This Pistachio Tiramisu recipe has pistachio coffee-soaked ladyfingers nestled in a whipped, creamy pistachio filling made from pistachio paste, cream and mascarpone. This nutty take on a classic Italian favorite is an easy pistachio dessert that is perfect for a party or enjoying at home.
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In researching what to make for St. Patrick’s Day I was mulling over the usual “green flavors”. Pistachio stuck out to me as a flavor I had yet to fully explore. Tiramisu seems to be really having a moment in the food world right now, especially non-traditional tiramisu flavors. Thus, this pistachio tiramisu was born. I adapted Serious Eats’ pistachio paste recipe for what I had on hand. I did not have pistachio oil, so I subbed a light olive oil, which worked well.
This is my first foray into a nutty tiramisu, but I have experience with alternative tiramisu flavors. The first of which is my Blood Orange Tiramisu, which makes an excellent ode to the pinky-hued citrus. More recently, I developed a Cherry Tiramisu in response to an abundance of cherries in my fridge and was not disappointed.
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Why you’ll love this recipe
- This recipe can be made with homemade or store-bought pistachio paste.
- There are no raw eggs in this tiramisu, in case you’re averse to raw eggs in desserts.
- Pistachio and coffee marry so beautifully in this decadent treat.
- This is a no-bake dessert!
Ingredients
- Pistachio paste flavors the filling and makes a beautiful garnish.
- Granulated sugar sweetens the filling.
- Heavy whipping cream adds a whipped texture to the filling.
- Coffee and pistachio flavoring flavor the ladyfingers.
- Kosher salt, vanilla and almond extract balance the overall flavor profile.
- The base of the creamy layer is mascarpone, which is traditional for tiramisu.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and variations
Here’s how to customize this tiramisu to your liking:
- No raw pistachios — use roasted pistachios for garnish.
- No mascarpone — if you can’t find mascarpone swap for the same amount of softened cream cheese.
- Homemade ladyfingers — make my homemade ladyfingers recipe.
- No granulated sugar — swap for powdered or brown sugar.
- Other garnish ideas — plain whipped cream, whole pistachios, cherries or chocolate.
This recipe has not been tested with any substitutions or variations. If you try any, please let me know how it turned out by commenting below!
How to assemble pistachio tiramisu
Step 1: Beat pistachio paste and ¼ cup of heavy cream with a hand mixer or whisk until smooth. Add the mascarpone, vanilla and salt. Beat until completely smooth. Combine the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream with the granulated sugar. Beat until stiff peaks. Add the whipped cream to the mascarpone mixture and fold until combined. Set aside.
Step 2: Working with half of the ladyfingers, quickly dip each one, one at a time, into the coffee mixture and place them in a single layer covering the bottom of the pan.
Step 3: Top with half of the cream mixture, smoothing it out to the edges.
Step 4: Dip the rest of the ladyfingers, one at a time, into the coffee mixture and place them in a single layer covering the first cream layer. Cover with remaining cream and garnish, as desired.
Hot tips
- If you are making the pistachio paste from scratch, I highly recommend following Serious Eats’ instructions on how to blanch pistachios. Taking off the skins really helps the pistachio flavor shine.
- I warmed up and added a bit of water to some pistachio paste to loosen it before transferring it to a piping bag for garnishing.
- This tiramisu can be made in any shape of baking dish of a similar size. In my other tiramisu recipes I use a 9-inch springform pan.
Recipe FAQs
Store leftover tiramisu in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
I made my own, so I have not tried any store-bought varieties. However, I suggest this one as the ingredients are similar to the homemade version.
Yes, absolutely. Swap without issue.
Yes, double the recipe to fit in a 9×13 pan.
More recipes you’ll love
Lastly, if you make this Pistachio Tiramisu recipe be sure to leave a comment or give it a rating. I love to see when people make my recipes, so please tag me @youthsweets on Instagram if you post!
📖 Recipe
Pistachio Tiramisu
Equipment
Ingredients
Tiramisu
- ⅔ cup pistachio paste (173g, 6 oz) store bought or homemade
- 1 cup mascarpone (8 oz) softened
- 1 ¼ cup heavy whipping cream (290g) chilled
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (73g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon amaretto or other liquor (optional)
- 2 cups coffee strong brew
- ¼ teaspoon pistachio flavoring
- 40-50 ladyfingers (two 3.5 oz boxes)
Garnish
- Pistachio paste
- Chopped pistachios
Instructions
Make the filling
- Beat the pistachio paste and ¼ cup of the heavy cream with a hand mixer or whisk until smooth. Add the mascarpone, vanilla and salt. Beat until completely smooth.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream with the granulated sugar. Beat until stiff peaks.
- Add the whipped cream to the mascarpone mixture and fold until combined. Set aside.
Assemble the tiramisu
- Whisk together the coffee, alcohol (if using) and pistachio flavoring in a shallow dish. Working with half of the ladyfingers, quickly dip each one, one at a time, into the coffee mixture and place them in a single layer covering the bottom of a 9×9-inch square pan. Top with half of the cream mixture, smoothing it out to the edges.
- Dip the rest of the ladyfingers into the coffee mixture and create another layer. Top with the remaining cream mixture and smooth the top.
- Garnish with pistachio paste (loosened with water if needed) and chopped pistachios*. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve, or for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
