Did you love pistachio pudding as a child? I sure did! All those alien-looking green treats (cookie bars with a pistachio pudding layer, pistachio pudding jello...) -- yes, please! Then again, I've always been a huge fan of colorful happy-looking food -- colors make me happy :). So when I got requests for a healthier pistachio pudding on the blog, I was more than happy to comply...
Since January I've gotten multiple reader requests for a pistachio pudding that would fit a gluten-free, vegan, and refined sugar-free diet -- something people said they've been missing a lot and didn't think they'd ever be able to eat again. Here's something one person said when reminiscing about this favorite childhood treat during a January giveaway I ran:
My absolute favorite childhood dessert was my grandmother’s pistachio pudding dessert. As a kid, I only knew it as the Yummy Green Dessert. Pistachio pudding sandwiched between a bottom layer of yummy cake like crust and topped with whipped cream. I’m sure everything about this dessert was artificial, but it sure was good. ~ Dru
One day, while working on a pistachio ice cream recipe I found just the perfect way to make a delicious vegan pistachio pudding that is far from the artificial green goopy goodness we all remember from our childhood. I even one-upped the requests and made this whole foods plant-based recipe paleo, raw, oil-free, and filled with veggies and greens -- but don't worry, you won't taste them one bit!
This recipe makes a lovely breakfast, dessert, or just a little snack. It's always nice to reach for a ready made jar of this pudding from the freezer and enjoy a little bright-colored, deep-flavored pick-me-up treat. And it's a great recipe for the universal celebration day of green goodness (St. Patrick's Day).
A few tips on this pistachio pudding before we begin
- This recipe only makes 1-2 servings (about a cup in total), but you can easily multiply it as needed if you're making desserts with pistachio pudding (such as the one described by Dru above). If you have a large blender (like the newer low profile Vitamix models, for instance), you'll definitely need to multiply it (by 4) to make sure it blends properly.
- And a quick note about the rose water in this recipe. It's optional. To me pistachios + rose water is a no-brainer combination. Deeeelicious. If you think that's too exotic, skip. BUT, if you do use it, please make sure that the brand you use is just rose water, and not one with rose oil in it. The one I use (linked to in the recipe) is a pretty good brand, and fairly inexpensive. Some other brands add a myriad of other ingredients, some of which are rose oil and I find the flavor of those to be incredibly strong and soapy — not a flavor I want to taste in dessert :P … True rose water is delicate and mildly-flavored, and adds a beautiful accent to baked goods when used in the correct amount.
And if you dig the happy pistachio vibes, you might enjoy these gluten-free vegan (and mostly paleo) recipes as well:
Vegan Pistachio Pudding
Creamy, vegan pistachio pudding made without dairy or refined sugar. Also paleo, oil-free, and gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup / 2 servings
- Category: Pudding
- Method: Raw
- Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients
Pudding:
- 1 ripe avocado, peeled and de-pitted
- ¼ cup pistachios, pre-soaked and strained*
- 5 tbsp maple syrup
- 5 tbsp water or coconut water
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp rose water (optional**)
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ⅛ tsp salt
- Optional: 1 handful of baby spinach leaves***
Toppings:
- more pistachios + salt flakes
Instructions
- Blend all pudding ingredients in a high power blender into a smooth consistency. Stop and scrape down the sides as needed (or use your Vitamix tamper if necessary).
- Once the mixture is smooth, transfer the pudding into small jars or glasses (I used 2 of the jars pictured above the recipe), cover and place in the freezer for about 30 minutes to an hour to chill. When ready to eat, garnish with extra pistachios (chopped or whole) and sprinkle with some coarse salt flakes, and enjoy!****
Notes
*To pre-soak nuts: place in a glass bowl, cover with water, and leave to soak for 4 hours (or overnight in the fridge). Then strain and discard the water. For a quick pre-soak, cover with boiled water and soak for 15 mins, then strain and discard water. (Note: this technique doesn’t preserve the nutrition of the recipe as well as the traditional soaking technique above). Additional Note: the purpose of soaking the nuts is to re-hydrate them and plump them up for blending into a smooth, cheesecake-like consistency. Proper soaking techniques also maximize nutrition and digestibility. If you’re interested in learning more about nut soaking and other dessert prep tips and tricks, I delve into these subjects in detail in my book Unconventional Treats.
