Vegan Pistachio Ice Cream Recipe

Creamy, dreamy, and absolutely bursting with nutty flavor, Vegan Pistachio Ice Cream is an irresistible treat that’s totally dairy-free, gluten-free, and dangerously easy to love. If you crave a frozen dessert that feels fancy yet is simple enough for a weeknight adventure, this nutty gem will light up your taste buds—and you won’t believe it’s vegan!

this Recipe

Ingredients You’ll Need

Just a handful of essential ingredients come together to make this Vegan Pistachio Ice Cream shine. Each one is selected for its role in delivering luxurious mouthfeel, pure nutty flavor, and that iconic green hue—let’s take a peek at what you’ll need and why!

• Raw pistachios (shelled): The heart and soul of the ice cream. For the greenest, freshest flavor, always use raw (unroasted, unsalted) nuts.
• Heavy coconut cream: This is your “dairy” substitute, giving the ice cream that rich, scoopable texture. Be sure to use full-fat coconut cream, not coconut milk, for the creamiest result!
• Maple syrup: A natural sweetener that beautifully complements the earthy pistachios and adds subtle caramel notes. Adjust to taste for more or less sweetness.
• Vanilla extract: Rounds out the flavors with aromatic warmth—don’t skip it for maximum ice cream shop vibes!
• Almond extract: Just a splash enhances the pistachio flavor and brings out a classic nutty note (seriously, this trick is magic!).
• Salt: Essential for balance—all that sweetness pops with a pinch of salt to tie it together.
• Optional: Spirulina or matcha powder: For those dreamy pastel-green vibes, a tiny bit of plant-based color goes a long way (but it’s completely optional).

Variations

This Vegan Pistachio Ice Cream is absolutely delicious as is, but you can easily make it your own with a few fun twists. Whether you’re catering to an allergy, personalizing the sweetness, or craving extra add-ins, it’s so simple to experiment!

• Chocolate Pistachio: Swirl dark vegan chocolate chips or a ribbon of chocolate fudge through the ice cream before freezing for decadent contrast.
• Rosewater Touch: Add 1/2 teaspoon rosewater with the extracts for a classic Mediterranean twist, especially lovely if you love floral flavors.
• Pistachio Chunk: Stir in extra chopped pistachios after blending for a crunchy, nutty bite in every scoop.
• Coconut-Free: Prefer less coconut flavor? Try using unsweetened oat cream or cashew cream in place of coconut cream for a subtler base.

How to Make Vegan Pistachio Ice Cream

Step 1: Simmer and Soften

Shake your cans of coconut cream and pour them into a medium saucepan. Add the raw pistachios, maple syrup, and salt. Bring everything to a gentle boil, then reduce to a low simmer for about 15 minutes—stirring occasionally. This softens the pistachios and thickens the mixture, infusing creamy richness and deep nutty flavor into every molecule.

Step 2: Add the Flavor Magic

Once your mixture has thickened and your kitchen smells like pistachio heaven, remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts (and spirulina or matcha if using), then let it cool for at least 10 minutes. The extracts go in after cooking to keep their flavors bright and bold.

Step 3: Blend, Blend, Blend!

Transfer the mixture to a high-speed blender and blend until ultra-smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides if needed. This step is crucial—don’t skimp! You want every last pistachio bit to disappear so the ice cream will be silky and dreamy, not gritty.

Step 4: Freeze Into Cubes

Pour the pistachio base into an ice cube tray and freeze overnight. Freezing in cubes makes it easy to blend into a soft-serve texture later, ensuring a smoother, fluffier final product even without an ice cream maker.

Step 5: Blend to Soft Serve

The next day, pop the frozen cubes into your blender (add a splash of coconut cream if needed). Blend until smooth and creamy—this is when Vegan Pistachio Ice Cream transforms from chunky cubes to velvety soft serve. If you don’t have a high-powered blender, use a food processor, pausing to scrape down often.

Step 6: Final Freeze and Scoop

Scrape the soft-serve ice cream into a loaf pan or freezer-safe container. Freeze for 30–60 minutes until scoopable but not rock-solid. When the texture feels just right, grab your favorite ice cream scoop and serve up the magic!

How to Serve Vegan Pistachio Ice Cream

Garnishes

For a beautiful, bakery-style flourish, sprinkle extra chopped pistachios or delicate shards of vegan white chocolate on top before serving. A drizzle of maple syrup or a dusting of edible rose petals makes any bowl of Vegan Pistachio Ice Cream feel special and utterly irresistible.

Side Dishes

This silky ice cream pairs perfectly with crisp almond biscotti, gluten-free shortbread, or a crunchy granola crumble. Serve alongside poached stone fruits, roasted pears, or even tucked into a vegan ice cream sandwich for the ultimate treat!

Creative Ways to Present

Layer Vegan Pistachio Ice Cream in elegant parfait glasses with dairy-free whipped cream and fresh berries, swirl into cones for that classic childhood nostalgia, or stack mini scoops with contrasting sorbets for a visually stunning dessert platter that wows at any gathering.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Keep any leftover Vegan Pistachio Ice Cream in a covered container in your freezer. It’ll keep its flavor and texture for up to 2 weeks—but let’s be honest, it rarely lasts that long! Cover tightly with a layer of parchment or plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to keep out pesky ice crystals.

Freezing

For best results, freeze the ice cream in a shallow loaf pan or airtight container. If you love meal prepping, the blended cubes can be left in the freezer for up to a month and blended into soft-serve texture whenever the craving hits.

Reheating

No need to reheat! If your Vegan Pistachio Ice Cream is super firm and hard to scoop, just let the container sit at room temperature for 30–45 minutes. This gives it the perfect texture for scooping and enjoying, no microwave or hot water needed.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

If you’re searching for a treat that’s shamelessly luscious, fun to make, and sure to impress every guest (vegan or not!), you can’t go wrong with Vegan Pistachio Ice Cream. Treat yourself to a scoop or two—you’ll be amazed by how easy it is to create homemade, pure pistachio bliss!

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