Roots and Radishes

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Summer Recipes
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Subscribe
  • Eat More Plants (Free Guide!)
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Summer Recipes
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Subscribe
  • Eat More Plants (Free Guide!)
×
Home » Recipes » Healthy Sides

How to Deseed a Pomegranate: Step-by-Step + Images

Modified: Feb 20, 2021 · Published: Dec 12, 2018 by Tera Gigot · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

Pomegranate half with arils this recipe

Sometimes I wonder, if someone walked into my kitchen after I deseeded a pomegranate in my old ways (before I knew all the pomegranate deseeding hacks), would they think I carefully deseeded it, or would they think I blew it up with dynamite? Threw it at the wall? Played tennis with it!

Definitely one of the latter options.

Not that I don't love the color of pomegranate juice. Just, maybe, not on walls or countertops that I don't own... or my shirts. You too? Thought so. Now that pomegranates are in season, I thought I'd share my favorite way to deseed them gracefully and efficiently, without looking like a murder happened, and without polka dots on our clothes. Yes?? You've come to the right place.

Pomegranate half up close with arils

Now, if you've ever Googled 'how to deseed a pomegranate', you've probably noticed there are various methods out there. One such method involves whacking the pomegranate with the back of a wooden spoon. While I don't doubt that this works, it's still not completely mess-free -- I mean, those pomegranates can be juicy little guys. Not to mention, holding a pomegranate half in one hand while whacking it with a spoon using the other hand? Two possible outcomes: 1) Pomegranate falls on floor. Or in garbage disposal. 2) Wooden spoon misses pomegranate and hits a limb (most likely thumb). ...Which yields release of pomegranate and ends with outcome (1) + potential expletive.

So, to avoid all that, I made the executive decision on this one: we're going to jump straight to the bowl-of-water method and call it a day.

Plate of pomegranate arils

How to Deseed a Pomegranate

Step One: Roll the pomegranate around on the table a bit, pressing it gently to loosen the seeds. This is a kind of a weird first step, but I came across it in one of the many pomegranate-deseeding videos I watched before testing the methods. You'll feel the seeds loosen as you put slight pressure on the pomegranate, and they'll pop out easier when you're ready.

Step Two: Slice the pomegranate in half around the middle.

Step Three: Slice along the ridges. Find the ridges of pith between the sections of seeds, and slice along the outside of the pomegranate from ridge to end. The pomegranate should still be partially cut into sections but still intact.

Pomegranate half sliced into sections

Step Four: Remove seeds in water. Fill a bowl with filtered water, and completely submerge one pomegranate half. Carefully start to bend sections of pomegranate, pushing on the rind so that the seeds pop out. Seeds will sink to the bottom, and any pieces of pith or rind will float. Remove any lingering seeds with fingers. Discard the rind and any pith floating at the top. Strain pomegranate seeds into a mesh sieve and pick out any remaining small pieces of pith. Repeat for other half of pomegranate.

Pomegranate rind and arils in bowl of water
Deseeded pomegranate rind next to bowl of water

LOOK AT IT. Your beautiful bowl of pomegranate arils with maybe a smidgen of pith (I usually have some teeny tiny bits -- you hardly notice it going down the pipes) and your clean walls. Just like that, in four simple steps!

Bowl of pomegranate arils

Now use those delicious, nutritious arils up:

  • Eat 'em in yogurt parfaits (what I did yesterday morning!)
  • Toss them into smoothies or get artsy with your smoothie bowl toppings.
  • Eat them by the spoonful.
  • Try my all-time favorite wild rice and pomegranate salad or this salad with kale, feta, and pomegranate.

More Healthy Side Dishes

  • Simple leafy lettuce salad on plate.
    Everyday Leafy Green Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
  • Italian Brussels sprouts chopped salad in large white serving bowl.
    Back-for-Seconds Italian Chopped Brussels Sprouts Salad (Vegetarian!)
  • Moroccan-spiced roasted carrots with tahini sauce drizzled over the top.
    Incredible Moroccan-Spiced Roasted Carrots with Tahini Sauce
  • Greens salad with beets and carrots in large white serving bowl with serving spoons.
    Simple Citrusy Greens Salad with Beets and Carrots

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Tera Gigot, the author, photographer, and recipe developer of Roots and Radishes.

Hey, I'm Tera! And I'm so glad to meet you. I've been using seasonal produce to create recipes in my Wisconsin kitchen for 12 years. Here you'll find nourishing whole foods recipes that are approachable and delicious.

More about me →

FREE 5 Day Guide: Eat More Plants! Get the guide →

Summer Recipes

  • Pesto pasta salad with chicken on a white plate.
    Simple Pesto Pasta Salad with Chicken
  • Pesto potato salad scooped into large copper spoon resting on small white ceramic plate, next to bowl of potato salad and small white bowl of pesto
    Easy Pesto Potato Salad
  • Healthy scotcheroos topped with flaky sea salt and cut into squares on blue and white background
    No Corn Syrup Scotcheroos (With Date Syrup Instead!)
  • Peach blueberry salad with fork spearing a peach, in light blue bowl with aged balsamic in background
    Peach Blueberry Salad with Goat Cheese
  • Simple herb roasted beets on sheet pan
    Simple Herb Roasted Beets
  • Caprese pasta salad with grapes in a bowl with a silver fork, sitting on a white farmhouse wood surface with a gray linen on the side.
    Fruity Caprese Pasta Salad

Recipes to Make In June

  • Healthy strawberry crisp in cream-colored pie dish with copper serving spoon and two small white bowls with more crisp, with almonds and fresh strawberries on the side
    Wholesome Strawberry Crisp (SO Jammy!)
  • Pickled strawberries in a jar with black peppercorns.
    Quick Pickled Strawberries (Naturally Sweetened!)
  • Jammy egg on avocado toast with matcha tea.
    Seriously Delicious Jammy Eggs on Avocado Toast
  • Lemon dill hummus in beige serving dish with olive oil drizzled on top, with golden spoon
    Easy Lemon Dill Hummus
  • Marinated white beans in beige stoneware serving dish with golden spoon on beige and white surface, next to golden-yellow matte linen
    Easy Marinated White Beans
  • Goat cheese crostini with pickled strawberries on small white plate.
    Easy Goat Cheese Crostini with Pickled Strawberries

Footer

↑ back to top

Info

  • About
  • Privacy Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for recipes and updates

Contact

  • Contact
  • Services

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 Roots and Radishes on the Foodie Pro Theme