amps up the base recipe.

What stands out

If you loved the original Jennifer Aniston Salad, you’ll LOVE the addition of couscous. Couscous has a slightly milder taste than bulgar in the original, but it still helps make the salad substantial and nutritious. Couscous is light and fluffy and a addition to this viral salad recipe. We like to keep the dressing simple with some lemon, olive oil and salt, but you can adjust!

How to Prepare Jennifer Aniston Couscous Salad

First, in a pot on the stove add 1 and 1/3 cup couscous, 2 cups water, salt and olive oil.

Let it come up to a boil, and then remove from the heat.

Then, cover the pot and let it sit for 5 minutes.

While you’re waiting, finely dice all the herbs and vegetables.

Then, add everything to a bowl with the cooked and cooled down couscous and mix together.

Finally, we like to add a touch of olive oil, lemon juice, and salt but feel free to adjust. Enjoy!

Kitchen tip

We like to let the flavours of the veggies shine in this recipe so we choose to keep the dressing simple with some lemon, olive oil and salt, but you can adjust!

Swaps

1. We personally love the couscous here, but you can use any grain instead. Try quinoa, farro, rice or go back to the original and use bulgur.
2. Feel free to swap out the veggies in this anything-goes salad. Try tomatoes and peppers, radishes, carrots or roasted beets.
3. You can also play around with different herb combinations in this Jennifer Aniston Couscous Salad. Basil, cilantro or dill instead would be.
4. We love adding proteins to salads like this. The recipe calls for chickpeas, but you can try hard-boiled eggs, grilled chicken or shrimp instead.
5. Amp up the nutrients even more by throwing in a handful of greens, such as spinach, arugula or kale.

Serve it with

• A salad like this Jennifer Aniston Couscous Salad was MADE for summer barbecues and large gatherings. Serve it as a side dish to our Juicy Homemade Burgers or grilled steak, chicken or salmon.
• Additional proteins such as hard-boiled eggs, beans or chickpeas are a great way to make this salad a well-balanced dish nutritionally.

Questions

What kind of salad dressing works well with this?

We like to let the flavours of the veggies shine in this recipe so we choose to keep the dressing simple with some lemon, olive oil and salt, but you can adjust. We also think that our go-to dressing found in our a strong Strawberry Spinach Salad would be sensational.

What can i use instead of pistachios for crunch?

Any nut, toasted or raw, would work here as would sunflower or pumpkin seeds. You could also do crispy chickpeas for texture, or even crispy onion straws would be yum.

Can this be made in advance?

Yes, this Jennifer Aniston Couscous Salad can be made a day or so ahead of time. You may need to give it another drizzle of olive oil before serving because it can be absorbed by the couscous as it sits.

what other kind of cheese can be used?

We kept this Greek-inspired and used feta, but you can also try with goat cheese, cubed mozzarella or parmesan. Also, any favourite dairy-free cheese will also work.

How do you make sure couscous comes out fluffy?

If you follow these simple steps, your couscous will always be fluffy! First, add your couscous, water, a pinch of salt and a bit of olive oil to your pot. Bring it to a boil and then take it off the heat immediately. bring water and couscous to a boil in a pot, with add a pinch of salt and bit of olive oil. Next, cover the pan and let the couscous steam for 5 minutes. Now, remove the lid and use a fork to fluff the couscous.

Ingredients

Makes 3 servings

• 1⅓ cups couscous, cook on the stove as per the directions on the package
• 2 cups water, for the couscous
• ⅛ teaspoon salt, for the couscous water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, for the couscous water
• ½ red onion, finely diced
• ½ cup parsley, finely chopped
• ⅓ cup mint, finely chopped
• ⅓ cup pistachios, or as many as you like
• ½ cup cucumbers, about 2 mini cucumbers
• chickpeas, optional
• ½ cup feta cheese, measure with your heart
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste

Equipment

• Cutting Board
• Nakiri Knife
• Redmond Real Salt
• Medium Pot
• Measuring Cups + Spoons

Method

1. In a pot on the stove add 1 and 1/3 cup couscous, 2 cups water, salt and olive oil. Let it come up to a boil, and take it off the heat as soon as it does.
2. Cover it and let it sit for 5 minutes. Finely dice all of the herbs and vegetables and take your time because this should be therapeutic.
3. Add everything to a bowl with the cooked and cooled down couscous and mix. Feel free to add some chickpeas, grilled chicken or shrimp for protein.
4. We added a touch of olive oil, lemon juice, and salt but feel free to adjust. Enjoy