Food Recipe Collections & Favorites Desserts 13 Pistachio Recipes You'll Go Nuts For Healthy, delicious, and just plain fun, this versatile little nut adds nutrition and crunch to a wide range of sweet and savory dishes. By Real Simple Editors Real Simple Editors Facebook Instagram Twitter An article attributed to "Real Simple Editors" indicates a collaborative effort from our in-house team. Sometimes, several writers and editors have contributed to an article over the years. These collaborations allow us to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive information available.The REAL SIMPLE team strives to make life easier for you. They are experts in their fields who research, test and clearly explain the best recipes, strategies, trends and products. They have worked for some of the most prestigious brands in lifestyle journalism, including Apartment Therapy, Better Homes & Gardens, Food & Wine, the Food Network, Good Housekeeping, InStyle, Martha Stewart Living, O: The Oprah Magazine, Parents, POPSUGAR, Rachel Ray Every Day, and Vogue. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 2, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: lacaosa/ Getty Images The pistachio has come a long way since its humble beginnings in Central Asia, and we have 13 pistachio recipes as evidence. Once resigned to a novelty ice cream flavor, pistachios have expanded their reach beyond desserts to starring roles in savory dishes, too. You'll even find pistachios made into nut butter, pesto, and a plant-based milk! What's so great about pistachios? For one thing, as a nut, they're uncharacteristically green, which is fun! (To be exact: Culinarily they're nuts, but botanically they're seeds.) Slightly more important than their fun factor, pistachios are good for you, so don't hold back. Pile some chopped pistachios atop your next soup or salad for a satisfying crunch, or add them to a side or snack to punch up its nutrition factor. Need help thinking of ways to add pistachios to your life? Here are 13 of them. 01 of 13 Green Risotto With Pistachio Pesto Victor Protasio Pistachios add an unexpected texture to this creamy northern Italian rice dish. They complement its spring green color borrowed from fresh parsley, basil, and spinach leaves. Try It: Green Risotto With Pistachio Pesto 02 of 13 Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti With White Chocolate Caitlin Bensel Another Italian import, this biscotti recipe starts with a standard dough, but takes it up several notches with the addition of pistachios, cranberries, and white chocolate chips. It finishes with a dip in white chocolate, making it perfect for dipping into your latte. Try It: Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti With White Chocolate 03 of 13 Pistachio Pudding Hector Manuel Sanchez This creamy, gently sweet pudding has a naturally whimsical light-green hue that's sure to elicit a smile. Finish each serving with a dollop of whipped cream and crushed pistachios. Try It: Pistachio Pudding 04 of 13 Spiced Sweet Potato Soup With Pistachio Dukkah Alison Miksch What's a dukkah? It's a Middle Eastern blend of nuts, seeds, and spices that puts a sweet, savory, nutty finish on a wide variety of dishes. In this case, pistachios team with sesame seeds, oregano, thyme, and lemon zest to add a punch of flavor and texture to a smooth, creamy, spicy soup. 05 of 13 Pistachio-Walnut Cheesecake Greg DuPree Pistachios star in this dessert from top to bottom—literally. They pair with walnuts to add crunch to the cookie-crumb crust, and then provide a bit of color and texture atop the creamy cheesecake filling. Try It: Pistachio-Walnut Cheesecake 06 of 13 Roasted Rhubarb Salad With Goat Cheese and Pistachios Greg DuPree This colorful salad has spring written all over it. Pinkish-red roasted rhubarb pieces stand out against mixed baby lettuce leaves, while chopped pistachios add crunch to counter tangy, creamy goat cheese crumbles. Try It: Roasted Rhubarb Salad With Goat Cheese and Pistachios 07 of 13 Steak and Beet Salad With Cheddar and Pistachios Greg DuPree This recipe calls on chopped pistachios and crumbled aged white cheddar to top off a delightful dinner salad with a unique flavor and texture. Fun fact: Pistachios come from the evergreen tree family, as do mangos and poison ivy. Try It: Steak and Beet Salad With Cheddar and Pistachios 08 of 13 Herby Rice Salad With Chickpeas and Pistachios Courtesy of Ananda Eidelstein Pistachios and chickpeas pack this rice dish with enough protein to make it a satisfying meal. In a list of nuts with the most protein, pistachios rank second (after almonds). Try It: Herby Rice Salad With Chickpeas and Pistachios 09 of 13 Honey-Apple Galette With Pistachio Sugar Anna Williams Did you stumble over "galette" or "pistachio sugar"...or both? Let us explain: A galette is a French invention that's defined as "a flat, round cake made of pastry dough or bread." In this case, it's a loosely constructed, rustic apple pie topped with a blend of finely crushed pistachios and sugar with a pinch of salt that's liable to make your guests say, "Ooh la la!" Try It: Honey-Apple Galette With Pistachio Sugar 10 of 13 Pluot Crumble Heami Lee The star of this dish is the pluots—a stone fruit variety that's a hybrid of plums and apricots—but pistachios play a strong supporting role in the crumble. Bookmark this nutty crumble recipe to use with just about any summer fruit. Try It: Pluot Crumble 11 of 13 Grilled Asparagus and Hot Honey Flatbreads Greg DuPree This recipe calls on pistachios for a crunchy topping to accompany ricotta, arugula, and grilled asparagus layered on a store-bought naan flatbread. Would pistachio as a pizza topping be so much of a stretch? Try It: Grilled Asparagus and Hot Honey Flatbreads 12 of 13 Spring Green Salad Greg DuPree You need a crunchy topping for an all-green salad: What else would you pick but pistachios? They blend monochromatically with romaine, cucumbers, snap peas, and edamame, as well as—of course—a green (avocado-based) dressing. Try It: Spring Green Salad 13 of 13 Nutty Superfood Breakfast Bites Grace Elkus Pistachios join a cast of nutrient powerhouses—almonds, quinoa, and goji berries, to name a few—to create this superfood snack that doubles as breakfast on the go. There are so many other nuts, seeds, and dried fruit in these bars, you could skip the pistachios, but why would you want to? Try It: Nutty Superfood Breakfast Bites Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit