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This homemade pistachio pudding recipe uses real pistachios for rich, nutty flavor along with just a handful of other ingredients. It’s an easy no-bake dessert that you’ll want on repeat, and it blows boxed pudding mix out of the water!
If you’ve only ever had pistachio pudding from a box, you’re in for a treat. Making it from scratch is incredibly easy and yields a rich, creamy dessert packed with real pistachio flavor—no artificial colors or flavors needed.
Whether you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing nostalgic treat or a no-bake show-stopping dessert, this recipe will become a favorite in your kitchen. And with St Paddy’s day right around the corner, this is a fun dessert if you want green food ideas!
Why You’ll Never Want the Boxed Stuff Again
- Real pistachio flavor – Made with real pistachios!
- Creamy and smooth – A luscious texture that’s way better than instant pudding.
- Easy to make – Simple ingredients and straightforward steps.
- Versatile – Enjoy it on its own, layer it in parfaits, or use it as a pie filling.
Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
Pistachio Paste Ingredients
- Raw unsalted pistachios – It’s fine if your pistachios are roasted instead of raw (your pudding will have a slightly more brownish color and deeper nutty flavor). However, make sure they’re unsalted so your pudding dessert isn’t overly salty. Measure the nuts after they’re removed from the shells.
- Sugar – Use regular granulated white sugar here.
- Whole milk – This helps create a smooth, creamy pistachio paste. Instead of whole milk, you can use any kind of unflavored milk you like.
Pudding Ingredients
- Egg yolks – Adds richness and helps thicken the pudding.
- Sugar – Use regular granulated white sugar here.
- Cornstarch – For this pudding recipe, in addition to egg yolks, we use a cornstarch slurry as a thickener. To make the slurry, we mix cornstarch with cold milk.
- Whole milk – Or use any kind of unflavored milk you like.
- Salt – A little bit of salt helps balance the flavors and makes sure our pudding isn’t bland.
- Pure vanilla extract – For flavor and aroma.
- Pure almond extract – Bumps up the nutty flavor and aroma. This is optional, so feel free to skip it if you prefer, or use pistachio extract instead if you can find it.
- Unsalted butter – For rich flavor and velvety texture.
- Green food coloring – This is completely optional. If you want to add green food coloring, do it a drop at a time, stir in it, and then add more if desired. Until it’s stirred in you won’t know what it looks like, and you can always add more but you can’t take it out!
How to Make This Pistachio Pudding Recipe: Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add the pistachios and sugar to a food processor and process until very finely chopped. Add the milk and process until smooth and creamy.
- Add the egg yolks and sugar to a medium bowl and beat until fluffy.
- Add the cornstarch and 1/4 cup milk to a small bowl and whisk to combine to form a slurry. Add the remaining 2 cups milk and salt to a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Once it’s hot enough to steam and just starting to form bubbles around the outside, starting with a couple drops of hot milk at a time, gradually whisk 1 cup of milk into the egg yolk mixture to temper it.
- Pour the tempered egg yolk mixture into the pot with the rest of the milk, whisking to combine.
- Whisk in the pistachio paste. Whisk in the cornstarch slurry and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the vanilla extract, almond extract, and butter, whisking until incorporated. If you want a smooth pudding, now is the time to strain the pudding through a fine mesh sieve to remove the pistachio bits. This is also the time to add green food coloring if you want to.
Ladle the pudding into 7 glasses (6-ounce glasses or ramekins work well), and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of each. Cool to room temperature (about 1 hour), and then refrigerate to chill (about 3 hours).
Once chilled, serve topped with whipped cream and chopped pistachios if desired.
Variations
- Pistachio Parfait: Layer the pudding with whipped cream and crushed cookies (Oreos would be great!).
- Chocolate Swirl: Fold in melted chocolate or mini chocolate chips for a decadent twist.
- Pistachio Pie: Use the pudding as a filling for graham cracker crust, Oreo cookie crust, or shortbread crust.
Storage
Store homemade pudding covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. To prevent a skin from forming on top, place a piece of plastic wrap directly against the top of each pudding and store them in the fridge that way.
Pro Tips for the Best Pistachio Pudding Recipe
- Chill for best results – As the pudding cools, the flavors meld beautifully and it sets.
- Use fresh pistachios – Stale nuts won’t give you the best flavor.
