Tasty Ways to Enjoy Pomegranates
This jewel-toned fruit of fall bursts with sweet-tart flavor that enlivens salads and more.
The seeds of a pomegranate, winter recipe staples, make a super simple ingredient to add to any dish for crunch and pops of flavor. Similarly, the juice that can be extracted from these tiny seeds offers a natural balance between sweet and tart that can be reduced into sauces or syrups.
On a cold day, add pomegranate juice to a slow cooker with red wine, cinnamon sticks, and honey for a mulled wine punch that will keep you warm from the inside out. Another way to take advantage of what’s left in a bottle of fresh pom juice is to reduce it into pomegranate molasses. The thick syrup comes together like any other juice-based molasses, simply boil it until it begins to thicken and then chill (it will thicken more over time). The juice from pomegranates has such high natural sugar content that it will thicken up without the need for added ingredients, though if you want it to be sweeter (for adding to cocktails or in desserts) you can add sweetener to taste.
Use the molasses in savory dishes, like our recipe for pomegranate-glazed pork skewers or in a dressing over a halloumi and arugula salad.
Whether you’re looking to use pomegranate seeds, syrup, or juice we’ve got all of the recipes to use the fall fruit below.
Wedge Salad with Buttermilk Chive Dressing and Pomegranate Seeds
Who doesn’t love a salad you can eat with a knife? A garnish of pomegranate seeds and minced chives brings the colors of the holiday to the plate.
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Holiday Spritz
This sparkling cocktail from Ashley Rodriguez’s cookbook, Let’s Stay In: More Than 120 Recipes to Nourish the People You Love, is made with Jardesca, a grape spirit infused with botanicals.
Lamb and Pomegranate Shawarma
For the easiest prep and biggest hit of flavor, slather the meat with tangy pomegranate-molasses marinade ahead of time; ditto for the tahini dressing. Then it’s quick to grill! Slice the lamb, mix it with mint, pomegranate seeds, and the dressing, and set it out with lettuce and warm pita breads.
Pomegranate Fizzies
This is a super easy and fun drink that is perfect for the holidays. Pomegranate fizzies can be made with or without alcohol.
Pomegranate Moscow Mule
The “Moscow” in this drink’s title is a nod to its base liquor, vodka, and some say the “Mule” refers to the kick supplied by the ginger beer. It’s traditionally served in a copper mug, which you can find in kitchen stores or online (the ones shown here are from Moscow Copper Co.). The addition of pomegranate juice adds tartness and sweetness to the drink while the rosemary adds a earthy flavor to round out a typical moscow mule recipe.
Roasted Delicata Squash with Honey, Pomegranate Seeds, and Pepitas
Chef-owner Mateo Granados, Mateo’s Cocina Latina, Healdsburg, CA: “When I make Thanksgiving dinner, I prepare traditional ingredients like turkey or squash with my own Yucatecan twist.” Squash and chiles are native to both the Western U.S. and Mexico; pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and pomegranate seeds are common in south of the border cooking.
The skin of delicata squash is tender when roasted and very flavorful, so try it along with the flesh.
Chicory Salad with Persimmons, Pomegranates, and Walnuts
Fruits, nuts, Fuyu persimmons, and two kinds of chicory (frisée and radicchio) go into Lipton and Daniel’s generous but light salad. Toss it at the last minute so it stays crisp.
Mulled Pomegranate and Red Wine Punch
If you’re throwing a big holiday party and your stove is full, use a slow cooker to simmer up this tangy mulled wine. Set up the slow-cooker in the kitchen or on a dining table, and let guests serve themselves.
Arugula and Halloumi Salad with Pomegranate Molasses Dressing
At the Fillmore Street location of Troya Mediterranean Kitchen in San Francisco, featuring Turkish-inspired food, chef Philip Busacco uses halloumi cheese as a canvas for this salad, swapping in other fruits, greens, and kinds of fruit molasses. If your grocery store doesn’t carry dried mint in the spice aisle, open a bag of peppermint tea.
Pomegranate Champagne Jello Shots
These sophisticated squares are a far cry from the jello shots you had in college. They’re not very sweet, so if you’d like them sweeter, use demi-sec sparkling wine. The Pop Rocks® pop immediately once they’re wet, so serve them on the side, to be sprinkled on right before eating.
Black Rice Salad with Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Seeds
Dramatic-looking black rice–which has a mellow, sweet taste–comes from several places in the world, including Thailand and Indonesia. If you can’t find it, wild, brown, or red rice would also work (cook according to package directions).
Pomegranate-Glazed Pork Skewers with Dill-Onion Marinade
Cookbook author Paula Wolfert learned how to make these herby, tangy skewers on an adventure in the Caucasus Mountains. The same marinade is also delicious with chicken thighs or extra-firm tofu. The onions are traditionally grated by hand, but the marinade comes together in seconds in a food processor. This recipe is adapted from one in Unforgettable: The Bold Flavors of Paula Wolfert’s Renegade Life (Mortar and Pestle Press; $35).
Fall Salad with Nuts and Pomegranates
The pomegranate juice dressing echoes the flavors of cranberry relish.
Spinach Pomegranate Salad With Pears and Hazelnuts
Both pomegranate juice and seeds go into this salad.
Vegan Pavlovas with Pomegranates and Chocolate
Aquafaba, the beany liquid in canned chickpeas, is astonishing stuff; it whips up just like egg whites in recipes. Here, it’s paired with coconut cream to create a completely vegan version of pavlova, a crunchy meringue that typically uses egg whites and dairy cream. Don’t be afraid of the time – the aquafaba has to chill and the pavlovas have to bake in the oven.
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