This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
How to deseed and juice a pomegranate like a pro – a foolproof method on how to cut a pomegranate, avoid cutting into the seeds, and deseed it, all within a couple of minutes!
Pomegranate seeds and fresh pomegranate juice have been a staple in my kitchen since I was a child. The tart but sweet juicy seeds burst with flavor, adding a boost to dishes both savory and sweet. Plus, the juice is an amazingly refreshing option for any time of the year.
Over the years I’ve used a few methods to de-seed pomegranates at varying levels of success. I’ve ended up cutting into the seeds, squashing them when trying to release them from the skin, and ending up with kitchen counters looking like a murder scene.
Until I found this ‘star’ method that works and I haven’t looked back. De-seeding a pomegranate might seem like such a small thing, in the grand scheme of things. However, when you’re doing it more than once a week (and especially if you’re opening multiple at once for fresh pomegranate juice) – a super simple hack is a godsend.
Plus, pomegranates come with a long list of health benefits, which include:
- Containing 36% of your Vitamin K RDI and 30% Vitamin C
- Strong antioxidant properties – three times that found in green tea!
- Anti-inflammatory properties, with anti-cancerous properties
- A reduction in bad LDL cholesterol and reduced risk of heart disease
- Infection fighting benefits – perfect for cold and flu season.
- Could be beneficial for gut health and promoting beneficial gut bacteria
How To Open A Pomegranate
Needed:
- pomegranates – depending on what you need the juice for, you need a different number of pomegranates. 5 large pomegranate fruits yielded for me 750ml juice.
- hand mixer
- fine sieve or nut milk bag
Note* Be warned – be careful with your choice of cutting board/surface when dealing with pomegranate, as it can stain certain surfaces.Â
The Step By Step:
Deseeding a pomegranate
Carefully cut open the top 1/3 part of the skin. Make a circular incision around the calyx (the flower-like petals on top of the fruit). Make sure to cut lightly so only the skin gets pierced (it has a fairly thick skin but still requires a light touch).
Make 5-6 incisions downward towards the bottom of the fruit. It would be as if you are cutting out 5-6 petals.
Remove the top of the pomegranate (with the calyx).
Press with your fingers in the center of the fruit over the fleshy white part. Then pull apart the pomegranate towards the cuts you made. It will open up like a flower.
Turn the pomegranate seeds-down over a large bowl.
Hit the fruit a few times with a big wooden spoon. This will make all the seeds come out.
If there are any seeds still stuck in the flesh, you can carefully pop them out.
Fill up the bowl with water. The seeds will sink and any pieces of the white flesh will float on top. You can then easily collect them with a spoon.
Drain the water.
You can keep the seeds in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
5 large pomegranates yield about 1 kg of seeds.
How to make pomegranate juice with the seeds
Drinking pomegranate juice on its own is a wonderful refreshing slightly sweet, slightly tart drink. However, it is also a wonderful addition to a huge variety of juice blends, too.
Collect all the seeds in a large bowl.
To juice the seeds, you can use a hand-held blender to crush and mash the seeds into a watery purée (or alternatively use a blender)
Then sieve the liquid out using a mesh strainer, pressing on the mashed seeds to get every last drop.
Alternatively, if you don’t have a convenient mixer, just use a nut milk bag.
Fill the nut milk bag with the seeds then squeeze all the juice out.
1 kg of pomegranate seeds yields about 750 ml for this juice recipe.
Store in a glass bottle in the fridge for up to 5 days.
You can also use this juice to make Pomegranate Molasses or even Homemade Pomegranate kombucha.
What are your favorite ways to use pomegranate? Let me know in the comments and feel free to tag me in your creations @AlphaFoodie.Â
How to Deseed and Juice a Pomegranate
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 large pomegranates
Instructions
Deseeding a pomegranate
- Carefully cut the top 1/3 part of the skin. Make a circular incision around the calyx (the flower-like petals on top of the fruit). Make sure to cut lightly so only the skin gets pierced.Â
- Make 5-6 incisions downward, towards the bottom of the fruit. It would be as if you are cutting out 5-6 petals.
- Remove the top part (the calyx).
- Press with your fingers in the center of the fruit over the fleshy white part. Then pull apart the pomegranate towards the cuts you made. It will open up like a flower.
- Turn the pomegranate seeds down over a large bowl and hit the fruit a few times with a big wooden spoon. This will make all the seeds come out.
If there are any seeds still stuck in the flesh, you can carefully pop them out. - Fill up the bowl with water. All the seeds will stay at the bottom and any pieces of the white flesh will float on top. You can easily collect them with a spoon.Â
- Drain the water.
You can keep the seeds in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Juicing pomegranate seeds
- Collect all the seeds in a large bowl.Â
- You can use a hand-held blender to crush and mash the seeds into a watery purée. (alternatively use a blender)
- Then sieve the liquid out through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing on the mashed seeds to get every last drop.
Alternatively, if you don't have a convenient mixer, just use a nut milk bag.
Fill the nut milk bag with the seeds then squeeze all the juice out. - Store in a glass bottle in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Worked perfectly, thank you!
Glad you liked it, Luanne
Love your recipes , I use juicer except for orange juice, use citrus juicer. I thank you for your inspiring recipes that has helped my wife overcome cancer
Thank you for your comment, Asim. Glad you two are liking the recipes.
Great! Is it better to use a juicer if I have one or the combination blender+strainer is better for some reason? Thank you 🙂
Hi Eva,
Yes, it is possible to use a juicer. Keep in mind that the juicer will also crush the little white seeds which are inside the arils (the sweet, juice-filled pulps) so the juice won’t have that clear pink color like when it’s done with the blender+strainer method. I hope this helps.
I used your method of getting the pomegranate seeds out, fantastical! I used the juice to make a liquido, with banana, tuna, guava, cuke and spinach. The pomegranate juice made this truly delicious. Thank you.
Thank you for your feedback, happy to hear you liked it!
I have been making Pom juice for years, and I make a lot in 32oz bottles
to give to my nabors but I have no idea how to preserve it in the refrigerator for more than 6 days, because after that it start to go bad even if I put it the freezer.
Have any ideas I can use ?
Hi Arthur,
Like any fresh juice, pomegranate juice would last only for a few days in the fridge. If you want to keep it longer, I’d recommend freezing it, the sooner the better so it preserves all its nutrients.
I hope this helps.