Calling all pistachio lovers! This Vegan Pistachio Oat Ice Cream relies solely on oats and pistachios for its creamy texture. Made with just 6 ingredients and contains NO cashews or coconut milk.
Poor, patient, Mark has been asking for a pistachio ice cream for SO long. Finally, I got around to testing this flavor, and honestly, it even kind of blew my mind.
This pistachio ice cream isn't messing around. We're talking 1 ½ cups of pistachios packed into this dairy-free, wholesome, homemade ice cream, with no coconut milk or cashews to dilute the flavor!
Pistachio has never been one of my go-to ice cream flavors, so just before I blended up the first batch I actually said to Mark, "I don't remember what pistachio ice cream tastes like."
Smarty pants that he is, he answered, "Pistachio."
Then I tasted it and couldn't believe the level of flavor. Seriously, this ice cream is unapologetically pure pistachio, but in a 100% real, non-fake sort of way!
It's also similar to my other oat milk ice cream recipes in that it focuses on real, simple ingredients and has less fat overall than most ice creams. This means that it will be pretty solidly frozen after it's been in the freezer for a while. But give it 15 minutes to soften on the counter before scooping, and all will be well.
The following is a summary. Be sure to scroll down for the full recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups roasted, unsalted pistachios - If starting with raw pistachios, roast them in a 325 degree F (160 Celsius) oven for 5 to 7 minutes to intensify the flavor. Allow the nuts to fully cool before using.
- 3 cups oat or soy milk
- ¼ cup rolled oats
- ⅔ cup organic cane sugar
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ounce vodka, optional
Process for Making Vegan Pistachio Ice Cream
Homemade ice cream is pretty easy, but if you're using a typical ice cream maker with the removable canister, there is some planning involved. So let's do a quick review to make sure things go smoothly for you.
The basic process looks like this:
- Be sure your ice cream maker's canister has been in the freezer for at least a day.
- Cook oatmeal in a small sauce pan, then spread onto a plate to cool.
- Blend milk and pistachios until smooth. Add the cooled oatmeal and remaining ingredients, and blend again.
- Refrigerate the the ice cream base until chilled (anywhere from 2 hours to overnight). TIP: speed up this process by placing it in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
- Churn the ice cream according to the instructions for your ice cream maker.
- Enjoy now like soft-serve, or freeze the ice cream for 3 to 4 hours for a firmer, scoopable consistency.
- Let the ice cream soften at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes, and dig in!
The No-Churn Method
I haven't tested this recipe with the standard no-churn method, but I suspect the results will be similar to the results I got when I tested the Vanilla-Maple Oat Milk Ice Cream. Basically, the ice cream will still taste amazing, but it will take on an icy appearance compared to the churned version.
So if you're pistachio's biggest fan, don't have an ice cream maker, and just reeeaaally need this ice cream in your life, I say go for it! I mean, a day with vegan ice cream is always better than a day without, even if it isn't the creamiest looking ice cream of all time.
The standard process for no-churn looks like this:
- After blending the ice cream mixture, pour it into a shallow, freezer-safe container.
- Freeze it until the ice cream begins to freeze around the edges, about 45 minutes. Give it a vigorous stir, then return it to the freezer.
- Repeat this process every 30 to 45 minutes until the ice cream reaches the desired consistency. It will likely take about 5 to 6 hours to reach soft-serve state.
I love hearing from you! If you try the recipe be sure to leave a comment and a star rating below to let us know how it turned out.
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More vegan ice cream recipes:
Chocolate Chickpea Ice Cream (nut-free)
Lemon Oat Ice Cream
Pumpkin Oat Ice Cream
Cranberry Sauce Gelato
Butter Pecan Oat Ice Cream
Vegan Pistachio Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 3 cups unsweetened non-dairy milk such as oat or soy
- ¼ cup rolled oats Certified gluten-free, if needed.
- 1 ½ cups roasted and unsalted pistachios
- ⅔ cup organic cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 ounce vodka, optional See Notes.
Instructions
Plan/prep:
- If using an ice cream maker with a removable canister, be sure to freeze the canister at least one day before you plan to make ice cream. Also note that the ice cream mixture needs time to chill before churning (at least an hour), and the churned ice cream needs about 3 to 4 hours in the freezer for a firmer, scoopable consistency.
Make the ice cream:
- In a small sauce pan, simmer oats in 1 cup of milk until soft, about 10 minutes. Immediately transfer to a bowl or spread out on a plate to cool.
- In a blender combine the remaining 2 cups of milk and the pistachios. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 1 minute. Add the cooled oatmeal, sugar, vanilla, salt, and vodka, if using. Blend again until smooth and oats are fully broken down. Refrigerate until cold (minimum 2 hours), or to speed up the process, transfer ice cream mixture to a container and place in freezer for about 30 minutes.
- Churn the ice cream according to manufacturer's instructions for your machine. After churning, the ice cream will be softer than a typical soft serve consistency. For a firmer, scoopable consistency, transfer ice cream to a freezer-safe container, cover, and freeze for 3 to 4 hours.
- Around the 4 hour mark, and definitely once the ice cream has been in the freezer longer, it will be too hard to scoop right out of the freezer. It's important to let the ice cream soften at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Storage and Serving: Store ice cream in an airtight container in the freezer. It tastes best when consumed within 1 week only because it can be difficult to fully protect it from air. Always allow about 15 minutes for the ice cream to soften before serving. Nutrition facts are estimates.
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used. We calculate this information using the online calculator cronometer.com. For the most accurate nutrition information we recommend calculating it yourself to reflect the specific ingredients used in your dish.
Constanze
I really have to try this! I love pistachio ice cream and usually make my own. I have never used oats though. Bad experiences in the past. I think this recipe will totally change my mind. Thanks for sharing it.
Lori
Thanks, Constanze! I love the extra bit of creamy mouthfeel the oatmeal adds. I've been on a kick of making coconut-free ice creams for a while, but I think I'll try the oat trick with a coconut cream/milk base soon. That should be ultra luxurious! Thanks for stopping by. 😀
susan spalding
I love and am inspired by how you continue to engage us with innovative and delicious recipes. Especially in these times when we are home and have the time to try new things. Keep it up!
Lori
That's so kind, Susan. Thank you for being here!