Learn how to make vibrant green pistachio paste with just two ingredients in this step-by-step guide. All you need is pistachios, water, and a bit of time, and you’ll be on your way to elevating cakes, cookies, cheesecakes, and more with this nutty paste.
If you love adding pistachio flavor to things, this pistachio paste will be your new best friend. It’s delicious and has beautiful color, plus it’s fairly easy to make.
It can be hard to find pistachio paste to buy, as opposed to pistachio butter or spread, which is easier to find. When making baked goods, you don’t want pistachio butter with all it’s other added ingredients because the pistachio flavor doesn’t come through as well. I know, I tried it. So the only true pistachio paste I could find (made with only pistachios) was quite expensive. Plus, it was fairly brown in color.
That’s where this homemade version comes in. Perfect color, perfect flavor and not as expensive. Plus, if you can get your pistachios when they are buy one, get one free – it’s even cheaper to make!
What Pistachios Should I Use?
Raw versus roasted pistachios
I read that you should only use raw pistachios because roasted pistachios give you color issues. While brands could certainly vary as far as color, I didn’t find this to be the case with roasted pistachios. Sure, raw pistachios will give you a nice, green color. But purchasing already roasted pistachios doesn’t mean you can’t have a beautiful green color. You just have to blanche them and peel them (which you also do to the raw ones).
I’m all about trying to use what’s easy to find, if it makes sense. So I tested using Wonderful brand roasted, salted pistachios. They work great, are easy to find in stores and often go on sale. They are the pistachios shown in the images below. The true benefit to raw pistachios seems to be that they puree more quickly. The bottom line is that you can use either and still get a great color paste.
Should I roast the pistachios?
I don’t recommend buying pistachios (roasted or raw) and roasting them at home. I’ve seen that method as a way of softening them before pureeing them, and that did give a very brown paste. Blanching also softens them, and gives them a bright green color.
Shelled or Unshelled?
I also highly recommend getting pistachios that have already been shelled. You’re going to have peel the skins off of the pistachios, which takes some time. Don’t add more time by having to shell them too.
How To Make Pistachio Paste
Ready to make your own irresistible pistachio paste? Bring out the food processor and get started! (The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.)
Bring enough water to cover the pistachios to a boil. Add the pistachios and boil for 3-4 minutes.
Strain the pistachios, then place on a kitchen towel. Gently rub with the towel to loosen and remove the skins.
Remove all of the pistachio skins and add the pistachios to a food processor.
Begin processing the pistachios. When the pistachios look like moist crumbs, add 1-2 tablespoons of water and continue pureeing.
As the pistachios begin to release their oils, a paste will begin to form. Add an additional 1-2 tablespoons of water, if needed.
Continue pureeing until a smooth paste forms. This usually takes 25-30 minutes total.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
While this recipe is pretty straightforward with just two main steps, there are a few key things to keep in mind when making it for the first time.
- Use a large food processor. If you have a larger food processor that you can turn on and let it run, I recommend that. It takes a while for the pistachios to puree, and holding a button down the whole time is a lot.
- Halve the recipe. This pistachio paste recipe makes about 2 ¾ cups, which is a good bit. If you don’t need that much, you can always halve the recipe to make less (though it does freeze well, and it’s nice to have on hand for other desserts in the future).
- Remove the skins. The key to a bright green paste is to ensure that all of the brown skins are removed. It can be a tedious process – it usually takes me about half an hour – but it’s worth it for beautiful desserts!
- Only add water as needed. I start with just 1-2 tablespoons of water and only add more if needed after the pistachios have been pureeing for a while. They should release their own natural oils that will help create the paste-like consistency. Adding too much water can make the paste too runny or thin out the flavor.
- Have patience. This is not a recipe you can rush if you want a smooth, creamy paste. It usually takes about 25-30 minutes to achieve the right consistency. A bit of that will depend on your food processor, too. Don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t look like a paste in ten minutes!
Ways To Use Pistachio Paste
- As a spread – Try it on toast, croissants, or pancakes with a sprinkle of honey for a breakfast treat.
- In frosting – Turn regular vanilla buttercream into pistachio buttercream for a beautiful, sweet, and nutty frosting for cakes and cupcakes.
- On cookies – Spread the paste on baked cookies for a bright green topping or swirl it into the dough for pistachio flavor throughout.
- In cakes – Similarly, there are lots of ways to add this to cakes. Use it as a spread between vanilla layer cakes or stir some into the batter for both pistachio flavor and color.
- In my pistachio cheesecake!
Proper Storage
- Fridge: Store pistachio paste in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. It will stay good for up to 2 weeks.
- Freezer: For longer storage, keep the paste in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. I like to freeze it in small amounts so I can just grab what I need for a particular recipe. Thaw in the fridge before using.
How to Make Pistachio Paste
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Ingredients
- 3 cups (336g) shelled pistachios (I used these pistachios)
- 3-4 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. It should be enough water to cover all the pistachios when they are added, but do not add the pistachios yet. Once it starts to boil, add the pistachios to the water. Boil the pistachios for 3-4 minutes.
- Strain the pistachios to remove the water, then pour the pistachios onto a kitchen towel. You could use paper towels, but they do fall part more easily. Fold the towel up around the pistachios and gently rub the pistachios with the towel to help loosen the skins.
- Remove all of the pistachio skins. The more skins you leave behind, the browner your paste will be. This can take 30 minutes or so.
- Add the pistachios to a food processor (or blender). Turn it on and begin to puree the pistachios. Pureeing them will take about 25-30 minutes.
- The puree will begin to look like moist crumbs first. Add a tablespoon or two of water, then keep pureeing. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, as needed, to be sure everything is being incorporated and pureed.
- Eventually, the pistachios will release their natural oils and it’ll begin to come together and look more like a paste. If it doesn’t seem to be progressing to a paste or you can’t get rid of all the little crumbs of pistachio, you can add more tablespoon or two of water. Be careful not to add too much. You only want enough water to help it turn into a paste.
- Continue pureeing until it turns into a smooth paste. It’s a process, so be patient and it’ll come together.
- Once smooth, pour it into a bowl. You can use it immediately or cover and refrigerate it until ready to use. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the fridge before using.
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
