Trader Joe's Italian Pistachio Gelato

Pistachio gelato. It's one of those flavors that I feel like I should eat more often, but for whatever reason, it doesn't seem to make its way into my freezer all that frequently. Maybe because I'm too busy eating cookie dough. Maybe because I'm too busy eating everything else. Maybe because I'm just easily distracted by shiny new Trader Joe's desserts. Who knows.

But here's a familiar flavor in yet another format: Italian Pistachio Gelato Style Frozen Dessert. Previously, the pistachio portion of this Italian-made frozen dessert shared billing with Fior di Latte in a seasonal two flavor container. Now the pistachio gets the whole pint to itself, and, according to Trader Joe's, it's the same pistachio gelato from the same Italian supplier.

Anybody remember Trader Joe's old Pistachio Gelato? I reviewed that one back in 2019, and I remember really liking the combination of sweet, nutty pistachio flavor and actual pistachio pieces throughout the gelato. It was also packaged in that plastic Talenti-esque jar, which I rather liked for reasons that had absolutely nothing to do with the food inside it.

This new version is a little different, though. First, there are no actual pistachio pieces or nuts here. It's smooth, creamy and pretty darn easy to eat, with a nice pistachio flavor that's nutty, lightly sweet and just a touch salty. That's pretty much what Trader Joe's promises, too, describing it as sweet, creamy and with a delicately savory edge.

Texture-wise, this is also lighter than I expected. It's nice and smooth and creamy, but it's not nearly as dense as most gelato I've had. It's almost...airy. Maybe "whipped" is the word I'm looking for? There's definitely some air in here, giving it a lighter mouthfeel than that old-school pistachio gelato, which had a heavier, thicker consistency. And while I don't necessarily dislike that, I do kinda miss the old version's heft. I also miss the pistachio pieces. And the jar. I apparently have unresolved feelings about that jar.

One other difference worth noting: the old gelato used some heavy cream, while this one only lists nonfat dry milk in terms of dairy. The list is built differently overall with sugar, coconut oil, and glucose syrup rounding out the top ingredients this "gelato style frozen dessert."

If you like pistachio, you'll probably like this just fine. It may not completely blow your mind, but it's a pleasant, smooth, creamy frozen dessert that hits the pistachio mark without getting too heavy or going overboard on the nut flavor.

$3.99 for the pint. Product of Italy. Would probably buy again. Seven and a half stars from me for Trader Joe's Italian Pistachio Gelato Style Frozen Dessert. Sonia will give it eight out of ten stars. It's good but it definitely won't dethrone Trader Joe's Horchata Ice Cream as our current favorite TJ frozen dessert product.

Bottom line: 7.75 out of 10.