This easy Bulgur Salad is a vegetarian delight! The rich medley of healthy bulgur, chickpeas, herbs, and veggies come together in no time, and offer tons of nutrition along with a zesty taste. Fresh lemon vinaigrette brings it all together.

Up close shot of a glass mixing bowl with chickpeas, cucumbers, bulgur, and red onions.

Have you seen the latest viral food trend, the Jennifer Aniston salad? Lots of people claim this fresh bulgur salad is what Jen and Friends ate on the set of the beloved sitcom, not just sometimes but for 10 years straight. Others say this is a similar salad but that it originated from a social media post in 2015, where the star shared a picture of her favorite salad. I’m thinking it was probably this dang amazing Tabbouleh Salad! It had to be.

Either way, this one is a keeper! It’s SO GOOD! You could definitely enjoy this for a whole decade as they did – it’s fresh, flavorful, and filling. With mild bulgur wheat, meaty garbanzo beans, the punch of freshly chopped herbs, pistachios, and red onion, it’s got everything you could want in a healthy salad.

Overhead shot of a serving salad bowl with Jennifer Aniston's bulgur salad.

Ingredients You’ll Need

The simple ingredients for this favorite bulgur salad include an easy, short, and ultra-flavorful list. This salad not only tastes great, but it’s also nourishing and quick to make.

For the Salad

Bulgur: This recipe starts with a cup of uncooked bulgur. If you’d like to double that and make more, go for it!
Cucumber: Dice up an English Cucumber.
Garbanzo Beans: Also known as chickpeas, these are what hummus is made of! Rinse and drain before using.
Fresh Herbs: Chopped fresh parsley and mint add loads of herbal flavor.
Pistachios: Chopped pistachios add color and crunch, along with a rich, nutty flavor.
Red Onion: Not everyone loves raw onion in salad, so you can definitely leave this out if you prefer – or replace it with a less pungent veggie like bell pepper or celery.
Feta Cheese: A handful of crumbles add a tangy, creamy note to the salad. Goat cheese or cotija cheese would be great, as well.

For the Dressing

Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil has the strongest, boldest flavor. Look for bottles marked “first cold pressed” for the best quality.
Lemon Juice: Fresh juice is extra-bright and yummy, but bottled juice will work just fine, as well.
Salt and Pepper: To taste.

How to Make Bulgur Salad

The instructions for my take on Jennifer Aniston’s salad recipe are so simple that they are almost unnecessary to write. Cook the bulgur, chop the veggies and herbs, and then combine everything in a bowl. Stir, and you’re done!

A glass bowl with chickpeas, mint, parsley, diced cucumbers, chopped red onions, and chopped pistachios.

Image of a jar with homemade lemon vinaigrette.

Cook the Bulgur Wheat. First, follow the directions on the bulgur package and cook it accordingly. Drain it and cool it. I like to spread mine out in a thin layer on a baking sheet to cool more quickly.
Combine the Salad Ingredients. Once the bulgur has cooled, place it in a big bowl along with the diced cucumbers, garbanzo beans, parsley, pistachios, red onions, and mint.
Make the Dressing. In a smaller mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Dress the Salad and Serve. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine. Taste a bite for salt and pepper, and adjust those if needed. Finally, sprinkle the crumbled feta over the salad, and serve.

Overhead shot of a glass mixing bowl with bulgur salad.

Helpful Recipe Tips

If you need to make this bulgur salad now, you’re not alone! Just writing about it makes me want another big serving – it’s that good. But, before you start cooking, take a second to look over these easy tips for success. They’ll help guarantee the tastiest results!

Using Other Grains. This recipe is so flexible and you could use almost any grain that you love here – maybe a wild rice blend, some quinoa, farro, buckwheat groats… anything you love!
Cooking Bulgur. Bulgur wheat comes in different size grains, from fine to coarse. The coarser grains should be boiled, but the finer ones can be boiled or simply soaked in hot water. Definitely check your package directions to make sure you’re preparing it right!
Cucumbers Options. Persian cucumbers and English cucumbers are recommended for salads, but you could also use regular cucumbers (also known as pickling cucumbers), or use mini cucumbers. If your cucumber seems to have a tough or waxy peel, you may want to peel the cucumber before adding it to the salad.
Rinse the Garbanzo Beans. As convenient as canned beans can be, they sometimes have a slight “canned” taste to them. I suggest to rinse the beans well with cool water and drain them.
Soak the Onions. To take some of the edge off the raw red onion, you can soak it for 10 minutes or so in cold water. This can “wash away” some of the onion juices and leave them tasting milder.

Serving Suggestions

With its rich combination of carbs, protein, and healthy fat, this bulgur salad is definitely a complete meal in a bowl! But it’s also wonderful paired with fresh, flavorful side dishes.

There’s nothing quite like soup with salad, and this one would be perfect alongside a bowl of Roasted Tomato Soup, Thai Chicken Soup, or any other soup you love!
For a light protein addition, why not try these easy Chicken Skewers or my favorite Air Fryer Mustard Salmon? It’s light, refreshing, and has tons of fresh, zesty flavor.
For a simple but mouthwatering veggie, I highly recommend this Grilled Eggplant with Garlic Vinaigrette. I also love this salad with my Cheesy Zucchini Breadsticks!

Close-up overhead shot of a serving salad bowl with bulgur salad.

Storing Leftovers

This salad will last in the fridge for about 2 to 3 days, stored in an airtight container.

To Meal Prep. If you portion the prepped salad ingredients into separate containers, it can last for 4 days or more. To keep their crunch, store the cucumbers and pistachios separately and add them to the salad when you’re ready to serve it.

Jennifer Aniston’s Bulgur Salad