Pistachio paste is SUPER useful. It is delicious and only takes a few minutes to whip together. I use this recipe for my pistachio shortbread, on toast with a drizzle of honey, and in pistachio macarons. Store-bought pistachio paste is a lot more expensive than buying the nuts and making them yourself.
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How do I make pistachio paste?
If you have ever made your own nut butter before, you know the general process. You simply need raw (unroasted), unsalted, shelled pistachios. If you have unslated shelled pistachios or even unsalted roasted pistachios, you can still make this recipe. Below I have the pros and cons of the different pistachio kinds for this recipe.
Raw, unsalted, shelled: This is the ideal combination! The photo below shows raw, unsalted, shelled pistachios that I bought from Trader Joe’s. While pistachios are a bit spendy, trust me when I say they are much less expensive than having to buy your own paste. These nuts, when blended, will provide the most vibrant green color (which is the goal!).
Roasted: If you have roasted pistachios, that simply means they have skin on them. If you blended them as is you would end up with a brown paste. While still delicious, it’s maybe not the look we are going for in most recipes. This might be a bit of a process, but you still can end up with a vibrant green paste by using roasted pistachios. First, you need to blanch the pistachios with boiling water. Add the pistachios and let boil together for 2 minutes. Then drain the water and place them on a kitchen towel. Take another kitchen towel on the top and gently rub the pistachios until the skins begin to peel. Hand peel the skins that are a little tough, and voila. You are left with “raw” pistachios.
With shells: If you have shells, no problem! Just make sure you de-shell them, and if they are roasted, you will need to remove their skins (mentioned above).
Salted: While salted pistachios can be used in this recipe, I would not recommend them if you are making this for a SWEET recipe. For example, if you are making my pistachio shortbread, you cannot use salted pistachios in this paste.
What ingredients do I need to make this paste with?
- Raw, unsalted pistachios
- Water
You read that right! This recipe is only two ingredients. There is no added oil or sugar. You do need a food processor or a blender to make this paste smooth and delectable. This paste should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for about 1 week. I like to plan how I’m going to use it the week in advance, so none of it goes to waste!
Equipment
- food processor or electric blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw, unsalted, shelled pistachios
- ¼-½ cup water
Instructions
- In a food processor (or blender), blend the pistachios for about 1-2 minutes. They should look like crumbs.
- Slowly pour the water in. About ¼ cup to start with, and if you need more add more. Blend for 1 minute. See notes for consistency.*
- Scrape the sides of the processor and blend until smooth. Depending on the strength of your blender will depend on how smooth the paste is. as long as there are no chunks, you are good to go!
- Store this beautiful and delicious paste in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last about 1 week.
Notes
Let me know what you used this paste for!
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