15 Best Recipes Featuring Pistachios

Pistachios have been farmed for over 10,000 years and are a favorite snack and ingredient the world over. The bright green nuts have a delicious nutty flavor and work well in both sweet and savory dishes. Whether pistachios are ground and made into a smooth pesto or pudding, sprinkled atop cookies or cakes, or used to create a crunchy crust for lamb, the nut is a tasty addition to a variety of recipes.

What Are Pistachios and How Are They Used?

01 of 15

Pistachio Cake

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Celebrate all things pistachio with this lively green pistachio cake. Made with yellow cake mix, instant pistachio pudding, and toasted nuts, it's a light, fluffy, and creamy dessert that is easy to prepare. Whipped topping and more pudding are combined with milk to make a light frosting with an appealing green tint.
02 of 15

Pistachio Pudding

The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

This creamy and delicious homemade pudding made with puréed pistachios, sugar, milk, eggs, and vanilla only needs a topping of whipped cream and a sprinkle of nuts to turn it into an impressive dessert. Using raw, unsalted pistachios will help preserve the fresh nutty flavor of this pistachio pudding.
03 of 15

Israeli Tahini Halvah

The Spruce

Halvah is a tahini-based (sesame seed paste) dessert that can be flavored with nuts, chocolate, and other ingredients. This pistachio halvah is delightfully nutty, and after it sits for a couple of days, it will form its signature crystalline texture.
04 of 15

Pork, Apricot and Pistachio Sausage

The Spruce / Teena Agnel

Take pistachios into savory territory with this pork, apricot, and pistachio sausage recipe. A mixture of ground pork, dried fruit, and nuts is wrapped around flavorful Merguez sausage for a memorable, meaty dish. Make it part of your holiday dinner for an extra offering of meat with unique, delicious flavor.

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05 of 15

Cardamom Pistachio Shortbread Cookies

The Spruce / Anita Schecter

Butter cookies are improved with the addition of fragrant ground cardamom and toasty nuts. Cardamom pistachio shortbread cookies are simple enough for a family dessert but are flavorful and pretty enough for a bake sale or dessert table spread.
06 of 15

Honey Pistachio Ice Cream

The Spruce / Cara Cormack

This quick and easy honey pistachio ice cream is sure to please any pistachio lover. It doesn't require any cooking since it is egg free, so you can mix up the ingredients and add the mixture directly to the ice cream maker. Sweet and nutty, it's a creamy treat that tastes great sprinkled with more chopped nuts.
07 of 15

Dill, Mint, and Lemon Pesto

The Spruce / Molly Watson

There's no need for cheese in this flavorful pesto made with pistachios instead of pine nuts. With fresh dill, parsley, and mint blended with nuts, lemon, and sesame oil, it's a vegan sauce that's full of bright, nutty flavor. Add the pesto to pasta, roasted vegetables, or grilled fish.
08 of 15

Pear and Pistachio Galette

The Spruce / Anita Schecter

Easier than a pie but just as delicious, a pear and pistachio galette is an autumnal treat. The pistachios are incorporated into the flaky pastry as well as sprinkled on top of the galette for crunch. With sliced pears as the filling and a cinnamon-honey glaze to finish it off, this rustic pie is a perfect mix of sweet, fruity, and nutty.

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09 of 15

Gunpowder Gimlet Cocktail

alejandrophotography / Getty Images

This cocktail recipe takes a bit of prep, but you'll be rewarded with a memorable drink. The pistachio honey syrup is made by letting salted pistachios steep in honey and water to create a delicious salted pistachio honey syrup. It perfectly balances the green tea gin and lemon to make a gunpowder gimlet.
10 of 15

Pistachio Cake With Cardamom Glaze

The Spruce

Ground pistachios add a nutty flavor to this moist Bundt cake made with Greek yogurt. A simple glaze made with powdered sugar and ground cardamom adds sweetness and spice to the finished cake. Serve the pistachio cake as dessert or at teatime.
11 of 15

Pistachio Crusted Rack of Lamb

antoniotruzzi / Getty Images

Take a rack of lamb up a notch by slathering it with Dijon mustard and herbs de Provence and then adding a crisp coating of breadcrumbs and nuts. Pistachio-crusted rack of lamb is special occasion-worthy, with its unique combination of flavors and textures and beautiful presentation.
12 of 15

Crunchy Pistachio Nut Fudge

The Spruce / Elizabeth LaBau

Fluffy white chocolate fudge gets additional flavor and color from pistachio pudding and chopped toasted nuts. The festive green pistachio fudge is a fun holiday treat but is easy enough to make any time of year.

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13 of 15

Whole Wheat Pistachio Lemon Bread With Lemon Glaze

The Spruce / Lora Wiley-Lennartz

Made with whole wheat flour, this quick bread is a healthy breakfast, brunch, or teatime treat. Pistachios and fresh lemon juice flavor the batter as well as the glaze that is drizzled on top of the cooled bread. Store any leftover pistachio lemon bread for a few days for a quick snack.
14 of 15

Chocolate Cinnamon and Pistachio Glazed Doughnuts

The Spruce

These chocolate cinnamon doughnuts are baked instead of fried, meaning they are healthier and easier to make. A topping of melted chocolate and a sprinkling of pistachios makes them picture-perfect and adds a decadent and crunchy finish.
15 of 15

Pistachio Baklava

Sumbul / Getty Images

Pistachios are a popular ingredient in Middle Eastern sweets, including this variation on baklava. Packaged phyllo dough is layered with melted butter and pistachios and soaked in a honey syrup for a sweet and flaky dessert.

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