Who doesn't love the combination of chocolate and pistachio? For me, it's a match made in heaven, just like this creamy pistachio tart.
I was originally inspired to make it after seeing one of Martha Stewart's milk chocolate pistachio tart.
I knew I had to make a vegan version!
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🔪 Recipe Overview
Taste: Rich dark chocolate and fragrant sweet pistachio and a nutty crust.
Texture: Creamy, smooth chocolate ganache filling with a raw brownie consistency no-bake base.
Level of Ease: Super easy to make. You just need a little bit of patience to make the pistachio paste and crust. But one of the best things is it can be made in advance so you don't need to worry about running around the kitchen on the day of your gathering or celebration.
Best Served: It's a popular holiday dessert with readers during Christmas and Thanksgiving.
Free-From: Eggless, dairy-free, and gluten-free. it's also made using wholefoods (mostly!).
Aubrey says: "I love this recipe! The pistachio chocolate combination is just sweet enough to be delicious but not over the top. I will definitely be making this again." ★★★★★
🧾 Ingredients Needed
Here's everything you need to make this no-bake chocolate tart recipe from scratch:
If you're nuts about pistachios make sure you check out my white chocolate pistachio tart, no-bake pistachio cheesecake, pistachio tiramisu, pistachio donuts, and pistachio ice cream too!
Ingredient Notes
There are under 10 ingredients in this chocolate pistachio tart (7 ingredients if you leave out the optional ones!)
- Pistachios. Either raw pistachios or roasted unsalted pistachios work great here. Both will give a slightly different color and flavor to the pistachio paste.
- Dark chocolate. Use good quality vegan dark chocolate with a minimum of 70% cocoa content.
- Full-fat coconut milk. The filling is made with full-fat coconut milk from a can. You can use straight-up coconut cream instead, either way, we're only using the thick cream and not the watery part from the end of the can.
- Pure maple syrup. This is the natural sweetener used for each element of the tart. You can also use agave syrup.
- Matcha powder. This is completely optional, but it adds a beautiful pop of vibrant green color to homemade pistachio paste, especially if you're using roasted pistachios.
- Pecans. The crust for this tart is no-bake and made using wholesome ingredients, including pecans. These can easily be interchanged for other nuts. Almonds, walnuts, or cashews will all work here too.
- Vanilla bean paste. This is optional, but adds another layer of flavor and really brings out the sweet nutty flavor of the pistachios in the paste.
🥣 How To Make No-Bake Chocolate Tart
Find the complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
This easy chocolate tart comes together in 3 simple stages; no-bake brownie base, pistachio paste, and chocolate ganache filling.
- Blitz the pecans, sea salt, and cocoa powder in a food processor until they have the consistency of rough sand.
- Add the maple syrup and blend again until combined (the mixture should stick together when pressed between your fingers).
- Press the crust into the base of a tart tin, using your fingers first and then a spoon to smooth and compact it down firmly.
The pistachio paste can be processed in a high-speed blender or food processor:
- Process the soaked pistachios, maple syrup, matcha, and vanilla until smooth.
- Smooth the pistachio paste on top of the crust, using an offset spatula to spread it in an even layer.
📝 Recipe Tips
If your no-bake crust isn't sticking between your fingers, add a little more sweetener or a dash of water and blend it again.
Make sure the crust is firm before adding the pistachio paste to ensure you get nice clean layers.
If you want to skip the nuts in the crust, you can swap the base for a cookie crust like the one in this raspberry chocolate tart.
Make this no-bake tart ahead either the day/night before you plan on serving it to ensure it sets up nicely and to save time.
Roasted pistachios are generally more affordable than raw pistachios, in case you want to save a few bob, both work beautifully!
Remove the skins from the pistachios! Pistachio skins are usually brown in color and they can mess with the appearance of your pistachio paste.
💬 FAQs
Yes absolutely. This tart freezes really well. Simply wrap any leftover chocolate tart in plastic wrap or place it into an airtight container.
Freeze for up to 3 months, and defrost in the fridge the night before serving.
It will keep in the fridge in a sealed container, or on a plate covered with plastic wrap for up to 5 days.
Yes, you can use Pistachio cream (crema al pistacchio) just make sure it does not contain any added dairy or honey.
Pistachio butter is also fine to use, but it usually has a runner consistency so be prepared for the filling to ooze out when you slice into the tart!
🍫 More Chocolate Tart Recipes
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ★★★★★ rating in the recipe card below and consider leaving a comment as well, thanks!
