Go Back
–+ servings
homemade pistachio butter in a heart shaped bowl.
QR Code

Pistachio Butter (Pistachio Paste)

Homemade pistachio butter (pistachio paste) made with just one ingredient - pistachios!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Servings: 1 cup

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Pistachios without the shells (see notes)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C and spread your pistachios out on a baking sheet.
  • Roast the pistachios for 7 minutes, giving them a little shake half way through to turn them over a bit. Do not overcook the pistachios or they will be bitter and brown. When you start to smell them, they are ready.
  • Remove from the oven and let the nuts cool completely.
  • Once cooled, put the pistachios in a food processor and blitz them.
  • You'll see the pistachios go through stages, from chunky, to a fine powder, then it will start to clump together, eventually form a ball, then finally it will turn into a lovely, smooth pistachio paste.
  • If the nuts seem too dry and are clumping together and don't look like they will blend up, you can add a tablespoon of vegetable oil to help rehydrate them.
  • If you want salted pistachio butter, add salt now to taste, then blitz for another few seconds. If you want unsalted pistachio butter, transfer it straight to a jar.

Notes

What kind of pistachios to use:

Shelled or Unshelled?
First off, make your life easier and buy some pre-shelled pistachios if you can. (Shelled means the shells have been taken off) You need a lot of pistachios to make pistachio butter, so save yourself from this tedious task and sore fingers!
Salted or Unsalted Pistachios?
If you intend to use your pistachio paste in baking, it's best to use unsalted pistachios, this way you can control how much salt goes into the end product. If you are using it to spread on toast or as a dip, you might want the additional salt. For the safest option, use unsalted and you can always add a pinch of salt later. 
Roasted or Raw Pistachios? 
Pistachios typically come roasted. Either raw or roasted are fine, just be careful if you are using pre-roasted pistachios not to overroast them yourself when you put them in the oven. As soon as you can smell their l lovely nutty smell, take them out.