Learn how to cut and seed a pomegranate with this simple step by step tutorial. This method is quick, easy, and saves you a ton of money! Enjoy pomegranate seeds (also called arils) as snacks, in healthy homemade lunchables, or in recipes like this simple and delicious Autumn Rice Pilaf.
Of all the different fruits, I think the pomegranate is one of the most interesting. You can’t bite into it. Or peel it, like you would a banana or an orange.
Eating a pomegranate takes patience, and until recently, it took some planning ahead too.
My trusty Joy of Cooking was the first to tell me how to seed a pomegranate:
- Make a shallow cut all the way around the pomegranate.
- Carefully peel it open.
- While submerged in water, gently pull out the seeds from the membranes.
I did this, but this method took FOREVER. Literally, Mr. Crumbs and I planned the event to seed a pomegranate on a calendar. He’d do the work while I did something else on the counter next to him.
It was great to be productive, but after a few times, we became weary of the work involved and opted to skip pomegranates when we saw them on sale. Not even 25¢ a piece was tempting amidst the full hour pomegranate bonanza that would soon follow.
And then I stumbled on an awesome method to seed a pomegranate in less than two minutes. Folks, my world is complete. Here is your step-by-step guide.
How to Seed a Pomegranate
Not only is this one of my favorite kitchen hacks, it’s also:
- Quick
- Super easy
- Cost effective
If you seed a pomegranate yourself, you save money by buying just the fruit. And since it won’t take you but a couple minutes to get the seeds out, I consider that money well saved!
What supplies do I need to cut a pomegranate?
- pomegranate
- cutting board
- sharp knife
- wooden spoon
- bowl
- water
- colander (optional)
How to cut a pomegranate
Using a sharp knife to cut, slice the pomegranate fruit in half, through the center (i.e. NOT from the top of the pomegranate down).
Hold one half of the pomegranate upside down in one hand, over the bowl. Hit the pomegranate with the back of the spoon, in between the center and the edge of the fruit. Rotate the fruit until the majority of the seeds (also called arils) have fallen out. The pomegranate will not be as rigid as you work your way around, so be careful not to hit your fingers.
Turn the fruit over to see if any areas were missed and repeat as needed.
Turn the fruit inside out and use your fingers to gently remove the last few remaining seeds.
Repeat with the other half of the pomegranate.
Fill the bowl with cool water. The white pith membranes will float to the top, and the seeds will sink to the bottom. Use your hands to filter out the white pith membranes and agitate the seeds. Repeat a few times until all of the membranes have been removed.
How to eat pomegranate seeds
Even when in season, pomegranates are still a bit of a luxury. They’re not like bananas, that I’m so often willing to throw into any recipe. Instead, we use these most often for snacking, although on top of a salad or mixed in with Autumn Rice Pilaf or even in place of the cranberries in Cranberry Orange Scones would both be amazing. Adding them to pancakes or muffins is also an option, as is freezing them for later in the year or even dehydrating them!
Toss pomegranate seeds with toasted, cooled coconut, sliced almonds and craisins. Snack away!!
YUM! Thanks for the impromptu recipe Kimber!
How funny. My son just asked me today if he could try a pomegranate and then how to eat it. Rather then doing it for him I showed him your lovely post and let him do it himself. Thanks.
LOL – you’re most welcome Suelynn!
Thanks for the great tip! I tried it and it made the whole process so much easier!!
You’re welcome!
Now THAT’S efficiency. 😉
Thanks for this post! I have a pomegranate that’s been sitting on my counter staring me in the face for days because I forgot how to get the seeds out and haven’t taken the time to google it again! 🙂
Also, a tip for Bethany (above)… you could put the seeds in your blender and blend them up first, then pour out the juice into a cup through a sieve in order strain out the grit. Discard the grit, rinse out your blender, return the juice to your blender and add whatever other smoothie ingredients you’d like! 🙂 Then you’ll have a smoothie with fresh pomegranate juice but no gritty husks from the seeds! 🙂
Great tip Kristin! Thanks for sharing, and I’m glad this tip satisfied the “how to” itch!
So I’m really excited to try this because they’re often so cheap at Aldi and my first go around with them I had no idea what I was doing! I’d love to hear how others of you fix them…I tried to make a smoothie but it was so gritty and I think the wholeness of the seeds were a little hard for me to digest so it upset my stomach. Any suggestions?
Bethany – to rule out digestive issues, try eating the seeds plain. If there’s no issues, then you can enjoy these in salads or smoothies or just a handful by themselves. Also consider muffins cookies, pancakes… anything you’d use a cranberry in. 🙂
Do you eat the seed that is inside the fruit part?
I heard of this method and tried it…but I don’t know if it’s because my pom was a little bit old or what, but they did NOT come out. Ugh. Definitely willing to try again as Aldi often has them for a song.
Bummer! I tried this with a few fruits and had success each time. I’ve got a few on the counter though that are over a week old, so I’ll give it a go later today and see if I run into any issues. 🙂
This is fantastic! I’ve got to try this. I don’t have the time to mess with those things, so if this way makes it easy, I’M IN!
You’ll LOVE this. Seriously, 2 minutes of whacking and you’re done. It’s brilliant and I wish I tried this eons ago!!
We found this method and the submerge-in-water method last year, and couldn’t stop buying them and eating pomegranates once they suddenly became so easy to de-seed! Now if the prices would just come down a bit to help with the cost of our habit! 🙂
LOL – I agree with that for sure!
My Mom had eaten a pomegrante (bought at wally world) and didn’t finish it all whilst out on the patio..she stuck the the rest of it into a planter that had only dirt in it. Next year there were 7 trees growing I have one she has two she gave the rest out. EVERY year my tree produced fruit. Then frost killed it and I let the saplings grow up and now I have a pretty cool looking tree/bush <natural way they grow) again and its covered in fruit this year! Excited!! (This is in north east texas) Easiest way I have used is cutting it and working it all under water. Best way to snack is freezing the seeds and snack away SO Good!!
When this is eaten, is it like eating sunflower seeds where you have to have a trash can nearby?
Yes.
My daughter is the pomegranate queen here and her trick is to roll it a bit, slice it in half (the way you describe), then turn it inside out. She says it takes just a minute to pull it with her fingers from there.
At that point, I reach into the bowl of them in the fridge, grab a handful, and enjoy 🙂
I like your viewpoint Erica! 😉 Thanks for sharing this tip!