Pistachio Butter vs Nutella: Which is Better?

Pistachio butter technically originates in the Middle East and Central Asia – that’s where the delicious pistachio nut comes from! It’s a nut butter that’s highly-sought after for its wonderful taste and great nutritional profile!

Now, it’s much older than Nutella, which is a flavored hazelnut spread that had its first jar hit the world back in 1964 – by now, you probably know that it was a massive success since it’s basically a house-hold name these days!

If you’re thinking that these two sound like really different spreads, you would be right. But, as different as they are, we want to know exactly which one is better, and why…

That’s why we’ll be comparing pistachio butter and Nutella in this article, taking a close look at everything we need to help you make the right decision between these two delicious spreads. 

Let’s jump in!

Comparing pistachio butter vs Nutella 

Pistachio butter and Nutella are both smooth and creamy nut butters that are a joy to spread – and even to drizzle (pistachio butter is a bit runnier, making it easier in this case)! They both share tree nuts as an allergen, while Nutella also lists milk and soy as allergens. 

Nutella isn’t good for vegan, paleo, or keto diets, but you can enjoy pistachio butter on vegan and paleo diets (it’s not great for keto either). Pistachio butter has a low glycemic index, making it ideal if you’re worried about your blood sugar levels spiking – Nutella likely has a very high glycemic index due to the massive amount of sugar added in it!

	Pistachio butter	Nutella (flavored hazelnut butter)
Taste	Nutty, earthy, slightly sweet	Sweet, chocolatey
Texture	Smooth, creamy	Smooth, creamy
Allergens	Tree nuts	Tree nuts, milk, soy
Vegan?	Yes	No
Paleo?	Yes	No
Keto?	No	No
Glycemic index (GI)	Pistachio nuts=15	Unknown (likely high due to added sugar content)

What is pistachio butter?

Pistachio butter, as you may have guessed, is made from pistachios. These are usually roasted to enhance their flavor, and then blended down into a delicious and velvety spread. 

The earthy and nutty flavor profile is complimented by a slightly sweet undertone which will have you constantly reaching for the jar! Plus, it’s quite easy to make pistachio butter at home – just grab some pistachios and a bit of sea salt, and even some nut-based oils if you want to experiment with new flavors! 

What is Nutella?

Nutella is made from hazelnuts – in fact, it’s pretty much flavored hazelnut butter.

However, this chocolatey and sweet spread contains a lot of sugar and palm oil, which isn’t exactly great news for the health-conscious…

Plus, it has soy and milk products in it, making it less accessible than pistachio butter is for people with allergies. 

Luckily, I have some good news for you: we have a homemade Nutella recipe that leaves out a lot of the bad ingredients (like a massive amount of refined sugar), and a keto version that’s made with stevia-sweetened chocolate chips!

Differences between pistachio butter and Nutella

The biggest difference between pistachio butter and Nutella is their flavors.

Pistachio butter resembles, well, pistachios in taste, with a nutty and earthy flavor profile. It has some hints of sweetness that pairs well with its other bold flavors. 

Nutella, on the other hand, also boasts bold flavors, although they’re chocolatey and very sweet! It’s a distinct taste, and you can really tell that it’s Nutella when compared to other chocolate-based spreads. 

We already talked about the textures a bit, but just remember that pistachio butter is runnier while Nutella is less runny. 

We’ll talk more about this in a bit, but their nutritional profiles are another aspect that pistachio butter and Nutella are very different in….

How to use pistachio butter vs Nutella

Pistachio butter and Nutella are great for many things and really shine when it comes to versatility. 

They can both be mixed into smoothies (one of my favorite uses), added to your oatmeal, added to baking ingredients, and used as a dip. They can also be drizzled over different bakes and desserts, adding a special twist to your creations!

You can also use them in the classic way of spreading them on toast or pancakes – you’ll really be able to tell the difference between these two there, as using them interchangeably is great, but will definitely change the overall dish no matter where you use them.  

Nutrition: Pistachio butter vs Nutella 

Pistachio butter has more healthy fats than Nutella and less saturated fats. It’s also slightly lower in calories, and boasts more fiber and less carbs – there are 5 grams of net carbs per serving of pistachio butter. It’s also got a solid protein content of 6 grams per serving. 

Nutella has very little fiber, and maintains a very high carb content – 22 grams of net carbs per serving! It also has an enormous amount of sugar, having 19 added grams for a total of 21 grams per just 2 tablespoons!

Serving size: 2 tbsp	Pistachio butter	Nutella (flavored hazelnut butter)
Calories	180	200
Total fat (saturated)	14 g (2 g)	12 g (4 g)
Total carbs	8 g	23 g
Net carbs (fiber)	5 g (3 g)	22 g (1 g)
Total sugars (incl. added)	2 (0) g	21 g (19 g)
Protein	6 g	2 g

How to store pistachio butter and Nutella

Pistachio butter is best kept in the fridge to prevent oil separation and to keep it from going rancid too early. It’ll also thicken it up a bit, making it a little easier to handle!

Nutella is fine at room temperature, but putting it in the fridge will also make it thicker. It should last for up to 12 months after opening according to Ferrero, the company that makes Nutella.

Pistachio butter vs Nutella: Which is better?

Now, time to find out which spread is better…

Pistachio butter boasts delicious flavors that go great with many dishes – especially sweet ones! Its earthy tones are unique and smooth, offering a smooth and creamy spread that you can also drizzle quite easily.

Nutella is also great, providing a chocolate and sweet taste that’s hard to put down. It goes great in desserts and spread on many different things, adding a chocolatey deliciousness to whatever you pair it with. However, it does have some pretty negative ingredients like lots of refined sugar…

I recommend Nutella for anytime you need a chocolatey spread, but pistachio butter takes the overall crown for its nutritional profile, better diet versatility, and delicious taste that goes great with anything you want to add a nutty twist to. 

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