Legume Free Pistachio Baklava
Baklava is one of those desserts that looks impossibly impressive but rewards anyone willing to take it step by step. This version is built entirely around pistachios — coarsely chopped and warmly spiced with cinnamon and cardamom — layered between sheets of butter-drenched phyllo for that signature crunch. The honey syrup, brightened with orange blossom water and a strip of lemon peel, gets made first so it's perfectly cool when it hits the hot pan straight from the oven, which is exactly what creates those shatteringly crisp, syrup-soaked layers. For anyone avoiding legumes, this recipe is naturally a great fit. Pistachios are tree nuts, not legumes, so the filling is completely free of beans, lentils, peanuts, or any related ingredients — and every other component, from the butter to the honey to the spices, is equally clean. There's no need to swap anything out or second-guess a single ingredient on the list. The diamond-cut pattern scored before baking isn't just for looks — it lets the syrup seep all the way down into every layer as it cools. After a couple of hours of resting, the pieces set into something genuinely bakery-worthy. A final scatter of finely chopped pistachios on top makes it as beautiful as it is delicious.
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Learn more →Ingredients
24 servings
For the baklava
- 1 lb phyllo dough, thawed
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
For the filling
- 3 cups raw shelled pistachios
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom
For the syrup
- 1 cup honey
- ¾ cup water
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp orange blossom water
- 1 strip lemon peel (about 2 inches)
For serving
- 2 tbsp finely chopped pistachios (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Make the syrup first so it has time to cool completely before the baklava comes out of the oven. Combine the honey, water, 1/2 cup sugar, and lemon peel strip in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until slightly thickened and the syrup coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat, stir in the orange blossom water, and discard the lemon peel. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- 2
Pulse the pistachios in a food processor until coarsely chopped — pieces should be roughly the size of a small pea, not a fine powder. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the 2 tbsp sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom until evenly combined.
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