Sunshine in a glass is totally necessary right now. It’s not just that we’re knee-deep in the gray of winter, but my family is recovering from a particularly frigid trip to Disneyland. The day we arrived, temps were hovering in the 30s with strong gusts and pelting rain. This was Southern California?! Later in the trip, the sun came out, but things never really heated up like we’d expected. Until the instant our plane took off for home, at which point I think 70 might have been reached. Of course.

We were stubborn, though, and we still swam in the hotel pool while we were there. Brrrrr. And – possibly related but probably not – we all subsequently came down with colds.

So this smoothie is doubly awesome for us right now. We’re at least getting our sunshine in liquid form, and a germ-fighting vitamin C boost, to boot.

I love the unfussy nature of this smoothie. I always have frozen mango cubes in my freezer – I stock up at Costco or Trader Joe’s. They taste incredible in smoothies, plus they make the things ice cold without having to freeze your banana or add ice cube. The banana, combined with orange juice – freshly squeezed or not – makes for a nice, creamy base. And then pomegranates arils add that signature tart flavor and a nice sunny pink hue.

If the sunshine doesn’t come to you, sometimes you gotta make your own.

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Though I have to admit, antioxidants weren’t really front-of-mind when I decided to make these. I was thinking more about the pretty colors and bountiful flavors. Blood oranges bring a slightly tart, almost concentrated orange flavor to the table (though this can also depend on the specific oranges you get). And pomegranate juice gives it that signature juicy jolt – almost raspberry in flavor. Combined, you’ve got a fancy pink, sparkly cocktail on your hands that tastes as good as it looks.

I tend towards Prosecco when making champagne cocktails because overly-sweet sparkling wine isn’t really my thing. But I have to admit that a teaspoonful of sugar (or, to be more champagne-cocktail authentic, a sugar cube) really makes it when using a drier wine. You could also start out with something sweeter and skip the wine – like a Moscato. Make it yours!

I can’t decide which part I’m more in love with – the gorgeous over-the-top blood orange slices, or the way the champagne bubbles make the pomegranate arils dance around while you’re drinking it. Or, you know, the champagne cocktail itself.

Lively, luscious, sparkly pink – and a little health boost, while we’re at it. This little champagne cocktail has you covered.

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But first, a bit about pomegranates …

Here in the U.S., pomegranates area a seasonal fruit generally available in late fall to early winter.

Packed with vitamins and other good stuff, pomegranate seeds, or “arils,” are juicy little bites of heaven. But here’s what you might be wondering … 

Can you eat pomegranate seeds?

The quick answer is, of course! Pomegranate arils are comprised of an outer, sweet, juicy layer surrounding a small, white, hard seed. You can spit out the seed, but you don’t have to – most people eat the entire aril, seed and all. Whole pomegranate arils are a delightful combo of juicy and crunchy – so delicious!

BUT …  they can be a tad daunting to get to. So please read on for my method for getting from this…

To this! (It’s easier than you might think!)

How to Cut and Deseed a Pomegranate

Selecting your pomegranate

Choose a pomegranate that is very heavy for its size – that indicates it has lots of perfectly juicy arils inside.

How to cut a pomegranate

First, you want to slice off the top – the end with the part that sticks up, the flower or the crown. To preserve as many seeds as possible, try to keep this slice as thin as possible. You want to be able to see the segments of the pomegranate, but not sacrifice too many of those delicious arils. 

Then, make several slices, just piercing the outer layer. Score along the main segment lines for the most fuss-free deseeding experience.

How to deseed a pomegranate

Well, the obvious answer is to simply pull apart the sections of pomegranate and start removing the seeds with your thumbs. 

But my favorite method for actually getting the seeds out is to place the pomegranate in a bowl of water. Why? Well, because all those annoying little pieces of white pith will come floating to the top. Then, just skim them off and discard. So easy! 

Just place the pomegranate, cut side down in the bowl. Then separate the segments and nudge the seeds out with your hands under water. The seeds will sink to the bottom, and the white stuff (pith) will float to the top!

When the pith gets to be too much, just skim it off, discard, and keep going.

Strain and store your pomegranate seeds

Dump your seeds into a strainer over your sink and rinse. Picky out any remaining pieces of pith.

Aaaand, now we come to the best part. EAT!

Enjoy your pomegranate seeds on a salad, over roasted veggies, sprinkled on vanilla ice cream, or straight up. 

Or on a salad. Or over vanilla ice cream. Or with roasted Brussels sprouts. Yum!

To store, refrigerate your pomegranate arils in an airtight container for up to five days. Then you can have a handful or sprinkle whenever you like!

Print

How to Cut and Deseed a Pomegranate

Pomegranate arils are delicious and nutritious. But if you have a whole fruit on your hands, what’s the easiest way to get to the seeds? Here’s how!

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Calories 18kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 pomegranate

Equipment:

• Sharp knife
• Medium bowl

Instructions

• Slice off the top of the pomegranate (the end with the part that sticks up, the flower or the crown.)
• Make several slices, just piercing the outer layer. Try to score along the main segment lines for the most fuss-free deseeding experience.
• Pull apart the segments of the pomegranate and place them in a medium bowl of lukewarm water.
• Nudge the seeds out with your fingers, letting the seeds sink to the bottom of the bowl and the pith float to the top.
• Skim the pith off and discard.
• Transfer the arils to a wire-mesh strainer and rinse. Pick off any remaining bits of pith and discard.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablepoons | Calories: 18kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Sodium: 1018mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g

Originally published November 6, 2009. Updated January 25, 2020. 

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