**See notes above recipe regarding the correct rose water to use.
***Add the spinach in at the end if you want to adjust the color if your pistachios are not very vibrant -- I did not need to add any to the pudding in the pictures, but I had some gorgeous-looking pistachios to work with. Can also throw them in if you love spinach, of course.
****Storage: Because this recipe uses avocado, it'll tend to brown up after a day or so out of the freezer (even if kept refrigerated). To avoid that, I recommend keeping the pudding frozen until ready to consume and take it out of the freezer and let sit at room temp for a bit to let it thaw out a little.
Hiroshi says
This turned out great doubling the pistachios, substituting 300g of bananas for the avocados, using 2 tablespoons homemade lavender coconut sugar syrup and 1/4 cup date paste for the sweetener, and using a few almonds instead of the extract. I blended half the nuts and left the other half whole to give it texture. I then put it into 8 silicone muffin cups and froze it so I could eat one serving at a time. Thank you for the recipe. :)
Audrey says
Oh wow. A lot of interesting ideas here :) Love it. Glad you were able to make the recipe work for you.
Hiroshi says
Hello. I cannot eat avocado. Would I be able to substitute it with bananas and/or almonds instead? I saw that the original one you posted has almonds in it.
Thank you,
Hiroshi
Audrey says
Hi Hiroshi, yes you can of course. But you will lose a few things (green color of avocado, and its creaminess) and gain a few things (namely, banana flavor and sweetness) :) So it won't be the same, but I'm sure you'll end up with something tasty nonetheless. I don't think I've ever made this with almonds by the way, though there is a bit of almond extract in the recipe.
Hiroshi says
Thank you. Would I substitute 1 banana for the avocado or about how much would work? A banana-flavored pudding seems great.
Audrey says
About the size of a medium avocado :)
Nikki Wright says
So delicious! I was scouring the web looking for a raw, vegan dessert recipe with ingredients that I had on hand. I just so happened to have everything except a lemon, but I used a clementine for the juice instead. I just made it 15 mins ago and it is REALLY good! This is exciting since I am new to raw, vegan eating. I have a sweet tooth and love desserts and I am not as creative with them as (yet) as I am with the savory meals, so I’m happy to have something like this pudding to help me stay on track. I love meat and the conventional things, but I know I can have better health with a plant-based, vibrant diet. Thanks so much for posting your recipes. It’s a huge help and I’ll be back for sure!!
Audrey says
Thanks so much, Nikki. So glad the recipe is serving you and is helping you get creative with raw dessert ideas :) Enjoy!
Dana Angela-Alexis says
So delicious! I’m so happy to find a vegan recipe for pistachio pudding. I substituted the coconut water for vegan pea milk (non-dairy milk) and instead of the blender , I put it in the food processor ( since anytime I put anything in the food processor it gives it the best consistency). Thank you! Loved it. 💚💚💚
Audrey says
Thank you so much for the lovely feedback and for sharing your modifications -- always fun to hear what people do with the recipes to personalize them :)
Merci Bailey says
Loved it! I used less maple syrup, and added stevia so it was easier on my glucose. I also added okra, and yogurt since I'm not vegan. Definitely will be making this again!
Audrey says
Okra? Wow! I would never have thought of trying that. That's by far the most unique addition anyone has shared about my desert recipes :)
Thank you for the feedback. I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Nan says
Just made it and fought hard not to eat the entire batch in one sitting. Luckily for my waistline, the avocado was filling and assisted me in that battle.
Audrey says
I'm glad you enjoyed it, Nan :) Thanks so much for he feedback!
Kim says
Wow, looks amazing. Never tried combine avocado and pistachio... interesting. Thanks for the recipe.
Audrey says
Enjoy it, Kim! :)
Terri says
The texture of this pudding is smooth and creamy. The flavor is delicious. You'd never know it was made with avocado and not milk. I didn't have rose water on hand and wanted to make it right away but I am eager to try it with the rose water. I also didn't use the spinach but I will try that option as well.
