The best pistachio ice cream is rich, toasty, and most of all, tastes like real pistachios. The flavor balances roasted nuttiness, a dash of salt, and addictive creamy sweetness. Bonus points if there are real pistachio nuts mixed in—a lot of brands add almonds instead.
Pistachio ice cream can be a hard sell for some people, and I’ll be honest: If you already think nut ice creams are a little bit boring, I’m not sure I’m the right person to change your mind. My favorite ice cream flavor is vanilla…with macadamia nuts crumbled in it. My mom’s favorite ice cream flavor is pistachio (Blue Bell pistachio, to be exact—so really, her favorite ice cream flavor is almond extract). Clearly, this is in my DNA. But if you’re a skeptic, I truly believe the best pistachio ice cream brands can change your mind.
I packed our cramped office freezer with all the pistachio ice cream I could find. During my taste test, I looked for pure pistachio flavor and indulgent, impeccable creaminess—none of that cheap icy stuff. With the help of the Sporked team, we landed on the six best pistachio ice creams at the grocery store. Let’s get into it.
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- Blue Bell Pistachio Almond Ice Cream
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Oh look, it’s Mommy’s favorite: Blue Bell Pistachio Almond (emphasis on the almond). I know I give this flavor a hard time for mostly tasting like almond extract, but it’s still some of the best pistachio ice cream out there for sheer creaminess alone. When it comes to decadent, ultra-rich texture, Blue Bell doesn’t hold back. (It’s the high fructose corn syrup, okay? Let’s just call a spade a spade.)
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Breyers Pistachio Almond Ice Cream
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Breyers isn’t reinventing the wheel here, but they certainly belong on this list of the best pistachio ice cream. As my colleague Jordan Myrick once famously stated: “Ice cream without chunks in it is idiotic.” Breyers brings in big, crunchy hunks of roasted almond with every spoonful. The pistachio ice cream itself is very creamy and smooth (not at all icy, like other brands that did not make this list), with great pistachio flavor. I’m a simple girl with simple needs, and this does it for me.
Credit: Merc / Target
- Baskin Robbins Pistachio Almond Ice Cream
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One word comes to mind for this pistachio ice cream: toasty. The roasted almonds in this have a smoked quality that makes the flavor very warm and inviting, like someone roasted them over a campfire. The ice cream base is smooth, sweet, and creamy without being too rich. It’s just enough to contrast those savory almonds—and finish on a very pistachio-forward note. A scoop of this literally feels like a warm hug. I love it.
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Haagen-Dazs Pistachio Ice Cream
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Thank you, Haagen-Dazs, for doing what seemed halfway through this taste test to be an impossible task. You’ve created a pistachio ice cream with real pistachio nuts in it. And hey, that’s not the only reason we loved you—like our other picks for best pistachio ice cream, you have that neat, smooth creaminess that cuts like butter. But your standout quality is raw pistachio power. From the roasted nuts to the ice cream flavor itself, this is so pistachio-potent, it almost tricks my brain into thinking it’s good for me. I mean that in the best possible way. It’s freaking delicious.
Credit: Merc / Target
- Bettergoods Pistachio Salted Caramel Ice Cream
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Bettergoods, Walmart’s new “premium” in-house brand that’s been turning some heads recently, did not come to play with their Pistachio Salted Caramel Ice Cream. Sometimes, throwing everything and the kitchen sink into an ice cream is the way to go. With a warm salted caramel swirl, real pistachio nuts, and sweet pistachio ice cream, every single spoonful of this is a unique, mind-altering experience. The salty finish surprises you every time, and you just keep going back for more.
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- Van Leeuwen Sicilian Pistachio Ice Cream
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Contrary to Jordan’s infamous (and controversial) quote about ice cream mix-ins, our number one best pistachio ice cream has zero—zero—nuts or mix-ins involved. Van Leeuwen’s Sicilian Pistachio ice cream is completely smooth. And it’s so incredibly yummy, I can’t even dock points for that. We’re in an egg shortage right now, and I suspect they’re all going to Van Leeuwen’s ice creams, because damn—that soft, delicate, silky French ice cream texture and potent pistachio flavor just can’t be beat. I’m sorry to say that this even earns the ridiculously bougie moniker of “Sicilian.” It tastes like an expensive Italian vacation. Or heaven. I can’t tell. But it’s definitely the best pistachio ice cream I’ve ever had. I am, if you can’t already tell, nuts about it.
Credit: Merc / Walmart
Best Rich
Best Almond Chunks
Best Cozy
Best Pistachio Chunks
Runner Up
Best of the Best
Other pistachio ice creams we tried: Thrifty Ice Cream Pistachio Nut, Private Selection Pistachio & Honey, Blue Bunny Premium Pistachio Almond Frozen Dessert, Talenti Pistachio Gelato, Ben & Jerry’s Pistachio Pistachio Ice Cream Pint
Heyyyyy… you guys finally included some BetterGoods in your tests! Keep it up (and please go back and re-do some recent stuff)