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Description
Equipment
Ingredients
Crust
- 200 g (2 cups) pecans, or hazelnuts, walnuts, or cashews
- 70 g (⅘ cup) cacao powder, raw cacao or unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 50 ml (⅕ cups) pure maple syrup, or agave syrup, plus 1-2 tbsp more if needed
Pistachio paste
- 150 g (1 ¼ cups) shelled pistachios, raw or roasted and unsalted, *see note 1
- 50 ml (⅕ cup) pure maple syrup, or agave syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon matcha powder, optional, for color
Chocolate ganache
- 350 g (1 ½ cups) chilled full-fat canned coconut milk (cream from roughly 2x 400ml cans), or coconut cream, *see notes
- 170 g (6 oz) vegan dark chocolate, finely chopped
- 60 g (⅕ cup) pure maple syrup, or agave syrup
- ¼ teaspoon (1 g) sea salt
- 50 g (⅓ cup) chopped pistachios, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare: Soak the shelled pistachios in a bowl of water for 4 hours, or quick-soak them in boiled water for 30 minutes to an hour). Rinse the pistachios with clean water and remove as much of the skins as possible using your fingers. They should come off easily if soaked properly.Line the base of a 9" tart tin with a piece of parchment paper and set aside.
- Make the base: Add the walnuts, cacao powder, and salt to a food processor and blitz until they form a fine crumb consistency. Add the maple syrup and blend again to combine. The mixture should stick between your fingers like dough. If the mixture doesn't stick, add a little more maple syrup or water (1 tablespoon at a time) and blend again until it does.Press the dough into the bottom and sides of the tart tin using your fingers first, and then use a spoon or spatula to compact it down really well. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes until firm.
- Make the pistachio paste: Place the peeled soaked pistachios, maple syrup, vanilla, and matcha in a high-speed blender or food processor and blitz for 5-10 minutes until really smooth. Scrape down the sides of the jug every minute or so in between blends. Check that the tart base is solid. Then spread the pistachio paste on top of the crust using an offset spatula to smooth it out in an even layer. Place in the fridge while you make the ganache.
- Make the ganache: Add the coconut milk to a saucepan and heat up to a simmer, but do not boil.Add the finely chopped chocolate to a heat-resistant bowl and pour the heated coconut milk over it. Allow it to sit uncovered for 5 minutes, then stir until smooth. If the chocolate hasn't melted through, place the bowl on a double boiler to heat it through. Whisk in the maple syrup and salt. Pour the ganache into the tart shell. Gently tap the tart on the counter to knock out any air bubbles and smooth out the top with a spatula if needed. Chill for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight.
- Garnish the tart: Carefully remove the tart from the tin and place it on a serving plate. Sprinkle chopped pistachios around the outer edges.
- Storage: Refrigerate in a sealed container, or on a plate covered with plastic wrap for up to 5 days.Freeze for up to 3 months, and defrost in the fridge the night before serving.
Notes
- Chilled coconut milk: Refrigerate the cans of coconut milk overnight, then only use the thick cream from the top of the cans. You will need 2x 400ml cans for this recipe.
- You can use Pistachio cream (crema al pistachio) instead of homemade paste, just make sure it does not contain any added dairy or honey.
- Pistachio butter is also fine to use, but it usually has a runner consistency so be prepared for the filling to ooze out.
- Make sure the crust is firm before adding the pistachio paste to ensure you get nice clean layers.
Nutrition
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*This recipe was originally published in December 2018. The recipe has since been improved and updated to minimize the ingredients used and simplify the instructions.
Se ve deliciosa y en especial visualmente atractiva, en algún momento la prepararé.
Gracias por tu receta.
You're very welcome, I hope you enjoy it!
Hey Christina!
You use same Tart Tin as for Snickers Tart?
2,4cm height?
This Crust can be used for Chocolate Hazelnut Tart I guess?
This turned out very well although the ganache has a slightly grainy texture from the coconut cream.
My only concern with making it again is the high content of saturated fat in coconut milk/cream….almost as much as butter, which defeats the purpose of I using a vegan recipe.
It would be great if you could find a healthy substitute for coconut milk/cream.
Thanks.
Hi Suzanne,
I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe! It sounds like the coconut milk may have been overheated, as the ganache should be silky smooth.
In terms of coconut milk, vegan doesn't necessarily mean healthy. I create vegan recipes here in order to reduce harm to animals, and my goal is to make them as tasty as people remember their non-vegan counterparts being so that they can still enjoy all the tasty desserts.
But if you have personal concerns about coconut milk you could try another plant-based cream in its place, such as oat or soy which I think should work but they will be slightly less rich.
I hope this helps!
Raw or roasted and/ or salted pistachios ?
Hi Hania,
Raw or roasted are both fine to use, roasted will give a toasty deeper flavor, and raw will give a brighter green color. Just make sure they are unsalted.
Hello, Christina!
This looks amazing, I have to try it. I just want to ask you if the nuts for the crust are raw or roasted? And if they need soaking too? I have already made one of your recipes- the creamy pistachio tart and turned out absolutely delicious 😋
Thanks for sharing such incredible recipes!
Hi Viktoriya,
Thank you so much, I'm delighted that you loved the creamy pistachio tart. I usually use raw pistachios, but I have also used unsalted roasted pistachios are they are delicious. It's completely up to you! The pistachios need to be soaked (as detailed in the recipe). As for the crust, the nuts do not need to be soaked and you can use either raw or roasted.
I hope this helps!
