Pistachio Cottage Cheese Ice Cream

Pistachio Almond Ice Cream Recipe

I’ve been seeing Pistachio Ice Cream all over social media lately and I knew I had to make a high-protein version for summer! And ya’ll. I’m OBSESSED. The flavor is next level, the texture is what creamy ice cream dreams are made of. All made in just 10 minutes with 5 healthy ingredients!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• 10 Minutes Prep: So fast and easy—you just blend and freeze!
• 17g Protein: Thanks to the cottage cheese and pistachios.
• Rich & Creamy: No churn, no ice cream maker, and still perfectly scoopable.
• Naturally Sweetened: Sweetened with JUST maple syrup.
• Blender OR Ninja Creami: Use either one – your choice!

RELATED: Lemon Ice Cream

Ingredients in Pistachio Ice Cream

• Cottage Cheese – Use 3 cups of full-fat (4%) cottage cheese. I went with small curd, but any kind works!
• Shelled Pistachios – Dry roasted pistachios are key here! You’ll blend most of them into a silky paste and stir the rest in for crunch.
• Maple Syrup – Adds that natural sweetness and pairs beautifully with the nutty pistachios.
• Vanilla Extract – Rounds out the flavors and adds that nostalgic ice cream taste.
• Almond Extract – Just a touch for a boost of pistachio flavor (don’t skip it, I promise it’s SO good!).

Substitution Notes:

• Whole milk Greek yogurt or even heavy whipping cream can also work as a substitution for the cottage cheese base.
• You can use honey or agave in place of maple syrup! I also love adding a little drizzle of honey on top after scooping into a bowl.
• If you’re trying to cut back on sugar, start with a bit less maple syrup and adjust to taste.
• If for some reason you can’t do the almond extract, I recommend just adding more vanilla instead.

How to Make Pistachio Ice Cream

All you’ll need is a blender, a loaf pan, and 10 minutes to get started. Or you can easily make this in a Ninja Creami instead! Here’s how to make the BEST Pistachio Ice Cream recipe:

1. Make the Pistachio Cream: Blend pistachios with maple syrup, vanilla, and almond extract until creamy and smooth.
2. Add the Cottage Cheese: Blend again for a few minutes until everything is fully combined and silky smooth. Scrape down the sides if needed!
3. Stir in More Pistachios: Roughly chop the remaining pistachios and fold them in for texture and crunch.
4. Freeze It Up: Pour the mixture into a loaf pan or ice cream container, cover, and freeze for at least 8 hours or overnight.
5. Scoop & Serve: Let it thaw for 15–20 minutes (this is important for the best texture), then scoop and enjoy!

Tip: Run your ice cream scooper under hot water before scooping for super smooth results!

Making It in a Ninja Creami

1. Blend the Ice Cream Base: Follow the recipe as written to blend the pistachios, maple syrup, extracts, and cottage cheese until smooth.
2. Freeze in a Creami Pint Container: Pour the blended mixture into a Ninja Creami-compatible pint container (leave a little space at the top) and freeze for at least 24 hours until solid.
3. Spin: Once fully frozen, insert into the Creami machine and select the “Lite Ice Cream” or “Creami” function.
4. Re-Spin If Needed: If the texture is crumbly after the first spin (totally normal!), just press “Re-Spin” until it becomes smooth and creamy.
5. Stir in Chopped Pistachios: For a little crunch, stir in the chopped pistachios after spinning.

TIP: I like to pour the ice cream “batter” divided into 2-3 Creami pint containers so that I only spin the ice cream I plan on eating that day (instead of the entire batch and then refreezing).

Tips

• It’s best to blend the pistachio cream first and then blend in the cottage cheese, but if you accidentally blend all of the ingredients together that’s fine! You’ll just need to work with it a bit more to really get it smooth.
• The ice cream will come out pretty hard after freezing. Leave it on the counter for 15–20 minutes for easy scooping. If it’s still too frozen, set the entire pan in a large bowl or container of warm water. Break it up with a spoon and then scoop!
• That pistachio cream is next-level good! Make a little extra and drizzle it on top before serving. Add some extra chopped pistachios for crunch and color!
• While freezing it in a loaf pan works great, making this recipe in a Ninja Creami is truly incredible and gives it the creamiest texture.

