Deeply flavorful pomegranates add a pop of color and sweetness to all sorts of dishes. From crunchy salads to creamy baba ghannouj to elegant cocktails, we've rounded up our favorite pomegranate recipes.
Sweet sautéed corn and crunchy cucumber make for a delicious summer salad. A toasty sesame oil vinaigrette adds warm, while pomegranate seeds add a touch of tartness. We also use the seeds in our bright fattoush, a Middle Eastern bread salad we make with mint, parsley, and fava beans.
Baba ghannouj, a smoky, creamy Middle Eastern dip made with mashed eggplant, is one of our favorite appetizers. For an extra smooth variation we turn to an unexpected ingredient: white chocolate. The sweetness of the chocolate adds an unexpected, complex note to play against the garlic, lemon, cumin, and paprika. Pomegranate seeds are a beautiful finishing touch.
Grenadine is a classic cocktail ingredient. The bottled stuff is mostly high fructose corn syrup and food coloring, but it was originally made of pomegranate. It's easy to make your own at home using just pomegranate juice, turbinado sugar, and an orange. Use it in cocktails like our red sangria or the Arab Spring, made with a Turkish fig brandy called boukha.
Find all of these dishes, drinks, and more in our collection of pomegranate recipes.
Red Sangria
For his riff on the classic Spanish wine-based drink, Jon Santer of Prizefighter in Emeryville, California, layers on more fruity flavors with French apéritif Lillet Rouge and the orange cognac-based liqueur Grand Marnier. Get the recipe for Red Sangria »
Almond Granita
Nutty, sweet almonds are used four ways in this super-simple frozen dessert. Get the recipe for Almond Granita »
Spinach and Walnut Salad (Pkhali)
Almost any vegetable can be substituted for spinach in this vegetarian appetizer sprinkled with pomegranate seeds. In Georgia, roasted beet and green bean versions are common.
Horse & Carriage
New York City bar The Daily serves this lightly sweet, effervescent gin-based punch made with chamomile tea and sparkling wine. Created by mixologist Naren Young, it was inspired by classic holiday punches but is easily adapted to any season—try it in fall garnished with apples, pears, and cinnamon sticks; in winter with citrus slices and pomegranate; and in spring with edible flowers.
French Monaco
This fruity beer-based cocktail is an ideal outdoor sipper—mix the pomegranate lemonade ahead of time and bring a six-pack to top each glass individually.
White Chocolate Baba Ghannouj
The famously smoky Middle Eastern eggplant puree reaches new heights of smoothness with the inclusion of white chocolate, which compliments the nutty flavor of tahini and the delicate spice of fresh garlic and paprika. Get the recipe for White Chocolate Baba Ghannouj »
Rosewater Fizz
Simple, fruity, and slightly floral, this champagne-based cocktail comes to us by way of astrologer/bartender Patricia Clark Hippolyte, who developed the drink for our Mixstrology series.
Traditionally made in Puebla to celebrate Mexican Independence Day on September 16, these chiles have a minced pork filling enhanced with chopped fruit, and a creamy walnut sauce.
Crush and Swizzle
Pomegranate juice gives this rum-laced prosecco drink a sweetness that belies its potency.
Chicken and Walnut Stew (Khoresht-e Fesenjan)
Pomegranate molasses and walnuts bring sweet, sour, and bitter notes to this classic stew.
Braised Short Ribs with Celery Root Purée
Cocoa powder enriches these braised beef short ribs from Manhattan-based chef Melissa Muller Daka.
Robiola-Stuffed Figs with Pomegranate
Pungent Robiola cheese can be substituted with brie, ricotta, or any other soft cheese in this simple no-cook appetizer. Get the recipe for Robiola-Stuffed Figs with Pomegranate »
Tabbouleh
Finely chopped fresh parsley and mint are bathed in fruity extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice in this classic Middle Eastern appetizer.
Fava Bean, Herb, and Pomegranate Fattoush
Fava beans add protein to this take on the Levantine bread salad from Australia-based chef Matt Wilkinson. Get the recipe for Fava Bean, Herb, and Pomegranate Fattoush »
Leek and Herb Frittata (Kuku Sabzi)
This herb-laced frittata of eggs, potatoes, and leeks is a popular Iranian side dish.
Sweet and tangy, with the mild smokiness of pink peppercorns and the salty edge of black cured olives, this elaboration of a vodka martini is as grand and glamorous as the wide avenues of Paris.
