Pistachio Panna Cotta with Rhubarb and Meringue

Every year in the fall we get a shipment from our family in Greece of a big box of pistachios harvested from my papou and yiayia’s old orchard on Aegina island. There’s something very comforting about eating pistachios from trees that my grandparents planted before I was born, and being able to enjoy nourishment from them even though they passed away long before I was able to know them as an adult. And as you can tell from the many recipes I’ve shared dedicated to this tough little green nut, I’m clearly a big fan. But hands down, this pistachio panna cotta is the BEST thing I’ve ever made with them, and as someone who has developed thousands of recipes and written several cookbooks, that’s certainly saying something.

These are the jars I used and recommend to make it easy for storing + serving. This recipe is made with an Italian ingredient, crema di pistacchio, that’s basically pistachio butter mixed with vegetable oil, a bit of sugar, and some powdered milk. Alternatively, you can use this vegan pistachio butter for the vegan version 👍 There’s lots of different manufacturers out there, but this the brand I like because it has a high percentage of pistachio in it. I also tested this recipe by using pistachios I soaked overnight and then pureed in the blender, but there was still a bit of grittiness to the texture of the panna cotta that the crema di pistacchio version didn’t have. I suppose I could have strained the pistachio mixture after I pureed it, but I also didn’t want to make this recipe too time consuming and elaborate, and the crema di pistacchio makes the pistachio panna cotta taste sooooo good, so I went with the simpler version.

I also have two version of the pistachio panna cotta below in the recipe, one is with dairy and one is without (aka it’s vegan), so feel free to make the style you’d prefer. And if you want to make it extra fancy, I have some other toppings you can incorporate, like a rhubarb gelée layer and a swiss meringue topping. But those are completely optional, so if you wan tto keep things simple and just make and enjoy the pistachio panna cotta on it’s own, that’s great too. I’ve made this recipe both with and without the rhubarb and meringue, and it tastes phenomenal both ways. Kali orexi, my friend (aka, bon appetit!)

5 from 2 votes

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Pistachio Panna Cotta

This creamy pistachio panna cotta is made with crema di pistacchio, aka pistachio butter that makes this panna cotta incredibly easy to make + SO flavorful.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Keyword dessert, panna cotta, pear pistachio pie

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Chilling Time 6 hours

Total Time 6 hours 30 minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 805 kcal

Ingredients

Pistachio Panna Cotta (Dairy Version)

• 2 1/2 cups whole milk
• 2 3/4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin powder
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 7 ounce jar crema di pistacchio (https://amzn.to/405doFm) about 2/3 cup
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped pistachios

Pistachio Panna Cotta (Vegan Version)

• 4 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 1/4 teaspoons agar agar powder
• 4 cups coconut milk
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 7 ounces vegan pistachio butter (https://wildernesspoets.com/products/pistachio-butter) about 2/3 cup
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped pistachios

Rhubarb Jelly (Optional)

• 1/2 cup chopped rhubarb
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 3/4 teaspoon powdered gelatin or agar agar

Swiss Meringue (Optional)

• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup ultrafine sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

Instructions

Pistachio Panna Cotta (Dairy Version)

1. Place 1/4 cup of the milk in a small bowl, dust with the powdered gelatin and allow to rest + activate for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat the cream, remaining 2 1/4 cups milk, sugar, cardamom, vanilla, and salt in a small pot over medium low heat until hot but not boiling. Reduce heat to low and stir in the gelatin mixture, stirring until it has dissolved. Remove from heat and pour into a large bowl.
3. Add the crema di pistacchio to the bowl and whisk until completely smooth and combined. Evenly distribute the mixture between six 6-ounce glass jars (I used these ones https://amzn.to/3YSg9sT) and set aside to cool at room temperature for 1 hour, then cover the jars and place them in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.
4. If you are planning on doing the layer of rhubarb jelly (see below), you can refrigerate the panna cotta for 4 hours, then add the rhubarb jelly layer and allow it to finish setting overnight.

Pistachio Panna Cotta (Vegan Version)

1. Mix together the cornstarch and agar agar powder in a small bowl with 1/4 cup of the coconut milk and set it aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 3/4 cups coconut milk, remaining 2 1/4 cups milk, sugar, cardamom, vanilla, and salt in a small pot over medium low heat until it reaches a low simmer. Reduce heat to low and stir in the cornstarch mixture, whisking until it has dissolved, about 4 minutes more. Remove from heat and pour the mixture into a large bowl.

3. Add the vegan pistachio butter and whisk until completely smooth and combined. Evenly distribute the mixture between six 6-ounce glass jars (I used these ones https://amzn.to/3YSg9sT)and set aside to cool at room temperature for 1 hour, then cover the jars and place them in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.

4. If you are planning on doing the layer of rhubarb jelly (see below), you can refrigerate the panna cotta for 4 hours, then add the rhubarb jelly layer and allow it to finish setting overnight. Sprinkle with the chopped pistachios.

Rhubarb Jelly (Optional)

1. Place 1/4 cup cold water in a bowl, sprinkle the top with the gelatin powder, and allow it to rest for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat the rhubarb, sugar, honey, and remaining 3/4 cup water over medium heat in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer until the rhubarb is tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in gelatin mixture and gently stir until the gelatin dissolves.

3. Allow to cool to room temperature, then *very gently* ladle the liquid and evenly distribute between the pistachio panna cotta jars on top of the partially set layer of pistachio panna cotta. Place in the refrigerator to set overnight. Sprinkle with the chopped pistachios.

Swiss Meringue (Optional)

1. If you want this to be extra-fancy, you can make and top it with this Swiss Meringue. Mix the egg whites, sugar, salt, and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer until combined.
2. Bring a few inches of water to a simmer in a small or medium-sized saucepan. Place the bowl of the stand mixer over the simmering bowl of water but do NOT let the bottom of the bowl touch the simmering water, and stir constantly until the sugar has dissolved.
3. Place the bowl back on the stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat at medium high speed until the meringue is glossy and medium-stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. If you're having a hard time getting the meringue to firm up, place it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes and then beat it again, or add a touch of lemon juice or another sprinkle of cream of tartar.
4. Place the meringue in a frosting bag fitted with a large round tip and pipe the meringue directly down onto the top of each jar of set panna cotta/rhubarb jelly. If you want to be extra-fancy, you can even gently toast the exterior of the meringue with a kitchen torch.  This is not needed for food safety, though, (the meringue is safe to eat as-is due to the heating over the stove, it's purely for decorative purposes. Do NOT attempt to toast the meringue by putting it in the oven, as this will melt and ruin the panna cotta.
5. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Pistachio Panna Cotta

Amount Per Serving

Calories 805 Calories from Fat 513

% Daily Value*

Fat 57g88%

Saturated Fat 44g275%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 7g

Cholesterol 79mg26%

Sodium 337mg15%

Potassium 606mg17%

Carbohydrates 72g24%

Fiber 0.4g2%

Sugar 62g69%

Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 1050IU21%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 205mg21%

Iron 5mg28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.