How to Make the Jennifer Aniston Quinoa Chickpea Salad Oil-Free Vegan

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Learn how to make the viral quinoa chickpea Jennifer Aniston salad vegan and oil-free. A refreshing combination of flavors comes together with mint, parsley, lemon, red onion. Plus, a crunchy texture from roasted pistachios. Ready in under 20 minutes, this recipe will become one of your go-to favorites.

I love bringing this to parties and summer barbecues…it’s my security blanket when I’m not sure what other vegan offerings might be available. If you like this, you’ll also love: Quinoa Tabbouleh, Smoky Broccoli Quinoa Sunflower Crunch, Grilled Veggie Quinoa Bowl with Dill Dressing, and Super Green Gluten-Free Quinoa Veggie Burger Sliders.

How to make the Jennifer Aniston Quinoa Chickpea Salad Plant-Based Vegan

The original recipe for the Jennifer Aniston Quinoa Chickpea Salad is already vegetarian. The only non-vegan ingredient is feta cheese. You have a few different plant-based options for swapping out that Feta. You can use a dairy-free Feta like the one from Follow Your Heart. I’ve used this so many times to fake out cheese that my friends and clients actually prefer it over dairy feta.

You can also simply omit the feta cheese. Or, as I’ll often do a catering events, serve it on the side. This gives guests the option to add as much (or none at all) as they choose.

A third veganized option is to make your own vegan feta from tofu. You can make a big batch (even doubling the recipe) to use on salads, grain bowls, or snacking for other recipes.

Finally, if you still want that creamy texture and salty flavor that traditional feta provides, you can get it from other whole foods ingredients. Diced avocado, chopped green olives, and chopped canned hearts of palm all would be delicious substitutes for dairy feta in this recipe.

How to make the Jennifer Aniston Quinoa Chickpea Salad Oil-Free and WFPB

The biggest issue I have with the original Jennifer Aniston Quinoa Chickpea Salad is the amount of oil in the recipe. Like most salad recipes, it quickly looses its nutritional power when it gets drowned in a caloric, fatty oil-based dressing. The original recipes I found called for 1/4 cup of olive oil — that’s 480 empty calories of fat! I don’t know about you, but I’d rather taste my 480 calories…not just drink it up in oil.

I experimented with reducing the amount of oil and then, ultimately just cutting it from the recipe. I found that the taste improved greatly — no heavy, oily salad. Rather, the flavor was lighter, fresher, and crisper. Instead of an oily layer coating your tongue, you get the flavors of all of the fresh herbs with the crunch of the pistachios and cucumbers…a winning combo!

Cooking Quinoa in Plant-Based Recipes

Quinoa is a gluten-free whole grain used often in plant-based recipes. Full of healthy vegan protein and fiber, it is satisfying and delicious. Quinoa comes in four color options: white, red, black, and tri-color (a mix of the three). You can use it in breakfast porridge, salad and grain bowls, soups, stews, and even cookies. For this recipe, I like using plain white quinoa. It cooks in 12 minutes and has a light, fluffy texture.

For more Quinoa Tips and Recipes: QUINOA COOKING: RINSING, OIL-FREE TOASTING, AND HOW TO KNOW WHEN IT’S DONE

Chef Katie’s Plant-Based Cooking Tips: 

Prepping Ahead:  This salad is great when prepped ahead of time. However, fresh mint tends to turn brown a day after chopping.  If prepping this salad ahead of time for a party, wait to chop and add the mint until just before serving.

Curly vs. Flat-Leaf Parsley: Use flat leaf parsley for this recipe.  It has a milder, slightly sweeter flavor that works well with the nutty flavor of the quinoa.

Oil-Free: I’m on a mission to get rid of empty calories, like those found in refined oils. This recipe skips oil and uses parchment paper to keep the bars from sticking to the pan. This makes a healthy, low-calorie recipe.

How to Make the Jennifer Aniston Quinoa Chickpea Salad Oil-Free Vegan

• Medium
• Servings: 6
• Ready In: 20 minutes
• Yield: 7 cups

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Nutrition Info:

Servings: 6

Serving Size: About 1 1/8 cups

Nutrition info includes dairy-free Feta cheese. For a lower-sodium, lower fat option, omit or substitute the DF feta.

Nutrition Facts
Servings 6.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 216
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 8 g	12 %
Saturated Fat 4 g	18 %
Monounsaturated Fat 2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg	0 %
Sodium 653 mg	27 %
Potassium 569 mg	16 %
Total Carbohydrate 29 g	10 %
Dietary Fiber 6 g	23 %
Sugars 2 g
Protein 7 g	14 %
Vitamin A	2 %
Vitamin C	8 %
Calcium	6 %
Iron	10 %
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.

Shopping List:

• Follow Your Heart Dairy-Free Feta Crumbles
• Terrasoul Superfoods Organic White Quinoa
• Sincerely Nuts Pistachios Roasted and Unsalted Kernels