Pomegranates have a bright, sweet-tart flavor that can be incorporated into all kinds of meals. We love putting the seeds in a salad of Persimmons, Pomegranate, and Purslane with Pepitas; the juice pairs well with cherries and chile for a spicy glaze to top Black Forest Mousse Cake. Not to mention, pomegranates also make for tasty co*cktails, smoothies, seafood dishes, vegetables, and more, so you can pretty much enjoy them any time of day. Read on for some of our favorite ways to use pomegranates.
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Pomegranate Salsa with Pistachios
This fresh pomegranate salsa combines charred onion and peppers, fresh herbs, and a tart sherry vinegar reduction in flavorful balance. With a nice crunch from the pomegranate arils and chopped pistachios, this salsa is equally suited for serving with chips or for spooning over chicken or fish.
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Pomegranate-Jalapeño Glazed Ham
At Akasha in Los Angeles, chef Akasha Richmond prepares a sweet and spicy glaze for ham using housemade pomegranate-jalapeño jelly. As an easier alternative, this recipe calls for doctoring store-bought jalapeño jelly with pomegranate juice.
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Charred Eggplant with Burrata and Pomegranate-Walnut Relish
This elegant salad is an emphatic nod to the celebratory eggplant dishes of Turkey. Velvety eggplant is paired with a tart-yet-earthy relish of toasted walnuts, cilantro, and pomegranate seeds. Toasting the walnuts brings out their full nutty, slightly bitter character, which plays well against the bright, juicy pomegranate seeds.
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Escarole and Fresh Herb Salad with Apples and Pomegranates
Pomegranate seeds and apple bring sweetness to this refreshing green salad studded with parsley, chives, tarragon, and mint.
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Seared Scallops with Pomegranate and Meyer Lemon
Fresh lemon, orange, and pomegranate juices paired with serrano chile bring heat and fresh, fruity flavor to sweet scallops. Quickly searing the scallops ensures each one has the perfect texture: a lightly crisp, golden brown exterior and a tender, nearly translucent center.
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Serrano Ham and Arugula Salad with Pomegranate Salsa
This vibrant dish, layered with arugula, bright white slices of ricotta salata, and strips of salty Serrano ham, is the sort of composed salad that chef Suzanne Goin uses to showcase seasonal ingredients.
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Pomegranate Margarita
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson loves a good margarita, especially when it's made with his Teremana tequila. This sweet-and-sour version has a tart kick from the pomegranate juice and a vibrant red color.
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Halloumi-and-Vegetable Skewers with Pomegranate-Tahini Sauce
Pomegranate molasses is the secret ingredient in this simple marinade. Its punchy, sweet, earthy notes add long-cooked depth of flavor to cheese and vegetable skewers in just 30 minutes of marination, with pleasantly bitter tahini rounding things out.
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Black Forest Mousse Cake with Cherry-Chile-Pomegranate Glaze
In the hands of Renee Bolstad, former pastry chef at Joule in Seattle, black forest cake — traditionally chocolate cake layered with kirsch, cherries, and whipped cream — morphs into a modern layered mousse. To add texture and heat, Bolstad sandwiches it between a spicy pomegranate-chile glaze and crispy chocolate.
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Cauliflower Salad with Yogurt Sauce and Pomegranate
Inspired by her mother's (much richer) fried eggplant salad, cookbook author Reem Kassis tops fried cauliflower with toasted nuts, pomegranate arils, and lemon-and-garlic-laced yogurt.
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Pomegranate-Glazed Salmon with Oranges, Olives, and Herbs
Tart and just barely sweet, the pomegranate molasses cuts through the richness of the fish while creating a gorgeous, shimmering glaze; the olives balance the bright flavors of the salad with their soft salinity and luxe butteriness.
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Apple-Pomegranate Cobbler
This juicy and bright cobbler — made from Granny Smith apples and pomegranate juice — is just the right amount of sweet, with an irresistibly tender and crunchy crust on top. Serve sprinkled with pomegranate seeds and topped with vanilla ice cream.
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Sparkling Citrus-Pomegranate Sangria
A quick cinnamon-flavored simple syrup adds cozy notes to this tart sangria with fall flavors of pear, persimmon, and pomegranate. It's spiked with brandy and gets a lift from Lambrusco, a fizzy Italian red wine.
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Tuna Scallopine with Parsley and Pomegranate Seeds
Lightly seared tuna steaks pair well with a light salad of parsley, pomegranate seeds, and fennel.
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Persimmons, Pomegranate, and Purslane with Pepitas
Suzanne Goin, the chef at the famed Lucques in Los Angeles, marked 20 years of business in 2018 with a dinner that celebrated her now-classic blend of French cuisine and California produce. Goin refers to this salad as "The 4 Ps" and thinks of it as a persimmon salad with an arugula garnish, rather than the other way around.
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Roasted Squash with Chestnuts and Pomegranate
A drizzle of tangy pomegranate molasses gives a punch of flavor to this oven-roasted squash.
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Pomegranate-Banana Smoothie
Tart pomegranate juice and sweet bananas blend perfectly together in this quick and easy smoothie.
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Pomegranate-Glazed Salmon with Armenian Rice
Cookbook author and entertaining designer Lulu Powers pairs this citrusy tart-sweet salmon with pilaf, a riff on a recipe she learned from her husband's Armenian family.
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Bulgur-Pomegranate Salad
This is cookbook author Athena Calderone's twist on tabbouleh, the parsley-heavy Middle Eastern bulgur salad. She's added tangy, juicy pomegranate seeds, pleasantly bitter endive, and pistachios to dress it up. Be sure to let the bulgur cool — it'll make the grain nice and fluffy.
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Lemon-Pomegranate Cranberry Sauce
A quick whirl in a food processor is all it takes to make this fresh-tasting sauce — no cooking required. For a savory upgrade, stir in finely ground toasted coriander.
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Veggie Burgers with Pomegranate Ketchup
Eating vegan for a month led Top Chef winner Richard Blais to examine his pantry more closely. He discovered that ground porcini mushrooms add a meaty flavor to dishes like his veggie burger.
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Chile-Sumac-Pomegranate Nuts
Cookbook author Nik Sharma notes that any mix of nuts will work for this crave-worthy recipe flavored with pomegranate molasses — just be sure to let them cool completely before serving or storing to ensure a crisp, not sticky, texture.
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Grilled Quail with Spinach-Pomegranate Salad
Quail may seem intimidating to cook, but it's actually quite easy and fast. This recipe comes together in just 25 minutes.
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Cava and Pomegranate co*cktails
Removing seeds from a pomegranate can seem tricky. "Don't worry, it is easy!" chef José Andrés says. His method: Cut the pomegranate in half across the middle, not through the stem; then wrap each half in cheesecloth and, holding it over a large bowl, hit it hard with a spoon or rolling pin. "Just hit it! Really hit it!" Andrés urges. Then open up the bundle and pick out the seeds, which should practically pop out.
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Mtsvadi (Grilled Pork Skewers with Pomegranate and Onions)
These Georgian mtsvadi, or grilled meat skewers, are made from well-marbled pork shoulder tossed with raw onions and finished with freshly squeezed pomegranate juice.
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