Recipe for Greek yogurt vanilla parfait with pistachios and dried cherries

Are you old enough that when I say parfait, you think of Sunday visits to the local soda fountain with the grandmother who loved to spoil you? I am that old, and I remember those parfaits, layers of ice cream, chocolate or raspberry sauce, crushed nuts or candies, served in a tall, fluted glass with whipped cream and a cherry on top and a long, long spoon. This dish, either for dessert or brunch or breakfast in bed on a special day, takes inspiration from those childhood memories. While it's not ice cream, it is fun for kids to help assemble their own parfaits. You can use any combination of nuts and dried fruit, and flavor the yogurt with almond, maple or lemon extract instead of the vanilla.

Greek yogurt vanilla parfait with pistachios and dried cherries

From the pantry, you'll need: Greek yogurt, vanilla powder or vanilla extract, nuts, cinnamon, dried fruit, agave nectar.

Serves 2.

Ingredients

2 cups plain Greek yogurt (I use 0% fat)
1/2 tsp vanilla powder or vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp agave nectar
1/4 cup pistachios, roughly chopped
1/4 cup dried cherries

Directions

Remove the yogurt from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, vanilla powder/extract, cinnamon and agave nectar, and stir vigorously until the yogurt is smooth and the ingredients are combined. Place 1/2 cup of the yogurt in each of two serving glasses. Sprinkle in half of the pistachios and half of the cherries. Top with the remaining yogurt, and the remaining nuts and cherries.

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More recipes in The Perfect Pantry:
Lemon walnut yogurt dessert
Lemon yogurt cake
Whole wheat lemon lime yogurt cupcakes
Yogurt coffee cake with pecan filling
Coffee cake with espresso cocoa swirl

Other recipes that use these pantry ingredients:
Greek yogurt dessert with hazelnut agave and shaved dark chocolate, from Kalyn's Kitchen
Whole wheat zucchini muffins with Greek yogurt, from Andrea Meyers
Roasted plums with Greek yogurt, honey and almonds, from Two Peas and Their Pod
Roasted Brussels sprouts with cranberry pistachio pesto, from Steamy Kitchen
Baked peas with tarragon, yogurt, and pistachios, from 101 Cookbooks

Comments

Oh yes, I remember those ice cream parfaits. We used to get them in Salt Lake at a place called The Garden Gate, where you chose three ice cream flavors and they folded them together with wooden paddles!

This looks delicious too, and a lot more sensible for me now that I don't have a teenage metabolism any more.

No, I don't remember those parfaits. But I remember my grandmother spoiling me at Newport Creamery! These parfaits are just what I love though, Lydia!

That's a great recipe. I just love things that are healthy and taste good at the same time.

This Greek yogurt vanilla parfait with pistachios and dried cherries looks very easy to prepare... I would love to try it one time on my cooking moment. I just hope I can find the right ingredient in town. Thanks for the share.

I remember when creme de menthe parfaits were the height of luxe when you "ate out." I thought they were very sophisticated.

Looks delicious, but I strongly recommend the 2% yogurt. The calorie count (if that's what you are after) is pretty much the same (note serving size: 130 calories for 200g vs. 90 calories for 170g) and it tastes a lot better. This is especially important for people who aren't really into Greek yogurt - you need a lot less sweetener to make the 2% version delectable to kids.

Kalyn, I used to like to plunge the spoon down through all of the layers and try to bring it back up without the layers getting combined!

Susan, we have a Newport Creamery not far from us, and on summer nights, it's fun to go and see the multigenerational families out together. It definitely reminds me of great times when I was a child.

Anne, I love that too.

Deena, it is easy -- no cooking! And you can adapt to any mix-ins you have.

Jean, goodness, I remember that, too!

Susanne, thanks for your suggestion. I think this would be delicious with any type of yogurt, depending on how much richness your diet can allow.

I love yogurt parfaits. They're so easy to make and so delicious... and healthy! I've never tried to pair pistachios and dried cherries, should try that! Thank you!

Mmmm... yogurt parfait. I'll bet pistachios and dried cherries are wonderful with it!

Alina, Michelle: it's a great pairing, for color and crunch. Dried cranberries would be delicious, too.

Oh my. This looks absolutely delicious!

I usually make mine with strawberries, walnuts and honey, but it never occurred to me to flavor the yogurt with vanilla.
GENIUS! thanks