Audrey says
Hi Terri, I'm so glad you liked it, even without the rose water. Thanks very much for the lovely feedback! :)
Emily says
Wow, I had to comment on this. I never comment on recipes, but I just made this and am FLOORED! I was obsessed with pistachio pudding as a kid...plain, or my mom made this amazing pudding dessert, and my grandma made a watergate cake with pistachio pudding. I LOVED them...like just obsessed. I try to avoid processed foods, especially those loaded with fake ingredients, like my beloved pistachio pudding mix. I cannot get over how closely this tastes like the real deal! (Or should I say the fake deal!) I had really low expectations, because how can you replicate such a processed treat with avocado, spinach, and real pistachios, but oh my goodness...tastes just like i remembered. Brilliant work!!!
Audrey says
Haha. Best comment ever, Emily. Thanks so much for the lovely feedback. I know exactly how you feel! :D
Mia says
Hi! How important is almond extract in this recipe? I don't have it so can I just skip it or should I use something else instead of it? Thanks!
Audrey says
Hi Mia, almond extract is not essential "structurally", so you can definitely make it without it if you prefer. However almond extract is a key ingredient in classic pistachio pudding because it lends it a lot of that "pistachio pudding" flavor. So I guess it depends on how close you want it to resemble the original :)
Sara says
Quick question- are the pistachios raw or roasted? My husband loves pistachio pudding and I love healthy stuff so I’d love to try this!
Audrey says
Hi Sara, it'll work either way, so whatever you can find / have on hand is fine. Hope you both enjoy it :)
Cassie Autumn Tran says
Rose water and pistachios are heavenly together! I was going to try this baklava made with pistachios and rose water, but it included honey, so I couldn't try it out, sadly! Luckily, there are other options I can utilize, especially making pistachio and rose water desserts on my own--at least once I afford and find rose water. This pudding looks so gorgeous. The green is so beautiful for the spring season in the future!
Audrey says
I just love the combo. I find that rose water is a lot more affordable from small Middle Eastern / Mediterranean type grocers. I usually stock up when I'm around one because it's a fraction of the cost than ordering it on Amazon, etc.
Jenna says
This pudding is so good. I'll never miss the fake stuff again!!! :D Thanks for the recipe.
Audrey says
So glad you liked it, Jenna! :) Enjoy.
Rachel says
This looks amazing and I'm about to try it; but my son is strict SCD...can I sub honey instead of the maple syrup to make it compliant with his diet?
Audrey says
Definitely -- feel free to use whatever liquid sweetener works.
Genie says
Loved this ......added just that handful of a baby spinach/kale mix to pump up the green-ness as suggested. The pudding is so creamy....like a chocolate pudding....then thought "hmmmm" what if I used it to make a pistachio pudding pie. I made a 1/2 batch of the crust from your Raw Grasshopper Ice Cream Pie recipe and put it in a springform pan.....topped it with the pistachio pudding. So it's a pistachio variation on a chocolate cream pie. I love mixing and matching.
Audrey says
Amazing, Genie -- I love your recipe combining :) Thank you for sharing what worked for you. I love this pudding and can see how it would go well with a chocolate crust. Chocolate + pistachios + creaminess will always have "a pass" from me :)
Majda @Bread&Olives says
This pistachio pudding looks absolutely amazing! I will definitely give it a try! Your pictures are just beautiful Audrey :) Bravo!
Audrey says
Thank you, Majda! ♥
Bianca @ ElephantasticVegan says
I LOVE pistachios and this pudding looks to die for! I almost got a shock when it popped up on FV - it looks so creamy & delicious. I have to try this - like now.
Audrey says
Thanks -- it's definitely all those things, Bianca :)
David Ryan says
Oh wow. I want one. Gotta love pistachio.
Audrey says
♥ pistachio!
Linda @ Veganosity says
This really brings back childhood memories. Pistachio pudding and ice cream was my favorite and I haven't had it in so long. I can't wait to make this! Thanks. :) Pinned!
Audrey says
Nice, Linda! So glad we share the pistachio ♥ :) Both pistachio pudding and ice cream are amongst my absolute childhood favorites!
Nóri | ingeniouscooking.com says
Love that vibrant green color! I'm a little envious about those pistachios you had to work with. :) My husband is a big fan of pistachos, and his birthday is in 3 weeks... Now I'm thinking about using this recipe in a layered cake... Thanks for sharing!
