Learn how to easily seed a pomegranate and juice the seeds! In this post I will walk you through my tried-and-true methods for removing seeds from a pomegranate, and the easiest way to juice the arils.
For the first few years that I made our Rosh Hashanah meal, the task I dreaded most was seeding the pomegranate. Extracting the itty bitty juicy red seeds (also known as arils) from a pomegranate can be a daunting task. I used to peel the fruit and navigate my way through it, staining my clothes and squishing lots of seeds along the way. Since that time, I have learned some helpful methods that make seeding pomegranates a snap!
There are many ways to seed a pomegranate. I’ve outlined two of my favorite methods below. The first method is fastest, but you will lose a bit of juice in the process. The second method takes a bit longer and is messier, but you won’t get pruney hands from deseeding underwater. Either method works, so choose what makes the most sense to you.
As an alternative to these methods, some cooks prefer to cut the pomegranate in half and whack the heck out of it with a spoon to dislodge the seeds. This works, but I find it messy. Juice gets everywhere, and your wrist can quickly become tired if you have a lot of pomegranates to seed. Use one of the kinder, gentler methods outlined below to save yourself the violent effort. I mean, really. What did that pomegranate ever do to you? 🙂
Seeding your own pomegranates sure beats paying a premium for boxed seeds, which can go for as much as $6 for a small box. It’s also really simple.
Once you’ve extracted all your pomegranate seeds, you can eat them whole or juice them. I’ve described my favorite simple juicing method below. Pomegranate juice is very healthy (it contains more antioxidants than red wine), but it can be expensive. One pomegranate contains up to a half cup of juice, so you can really save yourself some money by juicing your own pomegranates.
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How to Seed and Juice a Pomegranate
Ingredients
For Seeding Method 1, you will need
- 1 large bowl
- 1 small sharp knife
- Mesh strainer or slotted spoon
- 1 colander or strainer with small holes
For Seeding Method 2, you will need
- 1 pomegranate
- 1 small sharp knife
- 2 bowls (1 large, 1 small)
- 1 dark colored kitchen towel
To juice a pomegranate, you will need
- Blender
- Mesh strainer
- Container for liquid
- Spoon
Instructions
HOW TO SEED A POMEGRANATE: METHOD 1
- Make a shallow slit at the top of the pomegranate where the knob/stem is (this part is known as the crown). Cut all the way around the top of the rind, creating a shallow circle. Don't push the knife in too deep, or you may burst some seeds.
- Pull the crown of the pomegranate off to reveal the inner seeds.
- Cut three shallow slits through the outer rind, following three of the white pith lines, from the top of the fruit to the bottom.
- Pull the fruit apart to create three large sections.
- Remove any large pieces of pith that are visible.
- Submerge the sections in a large bowl of cold water.
- Break apart the sections underneath the water, separating the seeds from the rind and pith. As you remove the seeds, they will sink to the bottom of the bowl. The pith will rise to the top and float. Discard the large chunks of rind (the peel).
- When all the seeds have been removed, use a mesh strainer or slotted spoon to remove the floating pieces of pith from the surface of the water. A few seeds may float as well; separate these out and return them to the bowl.
- Drain the seeds in a colander. Remove any additional pieces of pith that may have mixed into the seeds.
HOW TO SEED A POMEGRANATE: METHOD 2
- Place the pomegranate in one of the bowls. Place the other bowl nearby.
- Make a shallow slit at the top of the pomegranate around the crown. Cut all the way around the top of the rind, creating a shallow circle. Don't push the knife in too deep, or you may burst some seeds.
- Pull the crown of the pomegranate off to reveal the inner seeds.
- Turn the pomegranate over. Repeat the process of creating a narrow slit in the rind, cutting a circle around the base of the fruit.
- Pull the bottom off of the fruit.
- Turn the pomegranate back over. You will see six white strips of pith around the edges of the fruit. Cut slits in the sides of the rind, following the lines of the pith, from the top of the fruit to the bottom.
- Pull the fruit apart. You will now have 8 sections of fruit (including the top and the bottom), with the seeds fully exposed.
- Gently loosen the seeds from the pith and place them into the clean bowl. Keep a dark-colored towel handy to clean up any juice that might escape from the seeds. Careful, pomegranate juice can stain.Before long, you will have a bowl full of luscious pomegranate seeds! Discard the rind and the pith.
HOW TO JUICE A POMEGRANATE
- Place your pomegranate seeds in a blender.
- Pulse the seeds a few times to break them apart and release their juice. Don't blend them for a long period of time, or the seeds will break apart and create cloudy juice.
- Use a mesh strainer to strain the pomegranate liquid into a container.
- Use the back of a spoon to gently push against the pomegranate pulp and extract as much juice as possible.
- Chill, if desired, and enjoy.
Nutrition
Deseeding the pomegranate after cutting the top off, scoring the skin in sections, and using my thumb to push the seeds out in a bowl of water.was easy. I deseeded 7 large poms and then juiced them. I used my food processor to pulse seeds a couple of times and then strained through a mesh strainer. I think what got me every drop of juice was taking the squashed seeds and squashing them again in a handheld lemon squeezer. It worked so well I got an extra cup of juice from the already juiced fruit that I was going to throw away!
Thank you sharing this Cindy. Very helpful. I’ll juice mine exactly as you described.