Yes, that helps a lot. I will be trying to make it for a friend’s birthday, so really excited 😊
Are coconut milk and coconut cream the same product? And does the thick part of the cream from the 2 cans actually total 480 grams? I see that you give the weight of the amount to use in the recipe, but just need to clarify before delving into this lovely tart…
Hi Melissa,
Yes, you can use coconut cream in place of coconut milk in this recipe. The 480g is of the thick coconut cream from the top of the cans only. The number of cans needed will depend on the brand you're using. I normally use Biona or Natures Charm, which yield that weight from 2 cans, but other brands may require a third can.
Hope this helps!
Thank you Christina,
It is a wonderful tart. I made it 2/3 vegan with my short pastry crust, because that is just our favourite, but worth the time and taste for sure! It could have been a bit sweeter, but other then that, it was a big hit and I will most definitely make it again! Beautiful slices are in the freezer. Safer that way😊 Thanks for sharing!
All the best,
Melissa
Hi Melissa,
Thank you so much for your feedback, I'm delighted that you loved the recipe x
Hi there!
Can I use coconut cream in place of the chilled coconut milk? The textures are fairly similar but I’d like to do this precisely!
Thanks!
Hayley
Hi Hayley,
Yes, coconut cream will give a similar result to using the thick part from the top of full-fat coconut milk. Hope this helps!
How much coconut cream do you use? I'm interested in weight specifically, as I have made my own coconut cream from two solid blocks of pure creamed coconut, and there's A LOT! Thanks.
Hi Nanna,
I've just added the gram amount to the recipe, It's 480g. That's amazing that you've made your own coconut cream by the way!
Dear Christina,
do you think substituting the maple for dates could work the same?
Hi Joana,
For the pistachio paste you could try dates but it may be difficult to get the mixture to blend, you'd likely need to add some plant milk or water to get it moving. For the filling you could simply omit the maple syrup, as some sweetness will come naturally from the chocolate. I hope this helps!
Could I substitute almonds for hazelnuts?
Hi Morgan,
Yes you can swap the hazelnuts out for almonds
This looks absolutely amazing. Gotta try it out!
Excellent 😊
This tart was a huge hit at our holiday meal. My tart pan is 12 inches, so I doubled the recipe to make sure there was plenty. I had a package of pistachio paste, and it's smoother/thinner than your homemade. I added some coconut cream and the other ingredients you list. I would use less matcha next time, but everyone loved it. It's rich, delicious, and makes a beautiful presentation. I posted pictures of it and got many requests for the recipe. Thanks!!
Hi Michelle,
That sounds absolutely amazing, I would love to see the pictures of them! And yes the matcha is for colour mostly, so it can be omitted entirely if you're not a fan. Thanks so much for the amazing feedback x
Thanks - result SO delicious Ive shared this recipe twice already in one week! I didn't have enough pistachios for the decoration so used flaked almonds. Also I only used one can of rich and creamy coconut milk as well over half of it was solid when I took it out of the fridge - and only a 90 g bar of vegan chocolate. Even so there was enough ganache to cover the whole tart.
Hi Bridget,
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! Great to hear that the recipe still came together with those amendments and almonds on top sound amazing!
hi christina, if we use this Pistachio Paste in a regular pie, will the paste be melted while being baked inside the pie? thanks 🙂
Hi,
I haven't tried baking the paste so I can't vouch for how it will behave I'm afraid. I imagine it would work if you're blending it in with other ingredients though.
okay christina that’s okay, thank youu for the reply, such a unique recipe btw 😉
You're very welcome, and thank you so much! Would love to hear how it goes if you give it a try 🙂
Hi I've just tried to make this tart but it turned out a disaster and I don't know why, could you please help me? I followed the recipe, but when I had to add the layer of pistachio butter on the crust it didn't stick, the butter and the crust got mixed up and I could hardly make another base. I am glad I managed to make it but I wonder what went wrong.
I believe that this tart tastes amazing, and I can't wait to eat it tomorrow! Thank you for this great recipe!
Hi Anna,
Thank you so much for your feedback 🙂 I wonder if perhaps the consistency had something to do with it. If the base is too soft or sticky and/or the pistachio paste isn't blended down enough it could be an issue. A way to avoid this next time would be to pop the base into the freezer for an hour before adding the paste, that way it will definitely be solid enough to take on the next layer. I hope this helps!
Christina x
Hi Christina,
thank you so much for getting back to me.
The tart was a success, even if the taste of the pistachio paste wasn't there unfortunately, but it was delicious anyway!
When I made the pistachio paste it was completely smooth but too thick, so I added 3 tbsp of water and it turned out perfect.
The base wasn't sticky at all, it was a bit dry too. Next time I'll follow your advice, the base has to be sticky and I'll leave it in the freezer for an hour.
Thank you for your advice and for sharing this fantastic recipe.
I love this recipe! The pistachio chocolate combination is just sweet enough to be delicious but not over the top. I will definitely be making this again.
Hi Aubrey,
That's so great to hear! I'm delighted that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for the lovely feedback x