Cashews and pistachios are two of the creamiest, most versatile nuts in the kitchen — one blends into sauces and dairy-free “cheeses,” the other adds crunch and colour to just about anything — and their nutrition profiles reflect genuinely different strengths.
| Nutrient | Cashews | Pistachios |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 565 kcal | 598 kcal |
| Protein | 17.4 g | 20.5 g ✓ |
| Total Carbohydrate | 36.3 g | 27.7 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4.1 g | 6.97 g ✓ |
| Total Sugars | 5.91 g ✓ | 7.66 g |
| Total Fat | 38.9 g | 45 g |
| Saturated Fat | 7.78 g | 5.91 g ✓ |
| Sodium | 4.76 mg | 0 mg ✓ |
Notable compounds in each
When to choose each
Reach for pistachios when protein and fibre matter most, or when portion control is a factor — they’re one of the lower-calorie tree nuts, and shelling them by hand naturally slows down how quickly you eat them. Reach for cashews for their notably higher copper, iron and magnesium content and their unmatched creaminess when blended, which is why they’re the go-to base for dairy-free sauces and “cheeses.” Neither is the clear overall winner — they simply suit different jobs.
Common questions
Which nut is lower in calories? Neither is dramatically lower — both are calorie-dense, as most nuts are. Pistachios have a slight edge, and the shell-cracking ritual is a genuine, if minor, portion-control advantage in practice.
Why do cashews work so well in dairy-free recipes? Their naturally soft texture and mild flavour blend into a smooth, creamy consistency when soaked and processed, which is why they’re the standard base for dairy-free cheese, cream sauces and some plant-based milks.
Nutrition values are USDA FoodData Central approximations — see our editorial approach for how we source and verify data.