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Let me just put this out there: I’m in a loving, committed relationship with salad. Just like Elaine with her “big salad” on “Seinfeld,” which she described as “a salad, only bigger, with lots of stuff in it,” I love a giant bowl full of greens, veggies, and protein with zingy dressing covering every inch of it. Bonus points for parmesan crisps. Whoever invented those is a genius.
Of all the celebrity food creations floating around out there, these fan-tested recipes are some of the most-loved salads on the internet. Not only are they easy and delicious, but they also make solid gold conversation starters. Every time I make Matthew McConaughey’s slightly unhinged tuna salad, I can’t help but think of the time I was pitching in on a voice recording session with him and he suddenly took a sip of kombucha and did shirtless pushups on the floor. An Oscar-winning actor with a minor in tuna-maxxing.
Grab your sharpest kitchen knife and your favorite mixing bowl. These celebrity salad recipes serve up nature’s bounty with a little razzle-dazzle from Tinseltown, and all of the accolades go to you.
The Jennifer Aniston Salad
@eatingbirdfood The JENNIFER ANISTON SALAD went viral last year and it is still one of my fave salads to meal prep for the week… even if we all now know she didn’t eat it every day. 🤣 If you haven’t tried this salad yet, take this as a sign that you need to make it this summer! It’s so good and so dang easy to throw together. Make it once and you’ll be hooked. 🥗💗 Check out the full recipe, linked in my bio or google “Jennifer Aniston salad eatingbirdfood.” https://www.eatingbirdfood.com/jennifer-aniston-salad/ #saladmonth #quinoasalad #saladlover #jenniferanistonsalad #viralsalad
Contrary to everything we’ve ever believed, Jennifer Aniston never ate this salad on the set of “Friends.” (Her go-to salad back in the ‘90s was an iceberg Cobb she claimed was “basically butchered.”) Instead, this viral Jennifer Aniston salad features the star’s favorite ingredients. It’s a top pick for wellness pros because it’s packed with nutritious and filling chickpeas and quinoa, fresh mint, crunchy cucumber, and umami-boosted feta. Even better, lemon juice and olive oil come together as the dressing, right in the same bowl as the veggies.
What you need:
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 cup cucumber, chopped
- ½ cup parsley, chopped
- ½ cup mint, chopped
- ⅓ cup red onion, chopped
- ½ cup roasted and salted pistachios, chopped
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- The juice of 2 lemons
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
How to make it:
- Cook the quinoa according to package instructions, and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Toss the quinoa and the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Enjoy right away, or chill in the fridge so the flavors mix and mingle.
Tips:
- Swap out quinoa for couscous, bulgur wheat, brown rice, or farro.
- Toss in rotisserie chicken to boost the protein.
Matthew McConaughey’s Tuna Salad
Alright, alright, alright. Dubbing himself the “tuna salad master,” Matthew McConaughey cleans out the fridge with his tuna salad recipe. If you’re shocked to see wasabi paste, corn, apples, and frozen peas forming an alliance, so was I. You can swap out ingredients, but pinky-promise to try it strict McConaughey-style at least once. You may never go back to “non-unhinged” tuna salad again.
What you need:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons wasabi paste
- 2 teaspoons Italian dressing
- 3 tablespoons chopped red onion
- 3 tablespoons chopped dill pickles
- 1/3 cup crispy jalapeño chips
- 1/4 cup chopped apple
- 1/2 cup corn kernels
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 10 ounces tuna packed in olive oil, drained
- Optional drizzle of agave syrup
How to make it:
- Add all the ingredients to a medium bowl and toss to combine. Do you have to chill it in the fridge for the best flavor? No, but “it’d be a lot cooler if you did.”
Tips:
- When it comes to “crispy jalapeño chips,” you can use crunchy salted chips, but pickled jalapeño slices work, too.
Cameron Diaz’ Crunchy Corn Salad
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As the co-founder of natural wine brand Avaline, Cameron Diaz cooked her easy, crunchy corn salad on Instagram, encouraging fans to pair it with a crisp glass of white wine. Whatever you’re sipping, there’s no better way to do sweet corn season than to roast fresh kernels in a pan and dress them up with snap peas and feta for what Diaz describes as the “perfect little snack.”
What you need:
- 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Juice of half an orange
- ½ garlic clove, Microplaned or grated
- 1 ear of corn, kernels sliced off
- ½ cup snap peas, finely sliced
- Crumbled feta cheese, to taste
- Salt, to taste
How to make it:
- For the dressing, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, orange juice, garlic, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Using a skillet over medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil, the corn, and a little salt. Stir frequently until the kernels start looking a little charred.
- Add the sliced snap peas and corn to a medium bowl, toss with the dressing, and top with crumbled feta cheese and salt to taste.
Tips:
- Fresh corn out of season? Swap in smoky fire-roasted corn from a can.
- Sub white wine vinegar or rice vinegar for the champagne version.
