Pistachio Italian Gelato

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Make a batch of authentic Italian pistachio gelato. This homemade recipe can be made with an at-home machine and a few specialty ingredients.

Going to culinary school in Italy taught me so much about how to make authentic Italian gelato.

While in school, one of my favorite flavors quickly became pistachio. The rich, salty, creamy taste of pistachio is unmatched!

Even after making coffee gelato, stracciatella, and chocolate red wine, pistachio still ranks at the top of my list. I hope you love this recipe as much as I do!

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What You'll Learn In This Recipe
Classic Italian Gelato Recipes You'll Love
Ingredients You Need
How To Make This Recipe
Expert Tips
Recipe FAQs
More Gelato Recipes
Pistachio Italian Gelato

What You'll Learn In This Recipe

What ingredients you'll need to make classic Italian gelato.
My secret ingredient for getting the best pistachio flavor.
How to make gelato from scratch - from the cooking to the churning process.

Don't forget to grab all of my favorite, go-to Italian gelato recipes, plus my best tips for making gelato at home.

Ingredients You Need

pistachio gelato ingredients with labels.

Dextrose: This is a type of sugar that helps to reduce both the perceived sweetness and the freezing point of the gelato.
Guar gum and locust bean gum: These are both types of stabilizers, and they're used to thicken the gelato. These are imperative if you're making gelato at home since an at-home machine will whip too much air into the gelato without the addition of these stabilizers.
2% milk: The milk helps with the texture and taste of the gelato. Since milk has a high water content, it's also the reason the gelato base can freeze.
Granulated sugar: This is the second type of sugar used in pistachio gelato. The ratio of sugar helps to determine how quickly the gelato will melt, as well as lowers the freezing temperature of the gelato base.
Nonfat milk powder: The powdered milk is important to help thicken the gelato and provide the correct texture.
Pistachio paste: Look for a pistachio paste made only with roasted pistachios (no added salt). Alternatively, you can make your own pistachio paste.
Fine sea salt: Don't be tempted to skip the salt! It really helps to amp up the pistachio flavor.

If you're interested, learn more about the importance of each ingredient.

How To Make This Recipe

Start with some prep work to set yourself up for success:

Fill a large bowl with ice to use later as an ice bath. Place an empty bowl on top of the ice.
Place a storage container in the freezer to chill. This will be used after churning the gelato.
Finally, if you have an ice cream machine that requires you to pre-freeze the bowl, remember to give it 24 hours in the freezer to completely chill.

four numbered photos showing how to make pistachio gelato base.

1. Whisk the dextrose, guar gum, and locust bean gum in a small mixing bowl. This prevents the stabilizers from clumping in the gelato base.

2. Next, cook the milk in a heavy bottom saucepan over medium heat, until it reaches 105°F (40°C) on an instant read thermometer. Once it reaches temperature, whisk in the granulated sugar and nonfat milk powder.

The milk powder can take a while to dissolve, so take your time and be sure to fully whisk it in.

3. Once dissolved, whisk the pistachio paste followed by the dextrose mixture. Continue cooking the gelato base over medium heat, stirring often to ensure it doesn’t burn, until it reaches 195°F (90°C) on an instant read thermometer.

4. Strain the gelato base with a fine mesh strainer. This will help catch any large clumps of milk powder that didn't fully dissolve.

two numbered photos showing chilling and churning gelato base.

5. Chill the gelato base in the ice bath until it has stopped steaming. Then, press plastic wrap against the surface of the gelato (to prevent a skin from forming on top), then cover with plastic wrap and rest in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

6. Remove the gelato base from the refrigerator, and whisk in salt. Pour the gelato base into an ice cream maker, and process for about 20 - 25 minutes or according to the manufacturer's directions.

Once finished churning, the gelato will be on the soft side. Transfer to a storage container, then allow the gelato to "cure" or harden for a few hours.

Expert Tips

Allow the gelato base to cool completely before churning. If you want your gelato to properly freeze in the machine, it has to be super cold (around 40 - 42°F or 4°C - 7°C). Don't try churning the gelato while it's still hot, or you'll end up with a soupy mess.
Don't forget to place the ice cream machine bowl in the freezer 24 hours before churning if you don't have a built-in freezer compressor.
Want to serve the gelato like they do in Italy? Use a gelato spatula, then swipe the gelato, and smash it down on the side of the container to remove the air before serving.

Recipe FAQs

How should I store pistachio gelato?

Store gelato in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. It's best to keep the gelato in a freezer that's not often opened and closed. Every time the temperature of the gelato increases and then refreezes, there's more of a chance for the gelato to become icy/grainy. If you notice the gelato is icy or grainy, it has gone past its prime.

Can I use only one type of stabilizer?

No, you'll need both guar gum and locust bean gum. Only using one type will cause the gelato to become stringy and have an undesirable texture. The stabilizers are key to achieving a dense and smooth texture in the gelato.

What machine do you use to churn the gelato?

I use this Whynter machine and love the results it gives me. The Lello machine is pricier but also delivers amazing gelato.

More Gelato Recipes

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