Making the Most of Seeds, Juice, and the Fruit Itself
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11 Ways to Make the Most of Fresh Pomegranates
Pomegranates are one of the great treats of fall eating. Folks in California, Arizona, and Texas may well be able to find locally grown pomegranates, but if you’re in a chillier or much more humid climate, they will likely be from farther afield. Wherever yours are grown, enjoy these yummy ways to use these red, juicy seeded fruits before they’re gone for another year! The easy tips and delicious recipes below will help you make the most of the uniquely sweet-tart flavor of pomegranates.
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Eat Pomegranate Seeds Out of Hand
Pomegranate seeds (well, technically arils or flesh-covered seeds) taste great on their own. Just peel and eat! You may see people suggesting you deseed a pomegranate in a bowl of water. Unless you’re looking for water-logged seeds, run the other way!
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Add Pomegranate Seeds to Drinks
Drop pomegranate seeds into champagne or sparkling cider for color and flavor—and festiveness! They’re good in iced tea and lemonade, too.
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Add Pomegranate Seeds to Avocado Toast
The bright, tangy flavor of pomegranate seeds are a natural with rich and creamy avocado. That the brilliant red and smooth green colors look fabulous together is a nice bonus.
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Make Pomegranate Dip
Whirl some pomegranate seeds with roasted red peppers, walnuts, and a bit of fruity olive oil (season to taste with salt and pepper) to make a zingy spread perfect for spreading on crackers or serving as a dip with crudites. The traditional version of this dip uses pomegranate molasses, which is pomegranate juice boiled and reduced until it becomes thick and syrupy. Here, fresh pomegranate seeds keep things bright and tangy.
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Serve Pomegranate Seeds With Olives
Pomegranate seeds go extremely well with olives (crazy but true!). Serve pomegranate seeds alongside olives (pictured here with a sprig of mint for color) with drinks or sprinkle black olive tapenade with a few pomegranate seeds for a fabulous tart-sweet-salty-bitter burst of flavors.
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Add Pomegranate Seeds to Bruschetta
Make simple fall and winter bruschetta by spreading a bit of goat cheese on toasted baguette slices and topping with minced red onion, minced parsley, and some pomegranate seeds.
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Add Pomegranate Seeds to Salads
Pomegranate seeds glisten like little rubies and dress up any salad. Just sprinkle a few pomegranate seeds in your favorite green salad. Here they’ve been added to a romaine salad full of jicama, persimmon, and avocado.
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Use Pomegranate Seeds to Garnish Meat Dishes
Pomegranate with meat? Yes! The delightful tang of pomegranate seeds and their juice matches nicely with roasted or grilled meats of all sorts.
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Sprinkle Pomegranate Seeds on Desserts
Our favorite way to use pomegranates in desserts is simply to sprinkle a few seeds over ice cream, frozen yogurt, or sorbet (like on the Pear Sorbet pictured here).
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Make Pomegranate Juice
If you’re planning on making pomegranate juice, be sure to choose the largest, heaviest pomegranates you can find, since they will be the juiciest.
To juice a pomegranate you need to seed it, then get the juice out of the seeds.