You’ll Also Love: Ninja Creami Protein Milkshake

Topping Ideas

• Drizzle of honey
• Chocolate chips
• Homemade granola
• Pistachio cream
• Sliced Almonds
• Chocolate Magic Shell
• Crushed biscotti
• Drizzle of sweetened condensed milk

How to Store

Freezer: Store in an airtight container or a covered loaf pan for up to 1 month.

To Serve: Let thaw for 15–20 minutes before scooping.

Texture Tip: If it’s a little too icy, just give it a quick re-blend or spin in the Ninja Creami and it’ll be like new!

More Cottage Cheese Ice Cream Recipes

• Cottage Cheese Ice Cream
• Healthy Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
• Cookie Dough Ice Cream
• Strawberry Cottage Cheese Ice Cream
• Brownie Batter Ice Cream

Healthy Frozen Treats You’ll Love

• Whipped Lemonade Recipe
• Strawberry Chia Seed Popsicles
• Frozen Banana Snickers
• Date Shake
• Healthy Buster Bars

5 from 5 votes

Print Recipe

Pistachio Ice Cream

Creamy, dreamy, and SO good! This Pistachio Cottage Cheese Ice Cream recipe has been my obsession lately. The pistachio flavor comes from real pistachios with a touch of vanilla and almond, and the cottage cheese adds protein for a healthy ice cream treat! With only 10 minutes of prep time and 17 grams of protein, this easy recipe only requires 5 ingredient for making the BEST, creamiest pistachio ice cream every single time.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Freezer Time: 8 hours hours

Total Time: 8 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 Servings

Calories: 326 kcal

Author: Christine McMichael

Equipment

• Blender
• Loaf Pan
• Ninja Creami optional, but worth it if possible!

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 1/4 cup shelled dry roasted pistachios (divided)
• ▢ 1/2 cup maple syrup
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• ▢ 3 cups cottage cheese (4% or whole milk)

Instructions

• Get a 9”x5” loaf pan (or large container) ready for later and set aside.
• Place 1 cup of the pistachios in a blender with the maple syrup, vanilla and almond extract.
• Blend on high speed for 2 minutes until creamy and smooth.
• Add the cottage cheese and blend for another 3 minutes until smooth and fully combined. Pause the blender and scrape down the sides as needed to ensure all ingredients are combined.
• Roughly chop remaining 1/4 cup pistachios and mix into the ice cream mixture.
• Pour the ice cream mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Then cover the pan securely with plastic wrap and set in the freezer for 8 hours or overnight.
• Remove from the freezer and let thaw for 15-20 minutes on the countertop.
• Run your ice cream scooper under hot water, shake off, and scoop the ice cream. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

• If you end up blending all of the ingredients together instead of making the pistachio cream first, that’s fine! Just use a tamper to help get the ice cream texture very smooth.
• The ice cream will come out pretty hard after freezing. Leave it on the counter for 15–20 minutes for easy scooping. If it’s still too frozen, set the entire pan in a large bowl or container of warm water. Break it up with a spoon and then scoop!
• Run the ice cream scoop under hot water before scooping for super smooth results!
• Substitutions and instruction for how to make this recipe in a Ninja creami are in the blog post!

Nutrition

Serving: 0.75 Cup | Calories: 326 kcal | Carbohydrates: 29 g | Protein: 17 g | Fat: 16 g | Saturated Fat: 3 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7 g | Cholesterol: 18 mg | Sodium: 334 mg | Potassium: 436 mg | Fiber: 3 g | Sugar: 21 g | Vitamin A: 253 IU | Vitamin C: 1 mg | Calcium: 144 mg | Iron: 1 mg

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