The Hack That Proves We've Been Opening Pistachios Incorrectly

In many ways, pistachios are the perfect snack. They're nutrient-dense, loaded with flavor, and easily available. Used in many dishes and desserts like baklava and ice cream, these Mediterranean nuts come in their own little shells that can be used in countless DIY projects like jewelry making and sculpturing.

Cracking pistachios open is easy enough, and we all have our own methods. Some use their long fingernail while others like to use coins or even dedicated nut openers. If nothing else, hitting them with a frying pan also works. All of these methods are acceptable and get the job done, but there's an easier way to extract the meat of the tasty nut, no special tools (or teeth) required.

To open pistachios, simply squeeze them closed, applying pressure to the open end. Squeezing pistachios in this way will cause the shell to break from the sealed end. This hack works particularly well with pistachios that have mostly open shells.

This may seem too good to be true, but the proof is plain to see on social media. Indeed, one user took to TikTok to show off the hack, eliciting amazed comments with their video.

@motorcityeats

Am I the only one? #thismanyyears #tiktoktaughtme #pistachio #howto #ASOSChaoticToCalm

♬ Campfire – Charmer & Klay

Pistachio shells crack open when they're ripe. That's also when people tend to toast, salt, and package them. Rarely are there packaged pistachios that are fully closed. Should you find one, do not discard it right away. A closed pistachio nut can be easily opened with a nutcracker. Alternatively, you could place it on a hard surface, cover it with a kitchen towel, and firmly tap it with a heavy utensil like a pan. If the squeeze-and-crack hack doesn't work on partially open pistachios, you can also use a spare nutshell to pry them open.

You can always buy pistachios without shells, but honestly, cracking the shells open is a lot more satisfying. Besides, shelled pistachios can be twice as expensive as the unshelled ones. Removing the shells to eat the nut meat also slows down consumption and promotes mindful eating.