25+ Pistachio Recipes For All The Nut Lovers Out There
With their delicate flavor and intense green hue, pistachios are one of the most versatile and, dare we say, fun nuts available at the market. Plus, they're a great source of fiber, healthy fats, antioxidants, and a wide variety of nutrients, such as vitamin B6 and thiamine. Pistachios can be tossed into a homemade granola, processed into pesto, made into a fresh twist on pralines, added to muffins, and so much more. Explore the wide world of pistachios with our collection of both sweet and savory dishes featuring this oh-so-delicious nut.
Pistachio Pudding
After your family tries our homemade Pistachio Pudding, they'll never want the boxed stuff again. Honey and cardamom make perfect companions for rich, roasted pistachios, and add a natural, yet complex sweetness. You shouldn't have any trouble finding the ingredients at the store, and the cooking process is incredibly easy. If you can find pistachios that have already been shelled, go with those—they'll save some serious time and make prep much easier. The result is a subtly sweet dessert that's super creamy, but still has a nice degree of crunch. Unsweetened whipped cream and chopped pistachios make the perfect topping and round everything out.
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Green Tea Granola
In essence, this is our Best Basic Granola adjusted to work without an egg white and have a slightly earthy, moderately spiced taste. In lieu of the egg white, this granola uses dark brown sugar to stick together and maintain a crunchy texture. Pressing the granola down into an even layer every time you stir the mixture will help it clump, as will waiting for the granola to cool completely once it's out of the oven. Feel free to add in even more spices and tea powder to create a stronger flavor, and any other ingredients that can add texture, like chia seeds or dried berries.
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Easy Chocolate Salami
Looks like salami, tastes like the most incredible chocolate treat—meaning, it's the perfect party food. A log of chocolate salami would also be an ideal treat to kick off a romantic Valentine's Day dinner.
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Air-Fryer Cannoli
In this impressive air fryer dessert, prepared pie dough is used to create the crunchy, buttery richness you'd expect from a deep-fried cannoli shell. Though all of the ingredients for this air-fryer cannoli are easily found at any supermarket, you may need to order the cannoli tubes if you do not already have a set.
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Pistachio Tahini Cinnamon Rolls
Delicious and not too sweet, the flavors of tahini, pistachios, and cardamom combine beautifully in a fluffy, light roll. These cinnamon rolls take a little extra time, but they're so worth the effort—especially since most of the work is hands-off. Working with yeast is nothing to be afraid of. If you're worried about your water being too warm or cool, use a thermometer to keep the temperature in check. These rolls would be fantastic at breakfast or brunch, but they're also perfect for a snack or treat with a cup of coffee or hot tea.
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Mixed Nut Brittle
Nut brittle is easy to make, travels well, and actually improves in flavor with age, making it the ideal treat to give as a gift or to fill your own candy dish at home.
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Chocolate-Zucchini Cake
This impressive yet easy-to-make cake got rave reviews in our Test Kitchen and quickly developed a cult following. It's packed with plenty of green stuff (two medium zucchini), but your family will be too distracted by the chocolate flavor and the nutty brown butter frosting to notice that they are eating vegetables. For optimal texture, shred the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. A tasty frosting is the crowning touch on a cake, and this Brown Butter-Pistachio Frosting has just the right sweet-salty balance to partner with the deep chocolate cake.
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Raspberry-Lime Tart with Pistachio Crust
This tart is pleasantly limey, with a delightful pistachio-forward shortbread crust. It requires minimal baking, but has a beautiful presentation, with fresh raspberries adding a nice touch. You can find shelled, raw pistachios at the grocery store, but roasted, salted shelled pistachios will work just fine. Look for limes with smooth skin: They have thiner skins, and will yield more juice. Garnish with chopped pistachios and whipped cream to offset the tartness from the curd and the raspberries.
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Bacon-Wrapped Grilled Dates with Brie
These yummy little bites are not your normal appetizer. Make sure to use large dates, which are much easier to handle and fill than small ones, and center cut bacon—thick cut bacon will take too long to cook. If a date splits while you're filling it, just press it back together. These are best warm, right off the grill, but are still good at room temperature.
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Instant Pot Kheer
Kheer, a popular South Asian dessert similar to rice pudding, is traditionally made on the stovetop with whole milk. Using half-and-half and cooking in the Instant Pot gives this dish a head start without losing any of its traditional creaminess. The delicate and lovely rose syrup highlights the floral notes in the cardamom, while the tart apricots tame the richness in the pudding. If rose water isn't your thing, try orange blossom water, which can easily be found in an international market. Don't, however, substitute standard long-grain rice for basmati.
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Pistachio-Raisin Bars
Why buy store-bought granola bars when it's so easy—and so much healthier—to make them at home? Switch them up with any dried fruit, nuts, or grains you like.
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Pistachio-Crusted Pork Cutlets
Make sure the pork cutlets are no more than a half-inch thick so they'll cook quickly.
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Mint Lime Pesto
Use this pesto on everything from pineapple to grilled fish.
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Lemony Pistachio-Herb Relish
The beauty of this quick-fix topping is its versatility. The simple, balanced flavors will perk up any savory dish, from grilled chicken to roasted fish—but it's subtle enough to help more delicate foods shine, like freshly shucked raw oysters. Mix it into softened unsalted butter for a fresh take on compound butter.
