Add the cottage cheese or Greek yogurt, protein powder, pistachios, sweetener, vanilla extract, and optional almond extract to a blender. Blend until everything becomes completely smooth and creamy. Pause once or twice to scrape down the sides so nothing sticks. The texture should look thick and silky with no visible nut pieces or protein powder clumps. If the mixture feels too dense to blend smoothly, add a small splash (1–2 teaspoons) of milk to help it move.

Taste the mixture before freezing. This is the best moment to adjust sweetness, flavor strength, or texture. If you want a stronger pistachio flavor, add a few more nuts or a tiny drop of almond extract. If it feels too thick, blend again with a splash of milk. If it seems too thin, add 1–2 teaspoons of protein powder and blend once more until creamy and smooth.

Pour the blended mixture into a freezer-safe container. Use a spatula to scrape everything out so you don’t waste any of it. Smooth the top so the surface is even — this helps the final texture freeze more uniformly and look better when scooped.

Place the container in the freezer for at least 2–4 hours. If you’re available during the first couple of hours, stir the mixture once or twice (every 30–45 minutes). This breaks up ice crystals and makes the final texture extra creamy and scoopable instead of icy or stiff. If you skip the stirring, the recipe will still work — it will just be slightly denser.

When you’re ready to serve, remove the container from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes. This softens the ice cream just enough to scoop smoothly. Use an ice cream scoop to create round, creamy portions. Top with chopped pistachios or a tiny sprinkle of sea salt if you want an elevated flavor and texture contrast.