Bella Hadid’s “#1” Salad
@babybella777 My #1 ♬ Melody (1983 Club Vinyl Mix) – Plustwo
Maybe no one thinks of fashion models for food inspo, but Victoria’s Secret model and GQ Model of The Year Bella Hadid, makes a mean veggie salad. Simple ingredients like avocado and arugula get a glow-up with parmesan crumbles and thick balsamic glaze. Possibly inspired by her mom Yolanda Hadid’s former Malibu lemon grove, a fresh lemon squeeze adds a bright finish to a salad that looks as good as it tastes.
What you need:
- Four handfuls of arugula
- 2 mini cucumbers, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 ripe avocado, sliced
- Parmesan cheese, crumbled
- Juice of ½ a lemon
- Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
- Balsamic glaze, to taste
- Salt and pepper, to taste
How to make it:
- Add the arugula to a large bowl. Then, add the cucumbers, red peppers, parmesan, and avocado. Top with lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and drizzle with balsamic glaze and olive oil. Toss and serve!
Tips:
- For runway-worthy looks, don’t toss this salad until everyone snaps a pic.
Bethenny Frankel’s “Excellent” Chicken Salad
@bethennyfrankel At the level chicken salad #yum #chickensalad #lordswork #bethennymademetryit #bethennymademebuyit #forthepeople ♬ original sound – Bethenny Frankel
You don’t need to be a “Real Housewives of New York City” fan to appreciate this Skinnygirl founder’s liberal use of mayonnaise “to be competitive,” as she says. Bethenny Frankel’s Insta-famous chicken salad recipe turns shredded rotisserie chicken breast into a tangy topper for bread, leafy salads, or a sleeve of Ritz crackers.
What you need:
- 1 rotisserie chicken breast, shredded by hand
- 1 cup mayo
- 1 celery stick, minced
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Optional splash of store-bought celery juice
How to make it:
- Combine the ingredients in a medium bowl. Adjust seasonings to taste and serve.
Tips:
- Frankel’s pro move is using warm chicken (from the store or the microwave) so it soaks up as much of the dressing as possible.
Shay Mitchell’s “Ultimate” Summer Salad
@shaymitchell The best summer salad truly. #shayskitchen #salad #saladrecipe ♬ original sound – Shay Mitchell
It wouldn’t be a summer salad without watermelon and blueberries. “Pretty Little Liars” star and Béis luxury travel brand founder Shay Mitchell, makes her “ultimate” summer salad by combining the season’s best fruit with crunchy cucumber, walnuts, and can’t-miss feta cheese. Dressing it all with fresh lime juice and olive oil, Mitchell assures us, “You can thank me now.”
What you need:
- A few handfuls of arugula
- 2 cups cubed watermelon
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 cup diced cucumber
- 1 cup raw walnuts, whole
- 1 cup cubed feta cheese
- Juice of 2 limes
- Olive oil, to taste
- Salt and pepper, to taste
How to make it:
- Add the ingredients to a medium bowl and toss to combine.
Tips:
- Choose a juicy watermelon with a dark yellow field spot that proves it was ripened on the vine.
The Celebrity Favorite La Scala Chop Salad
@whatmollymade This La Scala Chopped Salad features crisp lettuce, salty salami, and a tangy dressing. This viral recipe is high-protein (25g per serving) and low-carb (9g net per serving). A good one to eat on repeat! Salad Dressing ⅓ cup Olive Oil 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar 2 cloves garlic minced 3 tsps Dijon mustard ½ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper ⅓ cup grated Pecorino Romano Chopped Salad 1 head (5 ish cups) shredded iceberg lettuce 1 head (4 ish cups) shredded romaine lettuce 1 can chickpeas 4 ounces Italian salami 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese Salt and pepper to taste https://whatmollymade.com/la-scala-chopped-salad #lascalachoppedsalad #choppedsalad ♬ original sound – Molly Thompson
The list of celebrity fans of La Scala restaurant’s signature chop salad is endless. Rumored to be a favorite of stars such as the Kardashians, Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Elizabeth Taylor, and Kate Hudson, this recipe launched the chopped salad craze in Los Angeles with its barely-there bits in the 1960s. So does this blend of lettuce, salami, mozzarella, chickpeas, and Italian dressing from one of Hollywood’s most iconic eateries actually live up to the hype? You’ve got to try it for yourself.
What you need (this version serves 6):
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt and pepper
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 head shredded iceberg lettuce (about 6 cups)
- 1 head shredded romaine lettuce (about 5 cups)
- 1 15-ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ¼ pound (4 ounces) Italian salami, thinly sliced
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
How to make it:
- For the dressing, add the first six ingredients (olive oil through parmesan cheese) to a small jar with a lid. Shake to combine, and set aside.
- To make the salad, add the iceberg and romaine lettuce to a large bowl with the chickpeas, salami, and mozzarella. Add the dressing, toss it, and serve.
Tips:
- Plate each serving like a chef at La Scala by adding a scoop of the chickpeas to a shallow domed bowl, then packing in the remaining tossed salad ingredients. Flip the salad out onto a plate so the chickpeas land neatly on top.
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The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
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