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Pistachio Pralines
These Pistachio Pralines are a creative twist on the classic southern pecan praline recipe. The vibrant green and earthy-sweet nut adds a new element of creaminess that plays well with that sweetness of the sugar. Chop up a few extra pistachios to garnish the tops of the pralines, along with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt that further serves to balance the sugary-sweet flavor. These pralines would be perfect given as a token of appreciation to your dinner party host or served as a sophisticated treat at bridal or baby showers, holiday parties, or any other celebratory function.
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Roasted Pistachio-Crusted Salmon and Kale Salad
A simple crust of toasted pistachios takes salmon from everyday delicious to special enough for guests. For even cooking, look for a fillet that is about the same thickness throughout, or ask at the fish counter to trim off the tail end. While the salmon roasts, you can whisk together the Dijon mustard vinaigrette and add the salad ingredients to the bowl. If you like slightly wilted salad, toss it with the dressing while the salmon finishes so it has time to wilt a bit. For a more crisp salad, toss with the dressing at the table. Serve with rice pilaf or farro.
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Roasted Strawberry-Rhubarb Muffins with Pistachio Streusel
Featuring roasted strawberries and rhubarb, a delicate hint of cardamom, and a crisp pistachio streusel, these tender muffins say "spring" like no other. You can use frozen rhubarb when making these brunch-worthy muffins, just be sure to thaw fully and press out excess water with paper towels before roasting. Starting the oven at a higher temperature helps the muffins to brown and rise into a nice dome, and lowering it after 8 to 10 minutes allows them to finish cooking through.
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Grapefruit-Pistachio Cinnamon Rolls
These gooey and gorgeous homemade cinnamon rolls are a vibrant uptake on those classic canned orange rolls Mom would break out for special occasion breakfasts. Never made sweet rolls from scratch before? Trust us, the dough is far easier to make and work with than you might think. And with a soft pink colored grapefruit-cream cheese glaze and a decadent filling featuring pistachios, dark brown sugar, fresh ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon, these morning glories are sure to steal the show at any brunch gathering. If you want to prep them ahead, simply follow the recipe through step 6 the night before and pop your rolls into the fridge; just be sure to bring them to room temperature the following day before baking and glazing.
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Broken Pasta with Pistachio and Lemon
Here we use a slightly unconventional method for cooking the pasta that takes a little longer than simply boiling it, but the results are well worth the extra time. First, it's broken into small pieces and toasted in a skillet to give it a rich, nutty flavor. Then, it's cooked by adding little bits of warm chicken stock at a time—risotto-style—until the pasta is fully tender and super creamy (without adding any cream.) When cooked for 6 minutes, the eggs have a jammy yolk that's just right for combining with the pasta to create an extra-rich sauce.
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Rose Petal-White Chocolate Bark
Absolutely gorgeous and so easy to make, this white chocolate bark would make the perfect hostess gift or wedding favor. You can find white chocolate melting wafers in many grocery stores or craft stores, such as Michaels or Hobby Lobby. Just be sure to microwave at 50% power in short increments as white chocolate is easy to burn.
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Raspberry Buckle
As this soft, fruit-laden coffee cake bakes, the pistachio streusel sinks a bit, or "buckles." If you're lactose-intolerant, feel free to swap in almond milk.
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Cranberry, Orange, and Pistachio Muffins
Wheat bran and yogurt bump up the protein and fiber so you'll stay fueled. Mashed banana adds moisture and sweetness without noticeable banana flavor, while browned butter lends nutty depth.
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Dutch Baby with Strawberries and Pistachios
The key to the dish's dramatic puff comes from oven spring—the jolt of heat and steam the batter gets when it's poured into a sizzling hot pan and placed in a cranked-up oven. The butter browns instantly when it's added to the pan, but pouring in the batter right away keeps it from burning, and the brown butter lends rich nuttiness to the batter. Make the strawberry topping first so the fruit has time to macerate and release some of its juice to form a loose sauce. The finished Dutch baby will deflate a little as it cools, though the texture remains airy and crisp outside, creamy and custardy within.
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Pistachio-Crusted French Toast with Strawberry and Neufchâtel Filling
If you're looking for an over-the-top brunch dish for a celebration, this is just the ticket.
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White Chocolate, Pistachio, and Apricot Bark
Brightly colored fruit and nuts decorate this festive version of holiday bark. Making bark is easy--just melt chocolate, spread it out, and add your favorite toppings. We added one important step, though: tempering the chocolate (carefully melting and cooling it to specific temperatures while adding large chunks of unmelted chocolate) so the bark stays shiny and snappy. For other flavor options, try Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark or Nutella Bark.
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Key Lime-Shortbread Icebox Cake
Layers upon layers of key lime, luscious cream cheese, and shortbread cookies make for a delicious no-bake cake with a show-stopping presentation. A thin layer of pistachios adds a crunch to each creamy, bright bite. The taste is light and sweet, making it the perfect ending to a large holiday meal. If you can't find Key limes to juice, try Nellie & Joe's brand.