Pistachio gelato is cold and creamy pistachio goodness. I’m all about pistachio lately and find myself craving it constantly. While on a recent trip to Moab, UT I found myself at a self serve ice cream store that had some fantastic pistachio gelato. I knew I’d be replicating it at home because the stuff was just so dang delicious!
My kitchen is full of amazing gizmos and gadgets, but sadly, an ice cream maker is not one of them. Do you have the same problem? Hey, it’s okay! In this recipe I have you making the gelato by hand….no ice cream machine required! It really doesn’t take much work to make this recipe, you just have to do it in a 4 hour block where you’ll be home. It requires a quick whisking every 30 to 45 minutes.
The result is a beautiful and creamy gelato flavored by real pistachios. Pistachio nut paste gives our flavoring (nothing artificial about it!) which you can order online from Amazon or find it in a specialty baking store. This is a recipe any pistachio lover can enjoy, whether they own an ice cream maker or not! You can also experiment with your own flavors by substituting the pistachio nut paste with other concentrated favors like raspberry jam or even chocolate.
Watch the video below where I walk you through every step of this recipe. It’s helpful to have a visual guide, and this is exactly that.
Pistachio Ice Cream is (was) my very favorite Ice Cream. Actually it was the Pistachio Cashew flavor offered by Thrifty drug stores, before they quit selling ice cream, but I had to quit before then because of developing lactose intolerance. I would love to be able to make this recipe lactose-free if you have some suggestions. I’m sure there is no real good substitute for heavy cream when it comes to Ic Cream and Gelato, but I think I could use cashew milk in place of 2% or whole milk without sacrificing too much flavor(?). Any ideas on a good heavy cream (lactose-free) substitute? Thanks and all the best to your recovery. Really happy for you that it is going well!
Thanks so much for your kind note—and what a great flavor memory with the Thrifty pistachio cashew! You’re right that heavy cream is a big part of what makes gelato so creamy, but there are definitely ways you could make a delicious lactose-free version.
We haven’t tested this particular recipe with dairy-free substitutions, but you could experiment with a blend of full-fat canned coconut milk and a rich nut milk like cashew milk. The coconut milk brings the fat needed for creaminess, while the cashew milk adds a neutral, slightly nutty flavor that fits right in with pistachio. A good starting ratio might be two parts canned coconut milk to one part cashew milk. You can also add a bit of cornstarch (about 1 tablespoon) to help thicken it slightly and mimic the texture of dairy-based gelato.
If you’re up for testing that combo et us know how it turns out!
Hi! I am using Nocciola spread and was wondering if it should still be 1/3 or do I add more? Also, does this make two bread pan containers worth of gelato or only one? Thank you!
Since the recipe is for pistachio gelato, and you’re swapping in Nocciola spread, you’re changing up the flavor profile quite a bit—but it still sounds delicious! Starting with 1/3 cup is a good baseline for mix-ins like that. And yes, this recipe still makes about one standard loaf pan’s worth of gelato. Let us know how it turns out with that twist!
Can I sub in blended frozen Strawberries for the paste?
Strawberries are super watery and don’t infuse flavor into things like a gelato very well. It would take more adjustments to have a strawberry gelato.