Ingredient Guides

How to Cut a Pomegranate and Make Pomegranate Juice

By Samira Kazan

updated April 11, 2025

How to deseed and juice a pomegranate like a pro – a foolproof method on how to cut a pomegranate, avoid cutting into the seeds, and deseed it, all within a couple of minutes!

Pomegranate fruit seeds and juice in a bottle - 1

Pomegranate seeds and fresh pomegranate juice have been a staple in my kitchen since I was a child. The tart but sweet juicy seeds burst with flavor, adding a boost to dishes both savory and sweet. Plus, the juice is an amazingly refreshing option for any time of the year.

Over the years I’ve used a few methods to de-seed pomegranates at varying levels of success. I’ve ended up cutting into the seeds, squashing them when trying to release them from the skin, and ending up with kitchen counters looking like a murder scene.

Until I found this ‘star’ method that works and I haven’t looked back. De-seeding a pomegranate might seem like such a small thing, in the grand scheme of things. However, when you’re doing it more than once a week (and especially if you’re opening multiple at once for fresh pomegranate juice) – a super simple hack is a godsend.

Pomegranate - 2

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  • How to open a pomegranate
  • How to make pomegranate juice with the seeds
  • How to Deseed and Juice a Pomegranate Recipe

How to open a pomegranate

Needed:

  • pomegranates – depending on what you need the juice for, you need a different number of pomegranates. 5 large pomegranate fruits yielded for me 750ml juice.
  • hand mixer
  • fine sieve or nut milk bag

Note* Be warned – be careful with your choice of cutting board/surface when dealing with pomegranate, as it can stain certain surfaces.

The Step By Step:

Deseeding a pomegranate

Carefully cut open the top 1/3 part of the skin. Make a circular incision around the calyx (the flower-like petals on top of the fruit). Make sure to cut lightly so only the skin gets pierced (it has a fairly thick skin but still requires a light touch).

Opening a pomegranate - 3

Make 5-6 incisions downward towards the bottom of the fruit. It would be as if you are cutting out 5-6 petals.

Opening a pomegranate - 4

Remove the top of the pomegranate (with the calyx).

Opening the top of a pomegranate - 5

Press with your fingers in the center of the fruit over the fleshy white part. Then pull apart the pomegranate towards the cuts you made. It will open up like a flower.

Opened pomegranate - 6

Turn the pomegranate seeds-down over a large bowl.

Opened pomegranate - 7

Hit the fruit a few times with a big wooden spoon. This will make all the seeds come out.

Deseeded pomegranate with seeds and flesh - 8

If there are any seeds still stuck in the flesh, you can carefully pop them out.

Deseeded pomegranate with seeds and flesh - 9

Fill up the bowl with water. The seeds will sink and any pieces of the white flesh will float on top. You can then easily collect them with a spoon.

Pomegranate seeds in a water and flesh - 10

Drain the water.

Pomegranate seeds in a plate - 11

You can keep the seeds in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

5 large pomegranates yield about 1 kg of seeds.

How to make pomegranate juice with the seeds

Drinking pomegranate juice on its own is a wonderful refreshing slightly sweet, slightly tart drink. However, it is also a wonderful addition to a huge variety of juice blends, too.

Collect all the seeds in a large bowl.

Pomegranate seeds in a bowl - 12

To juice the seeds, you can use a hand-held blender to crush and mash the seeds into a watery purée (or alternatively use a blender)

Blending pomegranate seeds - 13

Then sieve the liquid out using a mesh strainer, pressing on the mashed seeds to get every last drop.

Mashed Pomegranate seeds in a sieve - 14

Alternatively, if you don’t have a convenient mixer, just use a nut milk bag.

Fill the nut milk bag with the seeds then squeeze all the juice out.

Pomegranate juice - 15

1 kg of pomegranate seeds yields about 750 ml for this juice recipe.

Pomegranate juice and pulp on the side - 16

Store in a glass bottle in the fridge for up to 5 days.

You can also use this juice to make Pomegranate Molasses or even Homemade Pomegranate kombucha.

Pomegranate fruit seeds and juice in a bottle - 17

Equipment

  • Nut milk bag

Ingredients1x2x3x

  • ▢ 5 large pomegranates

Instructions

Deseeding a pomegranate

  • Carefully cut the top 1/3 part of the skin. Make a circular incision around the calyx (the flower-like petals on top of the fruit). Make sure to cut lightly so only the skin gets pierced.Â
  • Make 5-6 incisions downward, towards the bottom of the fruit. It would be as if you are cutting out 5-6 petals.
  • Remove the top part (the calyx).
  • Press with your fingers in the center of the fruit over the fleshy white part. Then pull apart the pomegranate towards the cuts you made. It will open up like a flower.
  • Turn the pomegranate seeds down over a large bowl and hit the fruit a few times with a big wooden spoon. This will make all the seeds come out. If there are any seeds still stuck in the flesh, you can carefully pop them out.Â
  • Fill up the bowl with water. All the seeds will stay at the bottom and any pieces of the white flesh will float on top. You can easily collect them with a spoon.Â
  • Drain the water. You can keep the seeds in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Juicing pomegranate seeds

  • Collect all the seeds in a large bowl.Â
  • You can use a hand-held blender to crush and mash the seeds into a watery purée. (alternatively use a blender)
  • Then sieve the liquid out through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing on the mashed seeds to get every last drop. Alternatively, if you don’t have a convenient mixer, just use a nut milk bag. Fill the nut milk bag with the seeds then squeeze all the juice out.Â
  • Store in a glass bottle in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Video

Notes

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Square pomegranate juice - 18

How to Deseed and Juice a Pomegranate

Equipment

  • Nut milk bag

Ingredients

  • 5 large pomegranates

Instructions

Deseeding a pomegranate

  • Carefully cut the top 1/3 part of the skin. Make a circular incision around the calyx (the flower-like petals on top of the fruit). Make sure to cut lightly so only the skin gets pierced.
  • Make 5-6 incisions downward, towards the bottom of the fruit. It would be as if you are cutting out 5-6 petals.
  • Remove the top part (the calyx).
  • Press with your fingers in the center of the fruit over the fleshy white part. Then pull apart the pomegranate towards the cuts you made. It will open up like a flower.
  • Turn the pomegranate seeds down over a large bowl and hit the fruit a few times with a big wooden spoon. This will make all the seeds come out. If there are any seeds still stuck in the flesh, you can carefully pop them out.
  • Fill up the bowl with water. All the seeds will stay at the bottom and any pieces of the white flesh will float on top. You can easily collect them with a spoon.
  • Drain the water. You can keep the seeds in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Juicing pomegranate seeds

  • Collect all the seeds in a large bowl.
  • You can use a hand-held blender to crush and mash the seeds into a watery purée. (alternatively use a blender)
  • Then sieve the liquid out through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing on the mashed seeds to get every last drop. Alternatively, if you don’t have a convenient mixer, just use a nut milk bag. Fill the nut milk bag with the seeds then squeeze all the juice out.
  • Store in a glass bottle in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Video

Notes

Nutrition

Recipe on Alphafoodie: https://www.alphafoodie.com/how-to-cut-a-pomegranate-juice/