For those of you who are unfamiliar with the specifics of the pomegranate, the arils are the bright red seed-containing capsules inside the fruit. Each seed is surrounded by a sac of sweet red fluid, which is what becomes pomegranate juice. If you’d like to make pomegranate juice at home, it’s actually much simpler than you’d think — as long as you have a food processor. To make your own pomegranate juice, all you have to do is place the arils in the food processor, then pulse it.
At this point, there will be pulp in the mix, so you’ll need to strain it to get the smooth, tart, and sweet pomegranate juice that can be enjoyed by the glass. Not only is the juice delicious — and fun to make at home — but it contains plenty of health benefits. According to Medical News Today, consuming pomegranates can help with digestion, provide nutrients (including vitamin K and magnesium), and add more antioxidants to your diet. Additionally, you can use the newly squeezed juice in pomegranate-forward recipes for a burst of fresh flavor.
What recipes benefit from fresh pomegranate juice?
Pomegranate is one versatile fruit and it can be used for more recipes than you may think. For example, have you ever thought about making pomegranate ice cream? Look has a recipe for a no-churn pomegranate ice cream that uses fresh juice as well as pomegranate arils. So, you may want to buy two pomegranates: one to use to make the juice and one to gather the fleshy seeds from. Or, you could use the fresh juice to make a pomegranate tart. Both recipes will give you a sweet and tangy treat, perfect for indulging in after dinner.
Speaking of after-dinner treats, maybe you’d rather have a cocktail than dessert — and your fresh pomegranate juice works well for that, too. For example, the pomegranate gin fizz is a gin and Prosecco-based cocktail that infuses pomegranate juice (and pomegranate molasses) for a bubbly and festive boozy drink. You can also make yourself a pomegranate margarita by adding a couple tablespoons of pomegranate juice to a traditional margarita recipe.
Or, if you’re looking for something different when it comes to everyone’s go-to brunch drink, the mimosa, then you can add a splash of fresh pomegranate juice to liven things up. When it comes to more savory dishes, pomegranate juice can be used in a glaze or a sauce for a meat dish, such as chicken or even ribs. And for breakfast, pomegranate is the perfect addition to a number of smoothies. For example, it can add some nice tartness to a classic strawberry banana smoothie.
