Pistachio butter isn’t as popular as I think it should be – it’s a delicious nut butter that’s been in the making for nearly 10,000 years! People have been enjoying pistachios for nearly that long, so pistachio butter is likely one of the older nut butters around!
As delicious as pistachio butter is, we’ve also got to take a look at tahini. This interesting spread is completely nut-free, and is usually considered as only an ingredient in hummus. However, you’ll be surprised to hear about how great it is as a spread in this article…
We’ll also compare the two, ultimately deciding which one is better! Both pistachio butter and tahini offer some interesting pros and cons, which we’ll do a deep dive on!
Then, you’ll know exactly which one of these spreads deserves your attention!
Let’s check them out!
Comparing pistachio butter vs tahini
Pistachio butter is made from nuts, giving it tree nuts as an allergen. Tahini is made from sesame seeds, so it has sesame as an allergen. Both spreads share a similar versatility in that you can use either for vegan and paleo diets – tahini is also good for keto diets!
Their glycemic indexes are both low, so you can comfortably use either if you’re concerned about your blood sugar levels spiking – talk to your physician to make sure first!
| Pistachio butter | Tahini (sesame seed butter) | |
| Taste | Nutty, earthy, slightly sweet | Mildly nutty, toasty, slightly bitter |
| Texture | Smooth, creamy | Thin, creamy |
| Allergens | Tree nuts | Sesame |
| Vegan? | Yes | Yes |
| Paleo? | Yes | Yes |
| Keto? | No | Yes |
| Glycemic index (GI) | Pistachio nuts=15 | 40 |
What is pistachio butter?
Pistachio butter is simply made by blending pistachios down into a smooth and creamy spread. It boasts a nutty and earthy flavor, with sweet undertones – using roasted pistachios enhances the flavor, but you can use raw ones too if you want to make pistachio butter at home!
They often include nut-based oils and sea salt, which are great for adding some slightly new flavor variations!
What is tahini?
Tahini is made by grinding down toasted sesame seeds into a thin, creamy, and smooth spread. It comes from the Middle East, and is a popular ingredient in hummus. However, its nutty, toasty, and slightly bitter flavor profile makes for an awesome spread that you can use in many ways!
It’s also really easy to make tahini at home!
Differences between pistachio butter and tahini
The biggest differences between pistachio butter and tahini are their textures and flavors.
Pistachio butter has a smooth and creamy texture that’s slightly thin, while tahini has a thinner and creamy texture, making both decent choices for drizzling over things.
Taste-wise, pistachio butter tastes like pistachios with a nutty, earthy, and slightly sweet flavor! Tahini has a mildly nutty, toasty, and slightly bitter flavor profile, making it stand out a little less than pistachio butter.
How to use pistachio butter vs tahini
Pistachio butter and tahini both have thin textures (with tahini being thinner), meaning you can use either to drizzle their delicious flavors over different things!
For example, drizzle them over your bakes, salads, and pastas! You can also use them as ingredients IN your bakes, and you can mix them into your smoothies and oatmeal for some great flavor twists. Either spread works as a dip for fruits and vegetables for a healthy snack, and you can spread them on your toast, waffles, pancakes, etc. in the classic way of using them!
Really let yourself get creative with these, as they can provide some awesome flavor twists to your dishes!
Nutrition: Pistachio butter vs tahini
Pistachio butter is a great source of healthy fats, and also has a solid 6 grams of protein per serving. It also boasts 3 grams of fiber per serving, but has too many carbs for keto diets with 5 grams of net carbs per serving.
Tahini also has a lot of healthy fats, and is close to pistachio butter with 5 grams of protein per serving. It also has 3 grams of fiber per serving, but just 3 grams of net carbs, making it a good choice for keto recipes!
Both spreads are very similar in calories, with pistachio butter having 180 and tahini having 176 per serving!
| Serving size: 2 tbsp | Pistachio butter | Tahini (sesame seed butter) |
| Calories | 180 | 176 |
| Total fat (saturated) | 14 g (2 g) | 16 g (2 g) |
| Total carbs | 8 g | 6 g |
| Net carbs (fiber) | 5 g (3 g) | 3 g (3 g) |
| Total sugars (incl. added) | 2 (0) g | 0 g |
| Protein | 6 g | 5 g |
How to store pistachio butter and tahini
Store pistachio butter in the fridge to prevent it from going rancid too early. It’ll also thicken it up a bit, making it easier to handle if you want to spread it.
You can store tahini in a cool and dry place, but the fridge is probably the best bet. It’ll also thicken up a bit like pistachio butter!
Check the labels for best-before dates and any specific storage instructions!
Pistachio butter vs tahini: The ultimate verdict
So, which spread should you choose?
On the one hand, pistachio butter boasts a delicious smooth and creamy texture with a great taste, and it has some solid nutritional qualities to it.
On the other hand, tahini is nut-free and unique in taste, and also offers some great characteristics nutritionally.
I think both spreads can be used in awesome ways, but pistachio butter takes the win here for its delicious taste and more versatile texture!
FAQs
Tahini is made from ground-up sesame seeds, making it a nut-free spread!
Almond butter is said to be the healthiest nut butter due to its great blend of minerals, healthy fats, and vitamins.
Pistachio butter is a fairly healthy choice with healthy fats, fiber, and a solid protein content.
Tahini has less carbs than pistachio butter, making it suitable for keto diets while pistachio butter is not.
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