How to Juice a Pomegranate (3 Ways, No Juicer) + Pomegranate Fizz
Here is how to juice a pomegranate at home, no juicer needed: break it open in a bowl of water so the arils sink and the bitter white pith floats, then pulse the arils for a few seconds in a blender and strain. Two large pomegranates give about 1 1/2 cups (350 ml) of fresh pomegranate juice, deep ruby and sweet-tart, nothing like the bottled kind. Below I compare three ways to do it (blender, citrus press and a simple zip-top bag), so you can use whatever you already have, plus a sparkling pomegranate fizz for the holidays.
I gave up fighting pomegranates on a cutting board years ago. Now I cut them in half, sink the halves in my biggest bowl of water and push the arils out under the surface: nothing splashes on the walls, my kitchen towels stay white, and the pith floats up so I can just skim it off. That bowl of water is really the whole secret of this guide. The photos are from my kitchen, of the juice I pour into these old ribbed glasses.
Table of Contents
- How to Choose a Juicy Pomegranate
- How to Deseed a Pomegranate in a Bowl of Water (My Method)
- 3 Ways to Juice a Pomegranate Without a Juicer
- Should You Sweeten Pomegranate Juice?
- Make It a Pomegranate Fizz
- How to Store Fresh Pomegranate Juice
How to Choose a Juicy Pomegranate
Pick it up before you buy it. A good pomegranate feels heavy for its size, because the weight is juice. The skin should be firm, taut and smooth, without soft spots or cracks that weep. A ripe fruit often loses its perfect round shape and gets slightly flat, angular sides, as the arils press against the skin from inside.
Do not judge by color alone: some varieties stay pinkish or even yellow-red when fully ripe, while others turn almost burgundy. Taste varies too, from very sweet to quite sour, which is why it is worth tasting the juice before deciding whether it needs anything. Pomegranates are in season from about October to January, which is exactly when this juice tastes best.
How to Deseed a Pomegranate in a Bowl of Water (My Method)
This is the step people dread, and it takes me about 5 minutes per pomegranate once the water is ready. It works for juice, salads and garnishes alike:
- Fill a large bowl with cold water. The bigger the bowl, the less mess.
- Cut the pomegranate in half across the middle, around its equator. A little juice will run, so do it on a board you do not mind staining, or right over the bowl.
- Hold one half under the water, cut side down, and break it apart with your fingers. Push the arils out of the membranes with your thumbs. Under water, nothing squirts.
- Let the water sort it out. The arils sink to the bottom and the white pith and membranes float to the top.
- Skim off the pith with your hand or a slotted spoon, then pour the arils into a colander and let them drain.
Wear an apron and leave your favorite white shirt for another day: pomegranate juice stains fabric and wooden boards. A little lemon juice gets it off your hands.
3 Ways to Juice a Pomegranate Without a Juicer
Once you have the arils, you only need to break them open and separate the juice from the hard seeds. Here are the three methods I know work, from the one that gets the most juice to the one that needs no equipment at all.
1. Blender and sieve (the most juice)
Put the arils in a blender and pulse 3 or 4 times, 1 to 2 seconds each, just until the arils burst and you see a pink slush. Do not let it run: the seeds inside are hard, and once the blades start crushing them, the juice turns cloudy and slightly bitter. Pour everything into a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl and press the pulp with the back of a spoon. If you want it crystal clear, strain it a second time through a nut milk bag and squeeze gently.
This is the method to choose when you juice for more people: it gets the most juice out of the arils and stays quick even for 3 or 4 pomegranates.
2. Citrus press (the fastest)
No deseeding at all: cut the pomegranate in half and press it like an orange. A lever citrus press works best, because a pomegranate half is too big and too tough for a handheld lemon squeezer. Stop pressing when it gets hard, though. The last squeeze comes from the peel and the white pith, and that is where the bitter, mouth-drying taste is. The juice is a little sharper than from the blender, which works well with sparkling water.
3. Zip-top bag (no equipment)
Put the arils in a sturdy freezer bag, press out the air and seal it. Roll over it with a rolling pin, or just press with your palms, until all the arils have burst. Snip off a corner and pour the juice through a sieve. Use two bags, one inside the other, in case the seeds poke a hole. It is slower and gives a bit less juice, but it is a lovely job for kids and you will not have a blender to wash.
