This luxuriously rich Pistachio Panna Cotta is made with homemade pistachio butter, giving it a lightly nutty flavor and an elegant pastel hue.
This delicate, jiggly dessert is an Italian classic! It’s rich, creamy, and great for when you have guests over. During the warmer months, this pistachio panna cotta is just the thing to add a little brightness to the dessert menu.
We like to top ours off with chopped pistachios and a sprinkling of dried rose petals, but you can add a dollop of whipped cream or a variety of other toppings.
For more Italian desserts, try our Italian Carrot Cake and this Five Spice Dark Chocolate Budino.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Great for Gatherings: A single batch of these is enough to feed a small crowd. Make these ahead of time and keep them handy in the fridge for when you need them.
- Homemade Nut Butter: This gives the dessert its pretty green color and adds a lightly nutty, almost earthy flavor to the panna cotta.
- Easy to Make: While it looks fancy, it’s extremely simple to make. The hardest part is waiting for them to chill, but everything up until that point requires minimal effort.
Ingredient Notes
The full list of ingredients and their quantities is in the recipe card below. Here you’ll find notes on why we chose certain ingredients as well as any substitutions.
- Raw shelled Pistachios: Be sure to get unsalted pistachios since we’ll be adding a pinch of salt to them later.
- Heavy Cream: This is the base of the panna cotta.
- Whole Milk: The nut butter stiffens the panna cotta so the extra liquid helps to lighten up the cream. 2% milk will also work.
- Unflavored Gelatin Powder: You’ll need 1 standard sized packet which is the equivalent of 2 ½ teaspoons of powder.
Step-By-Step Instructions
This section provides a general overview as well as any pictures to guide you through the recipe. The full detailed recipe instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
STEP 1: Make the pistachio butter. Add the pistachios to a food processor and blend until an oily paste forms, scraping down the processor as you go. This takes about 20 minutes so be patient! Once blended, mix in a pinch of flaky sea salt and vanilla bean paste.
STEP 2: Heat the cream mixture. Gently stir together the gelatin powder with water and set aside. Then whisk together the cream, milk, pistachio butter, and sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring to a simmer then whisk in the vanilla and gelatin until dissolved.
STEP 3: Divide into serving glasses. Evenly pour the pistachio cream into 6 serving glasses and cool to room temperature before chilling. This takes about 45 minutes to an hour.
STEP 4: Chill and serve. Once cooled, chill the pistachio panna cottas in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight to set. When you’re ready to serve them, top them with chopped pistachios and dried rose petals (optional).
You can serve them in the glasses or unmold them onto a plate. To do so, dip the cup into a bowl of warm water for about 30 seconds to loosen the sides of the panna cotta. Dry off the outside then invert onto a plate and give it a few taps.
Expert Tip
Give the panna cotta a gentle shake to unmold. If you’re struggling to get yours to come out of its dish, hold it with the plate and give it a few gentle shakes. After a few shakes, it should plop right out of the mold.
FAQ
Use it as you would any other nut butter! Spread it on toast, add it to your smoothies, or on top of oatmeal. You can also make another full batch of panna cottas with the remaining pistachio butter.
The edges should start to bubble and foam and will look lighter than the center of the cream. Just make sure it doesn’t reach a boil or your cream will be overcooked.
It should last 4-5 days in the fridge.
If you tried this recipe, let us know how it turned out for you! Leave a star rating and review below and tag us on Instagram @fancifuleats so we can see your amazing kitchen creations!
📖 Recipe
Pistachio Panna Cotta
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
Pistachio Butter
- 2 cups (290 g) raw shelled pistachios unsalted
- 1 pinch flaky sea salt
- ½ tsp vanilla bean paste
Pistachio Panna Cotta
- 3 tbsp water
- 1 pouch (2 ½ tsp) unflavored gelatin powder
- 2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (120 g) pistachio butter
- ⅔ cup (133 g) granulated sugar
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- Chopped pistachios for serving
- Edible dried rose petals optional, for serving
Instructions
Pistachio Butter
- Place the pistachios in a food processor and blend until smooth, scraping down the processor as you go. It will take about 20 minutes for the oils to release and turn into a thick paste. Be patient!
- Once a paste has formed, add the salt and vanilla bean paste, blending until well combined. Transfer to a well sealed jar.
Pistachio Panna Cotta
- In a small bowl, gently stir together the gelatin powder and water. Let it sit for at least 5 minutes until a gel forms.
- In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk together the heavy cream, milk, ½ cup (120 g) pistachio butter, and sugar until smooth. Bring to a simmer or until the edges begin to foam and bubble.
- Once simmering, turn off the heat and whisk in the vanilla and gelatin until dissolved.
- Divide into 6 serving glasses and cool to room temperature, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Place the glasses in the fridge and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight. Cover them with a layer of plastic wrap to prevent any fridge odors from affecting the taste.
- When ready to serve, top with chopped pistachios and dried rose petals (optional).
Notes
- The pistachio butter makes about 1 cup (240 g). Store the other half in a jar and keep in the fridge for up to 1 month. Use it as you would any other nut butter. You should also have enough left over to make another batch of panna cottas.
- Unmolding the panna cotta: Dip the cup halfway in a bowl of warm water for about 30 seconds, just enough to loosen the custard from the cup. Dry off the outside then place a serving plate on top and flip it over. If it doesn’t come loose, use the edge of a thin knife to loosen it or give it a few shakes (while holding the plate) until it plops right out.
Ree says
This looks delicious! Any recommendations for making this vegan?
fancifuleats says
Hi, Ree. We haven’t personally tested this without dairy or gelatin. You can try swapping the milk and cream with non-dairy milks and replace the gelatin with 3/4 tsp of agar agar powder, but we can’t guarantee that it’ll work. We recommend following a vegan recipe to ensure good results. Hope that helps!
Abigail Rigg says
Hi how much water with the gelatine sachet please?
Fanciful Eats says
The water amount is listed in the ingredients. It should be 3 tablespoons. 🙂