Audrey says
That would be a nice treat, Nóri! I do also have this pistachio cake, in case it inspires any other ideas for you ;)
But in the end, pistachios or not, I can't wait to see whatever you end up making for him :)
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
What a delicious & healthy little dessert! I sure do love pistachios so I can imagine that they make this pudding taste great. Love the colour especially.
Audrey says
Thanks Thalia -- I'm a huge pistachio fan, but I also love color so this pudding just made sense :)
Alison @Food by Mars says
This looks divine! Love the optional idea of adding spinach... I'm always eager to sneak in more greens ;)
Audrey says
Thank you Alison. Sneak avocado and spinach into my desserts always makes me happy :)
genevieve @ gratitude & greens says
Eeeeee I love pistachios! I got so excited when I saw this because a.) I love all things green b.) and even more so if it's dessert and c.) I love desserts with pistachios in them. Will definitely be making this next week- I have a bag of pistachios ready and waiting!
Audrey says
Yay! Enjoy it, Genevieve :)
GiGi Eats says
I haven't had pistachios in a BILLION ages and I would love to stick my head into a bucket filled with them!!! (shelled of course! ha ha)
Audrey says
lol. That makes two of us ;)
The Vegan 8 says
I love pistachios so much, but I've never even heard of pistachio pudding before this! What is normally in it? Just milk and sugar and pistachios and eggs or something? Anyways, yours looks gorgeous and you are so right, way healthier! I love the purplish green color of them on top....gah!
Audrey says
Brandi,
Here are the ingredients in a traditional store-bought pistachio jello pudding: SUGAR, MODIFIED CORNSTARCH, ALMONDS, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF PISTACHIO NUTS, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, SALT, DISODIUM PHOSPHATE AND TETRASODIUM PYROPHOSPHATE (FOR THICKENING), MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES (PREVENT FOAMING), YELLOW 5, BLUE 1, YELLOW 6, ARTIFICIAL COLOR, BHA AS A PRESERVATIVE. *AMOUNT IN DRY MIX.
Bleh! I can't believe we were {and some people still are} fed this stuff!
You can eat it on its own, like a pudding dessert, or make a trifle, or sometimes it's put as a layer on cookie bars. Some people use it as cake filling too, though I've never had that.
Anyways, I eat this stuff out of a jar on its own. Just had some more yesterday -- it's a really good snack and has the avocado and the nuts in it so it doesn't give you a sugar crash. One of my favorite snacks / desserts lately.
Leah says
Looks de-lish. I looooove anything pistachio. Can't wait to try it!
Audrey says
I'm a huge pistachio fiend too, Leah :)
Amanda Paa says
i am pistachio lover at heart, and as you mentioned, i'm one of those people who has been looking for a paleo version. thank you for giving both options of the agar and agar and regular. i think i'll try it both ways. xo
Audrey says
Yay for all the pistachio lovers around here :) I hope you like this if you get to try it out, Amanda!
Christina @ The Beautiful Balance says
This is dangerous because I have all of the ingredients on hand and my boyfriend and i are suckers for anything pistachio flavored. Love everything about this Audrey!
Audrey says
I know, right? Pistachios are the best.
Sylvie | Gourmande in the Kitchen says
Such a beautiful green! Love the additional of rose water too.
Audrey says
Thanks Sylvie. I love pistachios and rose water together. And yes, that color is <3 :)
Laura @Petite Allergy Treats says
Such a gorgeous dessert and natural green! I fondly remember eating pistachios as a kid…course for some reason the shells were dyed a bright neon pink/red. Not sure why. Love how natural and easy this is. Pinned, Yummed and just plain love it!
Audrey says
Haha. I never understood the pink shells either. So weird! Why cover up the natural pretty greens and purples anyhow :)
Bill says
Would I be able to use this pudding for vegan pistachio bundt cake recipe?
Audrey says
Hi Bill, unfortunately my guess is no. It doesn't have the same consistency for baking as do commercially packaged puddings (which are usually very high on starches and thickeners, so that might make a difference in baking).
Tessa@TessaDomesticDiva says
Here you are with those yummy pistachios again Audrey! Yet another super creative recipe I am totally intrigued to try!
Audrey says
Thanks Tessa! I think it's safe to say pistachios and I have a special relationship ;)