20 Pomegranate Recipes You'll Want to Make This Fall and Winter Our collection includes both sweet and savory recipes. Close Credit: Bobbi Lin When the days begin to shorten, and we are all in need of bright flavors, cooking with pomegranate can add a bit of sparkle to meals. In fact, the seeds of a pomegranate are often described in jewelers' terms—rubies, garnets, or glowing gems. And it's no wonder—they lend a vibrant pop of color, texture, and flavor to side dishes, salads, and desserts. Whether you're using its juice or seeds, here's how to make the best of them in these pomegranate recipes. Pomegranate Molasses Is Sweet, Tart, and Versatile—Here’s How to Use It How to Remove Seeds From a Pomegranate The seeds are called arils, and getting the dozens of arils out of a tough-skinned pomegranate may seem an impossible task, but it's actually quite simple: Score the pomegranate around the perimeter. With your hands, pry the fruit open in half.Next, flip it over so the seed side is down facing a bowl. Then hit the pomegranate with the back of a spoon to release all the seeds.Discard the white membranes and any piths. This method is the easiest and fastest way to get the delicious seeds. You can also break the halves open in a bowl of water, picking out the seeds while they're submerged to avoid splatters and red-stained hands. The Easiest Way to Cut a Pomegranate and Remove the Seeds Selecting Pomegranates Look for pomegranates between September and January. Choose deeply colored fruits that feel heavy for their size, which means they're loaded with plenty of juicy seeds. The leathery skin should be shiny and tight; avoid any fruit that is cracked or has soft spots. Storing When kept in the refrigerator, whole pomegranates will keep for a month or more. Pomegranate seeds should be refrigerated and used within a few days, or, if packed tightly, can be frozen for up to three months; to use, scatter directly into dishes without defrosting first. Pomegranate Recipes 01 of 20 Cardamom-Buttermilk Panna Cotta With Pomegranate Credit: Yunhee Kim A topping of pomegranate seeds, sliced mandarins, and toasted coconut makes this cardamom-spiced buttermilk panna cotta versatile enough for breakfast and dessert. View Recipe 02 of 20 Eggplant, Pistachio, and Pomegranate Pizza Credit: Roland Bello Pomegranate as a pizza topping? You bet! The colorful, crunchy seeds make a lovely foil for eggplant, pistachios, feta, and cilantro. View Recipe 03 of 20 Roasted Acorn Squash With Pomegranate Glaze Credit: Victoria Pearson Pomegranate seeds and glaze add bright color and flavor to acorn squash. But surely, the best part here is the sweet and salty taste and the myriad of textures. View Recipe 04 of 20 Pomegranate-Braised Short Ribs Credit: Johnny Miller Pomegranate juice and red wine compose a rich ruby-red sauce for tender beef short ribs. Garnish with jewel-like pomegranate seeds just before serving—they give tang and color and make the dish look fancy in a flash. View Recipe 05 of 20 Pomegranate-Coconut Trifle Credit: Ryan Liebe A one-bowl stunner that feeds your entire family. Layers of coconut custard, lady fingers, and pomegranate gelatin pile up high in this delicious fall dessert. Save time when the big holidays roll around by making this trifle up to three days in advance (it gives the flavors time to mix and mingle!). View Recipe 06 of 20 Pomegranate-Glazed Ham With Jammy Cipollinis Pomegranate molasses, honey, Dijon mustard, and allspice create an irresistible glaze for a whole ham, baked with cipollini onions—a classic you can serve anywhere, any time of the year, either by itself or alongside biscuits, as pictured, for sandwiches. View Recipe 07 of 20 Pomegranate Cosmopolitan Credit: Bryan Gardner Replace the usual cranberry juice with pomegranate juice for a tart, dark-hued cocktail that'll be impossible to resist. View Recipe 08 of 20 Citrus Salad With Pomegranate Seeds John Kernick. Segment the fruit and store it in its juices, in the fridge, for up to eight hours ahead. When you're ready to serve, sprinkle with pomegranate seeds. Truly, a speedy, refreshing side salad that can also double as dessert. View Recipe 09 of 20 Broccoli, Herb, and Pistachio "Grain" Salad Credit: Bryan Gardner A clever faux "grain" salad made with finely chopped broccoli to simulate rice! Mix in bright and crunchy ingredients like pomegranate arils, diced apples, and pistachios for an extra oomph. View Recipe 10 of 20 Roasted-Vegetable and Brown-Rice Bowls Credit: Lennart Weibull For a hearty, balanced, plant-based meal, look no further. Use brown rice as a base, then mix roasted veggies in and sprinkle pomegranate arils and toasted sesame seeds on top—done! A speedy, nutritious dinner for busy weeknights. View Recipe 11 of 20 Pomegranate Roasted Chicken Reduce pomegranate juice until it's thick and syrupy to create a burnished glaze for roast chicken, then decorate with ruby-red pomegranate seeds and thyme sprigs for serving. View Recipe 12 of 20 Pomegranate-Bulgur Salad Golden raisins, parsley leaves, and ruby-red pomegranate seeds add color to this fiber-rich bulgur salad. View Recipe 13 of 20 Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Dip With Pomegranate Charred bell peppers, pitted dates, and toasted walnuts topped with juicy pomegranate seeds make a savory dip, perfect for whole-wheat pita bread. View Recipe 14 of 20 Chopped Winter Salad Credit: Kate Mathis Add some color to a gray, winter day with the brilliant red hues of pomegranate seeds sprinkled over crisp radicchio, escarole, roasted acorn squash, and shiitake mushrooms. Pepitas for an extra bite and an apple-cider vinegar-based dressing are all you need to take it to the next level. View Recipe 15 of 20 Pomegranate and Pink Grapefruit Punch Credit: Nico Schinco This lychee, grapefruit, and basil mixture gets a colorful drizzle thanks to the pomegranate syrup sinking to the bottom—like grenadine in a tequila sunrise! View Recipe 16 of 20 Roasted Vegetables With Pomegranate Vinaigrette Cauliflower, sweet potatoes, and Brussels sprouts are roasted until tender. Just before serving, the vegetables are drizzled with a sweet vinaigrette of pomegranate juice and olive oil and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds. View Recipe 17 of 20 POMtini Fresh pomegranate juice, vodka, and simple syrup are practically all you need to create a pretty-in-pink, refreshing cocktail. View Recipe 18 of 20 Pomegranate Skirt-Steak Kebabs Credit: Bobbi Lin Looking for a gorgeous fall dinner recipe? This is it! Garnished with bright pomegranate seeds and parsley, it's the perfect, delicious meal for a special occasion. View Recipe 19 of 20 Pomegranate Relish Credit: Louise Hagger This festive relish could double as a Christmas centerpiece with its bright red and green colors. Serve on a rich piece of meat, like beef, or something a little gamier such as duck. View Recipe 20 of 20 Pomegranate Tea This garnet-hued tea is made with pomegranate, mint, and honey—a sweet and tart concoction to serve in a modern afternoon tea or to warm yourself up before bed. View Recipe Additional reporting by Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer is an experienced food editor, writer, and recipe developer. She manages the decorvow recipe archive and is always curious about new ingredients and the best techniques. She has been working in food media for over 20 years. Explore more: Food & Cooking Recipes Ingredients Fruit