How to Eat a Pomegranate—Including the Best Way to Open This Magical Fruit

Pomegranate season is in full swing. It runs from September through December, so right now it's important to know how to eat a pomegranate so you can get in on the fun and savor every tangy kernel. For pom novices, this globe-shaped fruit can be intimidating, but once you get past its thick red exterior, juicy pleasures await. To learn more, we caught up with a cookbook author and a fruit expert who shared their deep pomegranate knowledge.

Pomegranates 101

Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree considered indigenous to ancient Persia (modern-day Iran) and neighboring countries, with cultivation eventually reaching throughout the Arabian Peninsula, Afghanistan, and India. Today, this baseball-sized fruit is grown in mid-temperate and tropical climates, including India, Iran, Afghanistan, Chile, Spain, Israel, Turkey, California, and Arizona. 

Types: "Pomegranates have over 100 varieties, with varying tartness, sweetness, and skin color, depending on the region," says Leila Taghinia-Milani Heller, author of Persian Feasts: Recipes and Stories from a Family Table.

Color: While red is the most common skin color, some cultivars break the mold, boasting an exocarp (outer shell) hue of burgundy, pink, white, or purple.

Under the Skin

Pomegranates typically contain about 600 edible seeds, surrounded by reddish pulpy kernels, called arils. "The arils are the fruit around the smaller white seed,” says Alex Jackson, vice president of sales and procurement for Frieda's Branded Produce, a woman-founded wholesale produce company. To get to the juicy parts, you need to remove the arils from the surrounding thick white spongey fiber called pith, beneath the skin. This can be challenging since the aril clusters are embedded in numerous chambers.

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How to Prep a Pomegranate

Kernel removal is a prerequisite for enjoying all that pomegranates have to offer. "Most people think cutting it in half and banging it with a wooden spoon in the bowl is the best way; however, there is a more practical (and easier) way to open them and remove the arils," says Jackson. Here's how she cuts it and excavates the fruit within:

1. Start by washing the pomegranate under cold running water.
2. Cut a square around the top, piercing through the skin.
3. Pull the crown and remove the square, which exposes the interior.
4. Create slices down the sides, from where the crown was to the bottom.
5. Create five to six segments, then pull the section out.
6. Remove the pith by pulling with your fingers.
7. Then you can easily bite off the arils and enjoy, or scoop out with a metal spoon and use the arils in recipes, or as a snack for later, says Jackson.

Heller's technique is slightly different. She suggests cutting a circle at the top and the bottom, then scoring along the natural ribs. "I cut the pomegranate similarly to how I peel an orange," she says.

How to Eat a Pomegranate

Pomegranate arils bring a pop of freshness and a burst of tart-sweet flavor to a variety of dishes, says Heller. "Pomegranates are an essential part of Persian cuisine, especially in Northern Iran, as well as regions like Kashan, Isfahan, and desert areas where they grow abundantly," says Heller.

In addition to Persian cooking, they pair well with ingredients used in other Middle Eastern cuisines, including Israeli and Afghani dishes, says Jackson. And while you can cook the arils, she adds, you may lose the flavor if employing high heat. Here are some ways to make the most of this red treasure:

• Dairy topper: Yogurt and labneh? Yes, and yes. "My favorite dish is a grilled and roasted eggplant with labneh on top, garnished with pomegranates, herbs, balsamic, and olive oil," says Jackson.
• Side dishes: Pomegranate perks up couscous, herbaceous rice dishes, and cooked vegetable dishes, she says.
• Salads: Because of the balance of flavors and textures, the arils are often used as the sweet, juicy, and crunchy component in a salad.
  
• Meats: They're also a match for Persian lamb and chicken dishes. "The sweetness of the pomegranate complements the richness of the meat, brightening the dish and adding depth to the flavors," says Heller, noting that she also adds pomegranate molasses to meat marinades.
• Stews: The seeds contrast beautifully, Heller says, with a comforting Persian stew made from eggplant, walnut, and pomegranate, as well as a chicken, walnut, and pomegranate stew called fesenjoon.
• Soups: "I make aash potage," says Heller. "It's a tangy, thick soup with herbs, pomegranate, and small meatballs. There's also a vegetarian version, with yellow lentils."
• Juice and molasses: In addition to the fresh fruit, pomegranate is made into juice, and that juice is cooked down to become pomegranate molasses, a tart sweetener that's used for everything from spritzes to sauces.
• Vinaigrettes: Pomegranate molasses also makes an appearance in salads. Heller mixes it with olive oil and chopped herbs for salad dressings.

Health Benefits

Rich in antioxidants, vitamins A, C, and E, and fiber,  and low in calories, the pomegranate is considered a superfood. Pomegranates are wonderful for gut health and have anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory properties, much like cranberries, and they benefit the heart and urinary health, says Heller.