Pistachio Pudding
Homemade pistachio pudding is way better than the box!
Have you had instant pistachio pudding from a box? It’s an unnaturally bright color of green and tastes nothing of pistachios, but I sure do love it.
Today I decided it was time I try to make a homemade version. It’s nothing like the boxed stuff. For one thing, it’s made from actual pistachios.
This pudding is smooth and creamy, and intensely nutty. During the course of things it looses it’s subtly green hue, and turns a rather unattractive brown color. It’s not the prettiest pudding, for sure, and I admit I was a little disappointed with its appearance and skeptical about the whole thing when I put it in the fridge to cool.
Maybe I should have just left well enough alone.
Fortunately, what it lacks in beauty, it makes up for in flavor. It was love at first spoonful.
It’s rich, and a little bowl of the pudding goes a long way (I’m half way through a bowl right now). I’ve always been a fan of pistachios paired with raspberries and they were just what a bowl of drab looking pudding needed. Along with a generous dollop of whipped cream and a few pistachios, it was the perfect Tuesday night dessert.
Yum!
Okay, it’s a good thing I have some more in the fridge, because I think it will make the perfect Wednesday night dessert too (or should I just admit right now that I’m going to eat the rest for breakfast?).
Other pudding recipes you might enjoy:
Southern Banana Pudding by Brown Eyed Baker
Milk Chocolate Pudding with Cream and Raspberry Sauce by Joy the Baker
Baked Chocolate Pudding by Verses from my Kitchen
Caramel Pudding by Smitten Kitchen
Pistachio Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 cup pistachios , shelled finely chopped
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt , see Notes
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Whipped cream , for serving
- Additional pistachios , for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the milk and ¼ cup sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved and bring it just to a boil. Remove from heat, add the chopped pistachios and stir with a spoon until combined. Cover the saucepan with a lid and let steep for one hour.
- Set a strainer over a medium bowl. Pour the steeped mixture through the strainer and use a spoon to press as much milk out of the pistachios as possible. Discard the pistachios or reserve for another use.
- Pour the strained milk back into the saucepan and set over medium heat. Meanwhile, whisk together the egg, the remaining ¼ cup sugar, cornstarch, and salt (if using) in a bowl. When the milk comes just to a boil, slowly pour it into the egg mixture, while whisking continuously.
- Pour the mixture back in to the saucepan and cook over medium heat until thickened, while stirring with a rubber spatula continuously to make sure the pudding doesn't burn. Let it boil for one minute, while still stirring, then remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla and butter.
- Pour into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, placing it directly onto the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Chill for one hour or overnight.
- Serve with whipped cream and chopped pistachios.
I love pistachio flavored treats! I only eat pistachio gelato if it's an icky brown color. Then you know you're eating the real deal!
I'll have to make this pudding soon. I wonder if there's a pistachio extract? Might be worth trying.
Pistachio pudding used to be my favourite when I was a kid… unnatural pastel green colour and all. 🙂
I'm going to have to try this out next time I'm craving a childhood treat. It may not be pretty, but I bet it's a million times more tasty!
Rich looking delicious pudding..
I love pitachio pudding – this looks decadent. What a treat this would be….as long as I don't have to shell them all:-)
I love pistachios, but Josh is allergic. More for me:)
I love it! I've already tried pistachio pudding, but I've never done it myself. Time to try. 🙂
lovely photos! I love guessing where the photo was taken…possibly your back porch??
I’ve looked for a homeade pistachio pudding recipe for about 100 years (and miracle of miracles, I’m only 40!). Thank you SOOO much for this recipe. P.S. A drop of green food gel makes it a little prettier, but I’ve never been one to judge a gift by it’s packaging.