- Strain it for a smooth texture – Straining is optional if you prefer a silky-smooth pudding.
FAQs
Here we use real pistachios, and to bump up their nutty flavor even more, a touch of pure almond extract. (If you can find pistachio extract, use a that instead!) Along with rich, nutty real pistachios, just the right amount of sugar and salt enhances the pistachio’s flavor.
Yes! If you want to save time, you can use about 1/2 cup of pistachio paste (which is just ground pistachios, no sugar, salt, or anything else) instead of blending pistachios with sugar and milk. If you use store-bought pistachio paste, increase the sugar in the pudding to about 2/3 cup.
Yes! As written this dessert is naturally gluten-free. If you have a sensitivity or allergy, make sure your cornstarch wasn’t processed in a facility where cross-contamination can occur.
Yes! The main difference is that you’ll have to drain the canned pineapple instead of adding it to the salad undrained.
To make Watergate salad with this pistachio pudding recipe, after making the pudding, transfer it to a large bowl. Put a piece of plastic wrap directly on top, cool to room temperature (about 1 hour), and chill for at least 3 hours (or overnight). Once chilled, stir in the following: 8-ounce can well-drained crushed pineapple, 1 cup miniature marshmallows, and 1/2 cup chopped pecans (or any nuts you like). Then fold in 1 1/2 cups thawed Cool Whip. If desired, you can add 1/2 cup of sweetened shredded coconut as well. Top each serving with a maraschino cherry!
More Desserts For Pistachio Lovers
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Pistachio Pudding Recipe
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Ingredients
Pistachio Paste:
- 1 cup shelled raw unsalted pistachios
- 6 tablespoons granulated white sugar
- 2 tablespoons whole milk or unflavored milk of choice
Pudding:
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 1/4 cups whole milk divided into 1/4 cup + 2 cups (or unflavored milk of choice)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract or pistachio extract if you can find it
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Green food coloring optional; see Notes
Optional Garnishes:
Instructions
Make the Pistachio Paste:
- Add the pistachios and sugar to a food processor and process until very finely chopped. Add the milk and process until smooth and creamy.
Make the Pudding:
- Add the egg yolks and sugar to a medium bowl and beat until fluffy.
- Add the cornstarch and 1/4 cup milk to a small bowl and whisk to combine to form a slurry.
- Add the remaining 2 cups milk and salt to a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Once it’s hot enough to steam and just starting to form bubbles around the outside, starting with a couple drops of hot milk at a time, gradually whisk 1 cup of milk into the egg yolk mixture to temper it.
- Pour the tempered egg yolk mixture into the pot with the rest of the milk, whisking to combine. Whisk in the pistachio paste. Whisk in the cornstarch slurry and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the vanilla extract, almond extract, and butter, whisking until incorporated.
- If you want a smooth pudding, now is the time to strain the pudding through a fine mesh sieve to remove the pistachio bits. This is also the time to add green food coloring if you want to.
- Ladle the pudding into 7 glasses (6-ounce glasses or ramekins work well), and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of each. Cool to room temperature (about 1 hour), and then refrigerate to chill (about 3 hours).
- Once chilled, serve topped with whipped cream and chopped pistachios if desired.
Notes
- Recipe Yield, Serving Size, and Nutrition Information: This recipe makes about 3 1/2 cups of pudding, which is 7 (1/2-cup) servings. The nutritional information is given for each serving without the optional garnishes.
- Storage: Store homemade pudding covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. To prevent a skin from forming on top, place a piece of plastic wrap directly against the top of each pudding and store them in the fridge that way.
- Green Food Coloring: This is completely optional. If you want to add food coloring, do it a drop at a time, stir in it, and then add more if desired. Until it’s stirred in you won’t know what it looks like, and you can always add more but you can’t take it out!
- To Use This Pudding to Make Watergate Salad: After making the pudding, transfer it to a large bowl. Put a piece of plastic wrap directly on top, cool to room temperature (about 1 hour), and chill for at least 3 hours (or overnight). Once chilled, stir in the following: 8-ounce can well-drained crushed pineapple, 1 cup miniature marshmallows, and 1/2 cup chopped pecans (or any nuts you like). Then fold in 1 1/2 cups thawed Cool Whip. If desired, you can add 1/2 cup of sweetened shredded coconut as well. Top each serving with a maraschino cherry!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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