Which method should you choose?
| Method | You need | Deseeding | Time for 2 pomegranates | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blender + sieve | blender, fine sieve | yes | about 15 minutes | the most juice, sweet-tart |
| Citrus press | lever press | no | about 5 minutes | a bit less juice, sharper |
| Zip-top bag | freezer bag, rolling pin, sieve | yes | about 15 minutes | the least juice, very clean taste |
How much juice you get depends on the size and the variety. As a rough guide, one large pomegranate gives about 2/3 cup (150 to 180 ml) of juice, so count on one pomegranate per small glass.
Should You Sweeten Pomegranate Juice?
Taste it first. With sweet pomegranates the juice needs nothing at all. If yours came out sour or a bit astringent, add a teaspoon of lime juice (it sounds odd, but it makes the juice taste rounder) and, only if needed, a teaspoon of maple syrup. A splash of fresh orange juice also softens it nicely, and a thin slice of fresh ginger in the glass gives it a warm kick in winter.
Make It a Pomegranate Fizz
To dress it up for a party, turn it into a fizz: fill a glass with ice, pour in pomegranate juice until it is half full, top it with chilled sparkling water, squeeze in a wedge of lime and add a sprig of rosemary. It is a pretty, not-too-sweet mocktail that the kids can have too. For the grown-ups, use prosecco instead of the sparkling water.
If you are planning a holiday table, you will find more ideas among my Christmas drinks, from a Christmas punch to a winter sangria. For something lighter, try the grapefruit and strawberry juice or a ruby-red hibiscus lemonade.
How to Store Fresh Pomegranate Juice
- Fridge: pour it into a clean glass jar or bottle, close it well and keep it for up to 3 days. It tastes best on the first day; shake it before pouring, because it settles.
- Freezer: freeze it in ice cube trays, then keep the cubes in a bag for up to 3 months. They are lovely in sparkling water or in a smoothie.
- Arils: if you deseed more than you need, the arils keep for about 5 days in a closed container in the fridge, or freeze them spread out on a tray, then bag them.
Fresh Pomegranate Juice
Equipment
- Large bowl
- Blender
- Fine-mesh sieve
Ingredients
Pomegranate juice
- 2 pomegranates large, about 2 lb (1 kg)
- 1 tsp lime juice optional
- 1 tsp maple syrup optional
Pomegranate fizz (optional)
- 1 ½ cups sparkling water chilled
- 8 cubes ice
- 1 lime cut into wedges
- 2 sprigs rosemary fresh, optional
Instructions
- Fill a large bowl with cold water. Cut each pomegranate in half across the middle.
- Hold one half under the water, cut side down, and break it apart with your fingers, pushing the arils out with your thumbs. The arils sink and the white pith floats. Repeat with the other halves.
- Skim off the pith, then drain the arils in a colander. You should have about 2 1/2 cups.
- Put the arils in a blender and pulse 3 or 4 times, 1 to 2 seconds each, just until they burst. Do not blend longer, or the seeds will break and make the juice bitter.
- Pour into a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl and press the pulp with the back of a spoon. For a clearer juice, strain it again through a nut milk bag.
- Taste and stir in the lime juice and maple syrup, if you like. Serve right away.
- For the fizz (optional), put the ice in 2 glasses, fill them halfway with pomegranate juice, top with sparkling water, squeeze in a lime wedge and add a rosemary sprig.
Notes
Questions About Pomegranate Juice
Deseed it in a bowl of water, pulse the arils 3 or 4 times in a blender and strain the pulp through a fine sieve. You can also press pomegranate halves in a lever citrus press, or crush the arils in a sealed freezer bag with a rolling pin and pour the juice through a sieve.
A large pomegranate gives about 2/3 cup (150 to 180 ml) of juice, depending on its size and variety. Two large pomegranates make about 1 1/2 cups (350 ml), enough for two small glasses.
Yes, but only briefly. Pulse the arils for 1 to 2 seconds at a time, 3 or 4 times, just until they burst. Longer blending crushes the hard seeds and makes the juice cloudy and slightly bitter.
Usually because some white pith or peel got into it, or because the seeds were blended too long. Skim off all the pith when you deseed in water, pulse the blender only briefly, and stop pressing pomegranate halves before you squeeze the peel.
Up to 3 days in a closed glass jar in the fridge; it tastes best on the first day. Frozen in ice cube trays, it keeps for up to 3 months.
Yes. It is just pomegranate, with optional lime juice and maple syrup, so it is vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free.
