Pistachio Gelato

Jun 30, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Dessert Ice cream frozen desserts Vanilla: Beans Medium

A generous swirl of pistachio gelato in a small glass cup with a flat gelato spade

Silky pistachio gelato enriched with toasted pistachios and vanilla bean for robust nutty flavor and creamy texture, churned smooth and finished with chopped pistachios for crunch.

Prep 20 min

Cook 15 min

Cooling 3 hr 30 min

Total 4 hr 5 min

Servings 8

Diet —

Ingredients

Adjust yield

servings

1 ½ cups (360.0 ml)whole milk
½ cup (120.0 ml)heavy cream
⅓ cup (67.0 g)granulated sugar
3.0 tbsp (18.0 g)skim milk powder
¼ tsp (1.5 g)fine sea salt
¾ cup (180.0 g)pistachio paste
½ cup (60.0 g)toasted pistachios, chopped finely
1.0vanilla bean, split and scraped

Make it at home

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Instructions

Lightly toast the chopped pistachios in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.
In a medium saucepan, combine whole milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, skim milk powder, fine sea salt, and the vanilla bean seeds and pod.
Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sugar and milk powder dissolve and mixture reaches 170°F (77°C), just below boiling.
Remove from heat; discard the vanilla bean pod.
Whisk in the pistachio paste until fully incorporated and smooth.
Cool the mixture at room temperature for 10 minutes, then cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 90 minutes or overnight.
Remove the mixture from the refrigerator and churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions until it reaches soft-serve consistency, about 30-45 minutes.
Fold in half of the toasted chopped pistachios into the gelato during the final minutes of churning.
Transfer gelato to a freezer-safe container, smooth the top, sprinkle with the remaining toasted pistachios, cover tightly, and freeze for at least 2 hours to firm up.
Serve garnished with extra toasted pistachios for added texture and flavor.

Tips

Toast pistachios gently to enhance their flavor without burning.
Adding chopped pistachios to the churned gelato adds pleasant crunch and highlights the pistachio flavor.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make pistachio gelato?

Plan on 20 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of cooking, plus 3 hours 30 minutes to chill and freeze. The recipe makes about 1 quart (8 servings).

How should I store pistachio gelato?

Keep gelato in an airtight container in the freezer up to one week. Let soften 5-10 minutes at room temperature before serving.

Can I make pistachio gelato ahead?

Prepare the gelato base and chill it up to one day before churning.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This recipe uses 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped. Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.

Silky pistachio gelato enriched with toasted pistachios and vanilla bean for robust nutty flavor and creamy texture, churned smooth and finished with chopped pistachios for crunch.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 8 servings this recipe makes.

289 Calories / serving

21.5g Fat

18.9g Carbs

7.0g Protein

14.1g Sugar

Whole recipe (8 servings): ~2312 cal · 172g fat · 151g carbs · 56g protein · 113g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.

Per serving · 289 calories

What it takes to burn one serving

Brisk walking 55 min·3.2 mi·~6450 steps
Walking uphill or incline treadmill 39 min·2.0 mi·~3900 steps
Moderate cycling 29 min·5.8 mi
Swimming laps 40 min
Jogging 28 min·2.3 mi·~4500 steps
Stair climbing 27 min·~2450 steps
Dancing 47 min
Bodyweight circuit training 29 min
Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 67 min

Rough estimates for one serving, based on standard MET values at about 155 lb. Your own burn depends on body size, effort, and fitness. Shown for context only — food is not something you have to earn.