How To Open a Pomegranate Without Making a Mess

Ever made a bloody mess opening a pomegranate? Or do you buy pre-seeded, over priced pomegranates at the grocery store because you dont want to deal with opening a fresh one? If you’ve answered ‘yes’, this post is for you! A completely mess free way to open those lovely, fresh pomegranates that are in season now…

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Fill a large bowl with water. Using a sharp knife, make two deep slits on top of the pomegranate in the shape of a ‘x’. Do this on a cutting board for more support. Place the pomegranate in the bowl of water.

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 Put your thumbs where you made the ‘x’ shaped slit, and pry open the pomegranate. Do this underwater so that the red juices don’t splash on you. You should be able to pull the fruit apart in wedges. If the pomegranate is difficult to pull apart, make the slit on top deeper and longer. 

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 Pull the pomegranate wedges apart into manageable pieces. Gently remove the white membrane, while keeping the fruit under water. Then use your fingers to gently remove the red seeds. The seeds will sink to the bottom and the membrane and skin will float to the top.

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Skim the top of the water to remove all floating white membrane and skin. Then pour out the water, reserving the pomegranate seeds. Pour a little more cold water over the seeds and pour out once again to make sure all the white membrane is gone. Gently pat dry the pomegranate seeds. Serve immediately or store covered in the fridge.

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33 thoughts on “How To Open a Pomegranate Without Making a Mess

  1. agreed! pomegranates are my favorite food & I eat as many as possible while the season lasts–this is the way to do it that doesn’t make it such an overwhelming task. did a batch of four all at once for our Indian fruit salad this weekend and that would have been a pain without this method. I cracked open the leftover one last night & devoured it!

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  2. Lovely pictures Sala. is that cute white bowl built tilted like that? real nice!

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    Sala @ Veggie Belly Reply:

    yes, its slanted like that! i love it, but that bowl can be a bit challenging to photograph sometimes. it tends to make the whole picture look slanted (because people are expecting a straight looking bowl!)

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  3. I am posting an article this week about pomegranates and was wondering if you would allow me to use your photos and step-by-step guide on our blog. Of course I’ll give you credit ;)

    Let me know what you think!

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  4. A small tip to speed up the process of removing the seeds.. After cutting the pomegranate into two halves, invert a half over the bowl and tap the skin with a heavy spoon or ladle to release the seeds.

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  5. Now I can finally, finally purchase a pomegranate with confidence! I love that Trader Joes has seeds in their fridge section; I’ve been too terrified to pluck them out myself. This is a wonderful tutorial—thank you!

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  6. I didn’t realize how much trouble it is to retrieve pomegranate seeds, as I have never eaten one before. Thanks for the tips! This will save much frustration when I try one in the future! :)

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  7. I really love your blog. The recipes are mouthwatering, but it’s the how-to’s and the photo tips that blow me away. I just wanted to say you’re incredible, and thanks for the posts!

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  8. I used to love these as a child, growing up poor, they were a special treat for me! I recently bought a couple to eat, and being an adult, forgot how tedious they are to get to the delicious seeds inside. Yesterday, I had the first one eaten and the whole process took over 2 hours! I am doing this method with the second one and any future ones!

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  9. Perfect timing!
    I did NOT pick up a pomegranate at the market this past weekend because I didn’t want to deal with cutting it. Will pick one up this weekend ! Thanks :)

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