How To Make Homemade Pistachio Paste

If you’ve ever fallen in love with the rich flavor of pistachio cream in French pastries or trendy Dubai-style pistachio chocolate bars, you’re not alone.

Pistachios have become the darling of the baking world — and with good reason. Their unique, buttery flavor elevates everything from cakes to breakfast bowls.

The good news? You can make your own easy homemade pistachio paste right at home with just one ingredient and a food processor. It’s a great replacement for things like peanut butter, almond butter or any other nut butters in general.

Why This Recipe Works

Homemade pistachio paste is:

• Free from additives, oils, and sweeteners

• Customizable in texture (chunky or silky smooth)

• Cheaper than store-bought versions

• Incredibly versatile in baking and everyday use

Plus making it yourself is just so satisfying!

Making your own pistachio butter is easy to do by grinding shelled, unsalted pistachios in a food processor. You can decide what is your ideal texture and go for either a smooth or a more coarse version. Depending on your intended use you can add a pinch of salt or do that at a later stage.

It is important to check the quality of your food processor, immersion blender or high speed blender. The nuts need to be processed for about 5 to 10 minutes in order to form a smooth paste.

If you have a food processor that is not up to the task it might overheat and basically not do the job required.

Step-by-Step: How to Make Pistachio Paste

1. Optional: Blanch and Peel the Pistachios

If a bright green color is important for your recipe (like in buttercream or macarons), removing the skins is worth the extra step.

• Boil: Soak shelled pistachios in boiling water for 1–2 minutes.

• Peel: Drain and gently rub the pistachios with a clean kitchen towel. The pistachio skin should slip off easily.

• Dry: Let the skinned pistachios air-dry or roast at 150°C (300°F) for 15–20 minutes until dry and aromatic.

💡 Tip: Skipping the peeling step is totally fine for everyday use — it won’t affect flavor, only color.

2. Roast Pistachios (Optional but Recommended)

Roasting enhances the flavor and helps release natural oils:

• Spread pistachios on a baking sheet and roast at 150°C (300°F) for 15–20 minutes.

• Stir halfway through to prevent uneven roasting.

• Let cool slightly before processing.

3. Process into Paste

• Add roasted pistachios to your food processor.

• Start grinding — this may take 5 to 10 minutes depending on your machine.

• Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the food processor and prevent overheating.

At first, the mixture will resemble a crumbly flour, then a thick clump, and finally transform into a smooth, shiny paste.

If your processor struggles, try:

• Adding a teaspoon of neutral oil (like grapeseed or sunflower)

• Increasing the batch size so the blades are fully engaged

What Can You Make With Pistachio Paste?

The pistachio flavor is fantastic and you can use the paste in your favorite pistachio recipes, such as pistachio cheesecake, pistachio buttercream, or pistachio ganache.

There will soon be more delicious pistachio recipes (a pistachio gelato and pistache cake coming up) on the site! Pistachio paste is also surprisingly versatile for everyday use.

• Stir some into your yogurt
• Spread it on a cracker.
• Mix it into (or over) homemade ice cream.
• Spoon a little onto your oatmeal for breakfast or, why not, sprinkle some over your french toast.

If you decide to make this paste yourself, you’re probably hoping for a beautiful bright green pistachio paste. However, pistachios are not always as green as you might think.

They tend to be brownish-green, especially when you grind them with the skin on. Here are a few tips for achieving the greenest pistachio butter.

• Remove the skins from the pistachios. The skins won’t affect the taste, but they will affect the color.
• Look for green pistachios at a specialty store or online. Ideally, the nuts should already be shelled to save time and hassle.
• Give them a light roast and don’t let them get too brown in the oven.

Also, keep in mind that the pistachio butter you buy in the grocery store might have some food coloring that gives it that vibrant green hue. Your homemade version is likely way more natural.

Storing Pistachio Paste

This paste, made from 100% pistachios, can be stored for a few weeks. But, let’s be honest, once you taste how delicious it is, the jar will be empty in no time.

How long does pistachio paste keep?

Store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It will keep for about 2-3 weeks.

Can you freeze pistachio paste?

If you want to store it for longer, it’s best to freeze it. Packaged in an airtight container, it will keep for up to three months.