Pomegranate Vinaigrette

This simple Pomegranate Vinaigrette takes virtually no time to whip up in the blender and is a nice alternative to a traditional balsamic vinaigrette with the bonus of a pretty pink color.

Pomegranate season here in Canada is typically from October to February so whipping up this pretty pink Pomegranate Vinaigrette is the perfect dressing for Valentine’s Day and to take advantage of this colorful fruit while it is at its best and easily found at any grocery store.

We tend to eat a salad every day either as a side dish or at the end of each meal.  My husband is Italian and coming from a very Anglo-Saxon background eating salad at the end of a dinner seemed completely off the wall to me.  But it turns out that eating salad at the end of a meal is actually considered to be good for digestion in both Italian and French cultures.  Here are some other salad ideas if you are a salad lover like me.

Pomegranates are what give this Pomegranate Vinaigrette a nice pink color but let’s face it this fruit is not the easiest to get those seeds out of.  I have ruined many a shirt trying to get those seeds out and have learned a few tricks.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Olive oil
• Pomegranate seeds – the fresher the better. You won’t get much juice from dried out seeds.
• Lemon juice – fresh squeezed
• Lemon zest – zest the lemon first and then use the same lemon for the lemon juice.
• Honey – adds a touch of sweetness to balance out the acidity of the lemon and pomegranate.
• Salt and pepper

How to Pick The Perfect Pomegranate

To find the ripest juiciest pomegranate you have to be one of those people who touch all the fruit. Look for pomegranates that are firm on the outside and feel a little heavier than you would expect. The heavy feeling means that the pomegranate you are manhandling is full of juicy goodness.

Look for a deep or bright red color. If the skin is cracked, dented, or has dark patches, put it back. It is likely starting to get old and those cracks are just slowly drying the insides of that poor pomegranate out.

How To Remove Pomegranate Seeds:

• Cut the pomegranate into quarters

• Fill a large bowl full of cold water

• Submerge the pomegranate in the large bowl of water and under the water peel back the skin and pop the seeds out.  This will prevent the red juice from squirting all over your nice white shirt.  Because I always seem to be wearing white while doing this.

• The soft membranes from the inside of the pomegranate will float to the top.  Scoop them out and throw them away along with the harder shell.

• Pour the water and seeds into a large sieve and remove the remaining white membrane pieces.

• Store seeds covered in the fridge for up to a week.

• Any leftover seeds are great additions to salads as a crunch topping so toss a few extra into your salad. They give salads a great pop of color too!

How to Make Pomegranate Vinaigrette

There is not much to say here. Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. You will still have a few seeds kicking around but you will notice that the color of the dressing will turn pink from the majority of the seeds being juiced.

How to Store Pomegranate Dressing

Store any leftover dressing in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and then keep it in the fridge. You will likely be able to get 2 or 3 salads out of this recipe. This recipe keeps well for about a week.

I had this pomegranate salad dressing again last night for dinner.  It was so good I actually had one of those moments where I exclaimed “Damn that is good dressing!”  For real.  Give it a try and see for yourself.