Pomegranate Vinaigrette

This sweet tart pomegranate vinaigrette is a fruity dressing that makes any salad irresistible! Use it in all your favorite salad recipes.

Here’s a sweet tart dressing that’s 100% irresistible: this Pomegranate Vinaigrette! It’s a genius way to use up a bottle of pomegranate juice, or a great way to use a fresh pomegranate to make absolute magic. Whatever the case, a drizzle of this tangy goodness makes anything more delicious. Try it on our Perfect Pomegranate Salad or really any green salad you throw together. (Baby greens + this dressing = salad!)

Ingredients in this pomegranate vinaigrette

There are lots of ways to make a pomegranate vinaigrette: the two main ways to incorporate the fruit are using the seeds or juice. This dressing features pomegranate juice, since it’s pretty easy to find in your local grocery. But you can also make the juice from fresh seeds (see below!) This makes this recipe totally versatile. Here’s what you’ll need to make pomegranate vinaigrette:

• 100% pomegranate juice: make sure what you buy is unsweetened, or see below on how to make your own juice from pomegranate seeds
• Dijon mustard: Essential for flavor and makes a creamy emulsion
• Red wine vinegar: Adds a zing
• Maple syrup: Enhances the sweet just enough
• Extra virgin olive oil: Brings it all together

Buy 100% pomegranate juice, or make it homemade!

There are two ways to find pomegranate juice for this pomegranate vinaigrette: purchased juice or fresh squeezed juice! So whether you have the juice or a whole pomegranate, you can make this dressing. Here’s what to know about the options:

• Buy bottled 100% pomegranate juice, not sweetened. Make sure your juice isn’t sweetened: you’ll want it to be all juice.
• Make juice with the whole fruit, a jar and a cocktail muddler or potato masher. First, cut and seed the pomegranate: it’s no small task, but it’s easy and mess free using that method. Then place the seeds in a jar and smash them with a cocktail muddler or potato masher. Strain it and you’ve got some seriously delicious juice! Go to How to Make Pomegranate Juice.

Is there a benefit to one or the other? Well, fresh squeezed juice has a brighter, more brilliant color so your pomegranate vinaigrette will be more vibrant. It also tastes a little sweeter, so the flavor will also be slightly better with fresh juice. But bottled works too!

Tips for making pomegranate vinaigrette

Once you’ve got your juice in hand, it’s easy to make pomegranate vinaigrette! The only thing to note is a few tips about the method for making an emulsion, where the liquids and olive oil form one uniform texture. Here’s what to know:

• Size matters! Use a medium-sized bowl. You’ll need a big enough bowl to allow for maximum agitation of the oil, juice and vinegar, which forms a creamy emulsion.
• Whisk in the olive oil as gradually as possible. With each addition, whisk until the liquids and oil are combined into one. This is the key to achieving a uniform texture.

Storage info

This homemade pomegranate vinaigrette lasts for 2 weeks in the fridge: if it stays around that long! It’s so delicious, it doesn’t last long in our refrigerator.

Note that when cooled, the olive oil in the dressing solidifies. Before you serve it, make sure to set it out on the counter to come to room temperature: it only takes a few minutes. Then shake it up and drizzle on salads!

Best salads with pomegranate vinaigrette

The very best salads? Well, we think they’re the ones you throw together on a weeknight when you’re not even thinking about it. Add a few handfuls of baby greens, pomegranate dressing, and some nuts or cheese crumbles, and you’re golden! But if you like to follow recipes (and use them for ideas, as we do), here are some of our favorite ideas for using this pomegranate vinaigrette:

• Pomegranate salad: Of course! Drizzle the good stuff in our Pomegranate Green Salad with pomegranate seeds, green apple, and toasted pecans.
• Berry salad: Fruity pomegranate pairs well with berries. Try it in  Strawberry Salad, Blackberry Salad or Blueberry Salad.
• Spinach salad: Drizzle it over Spinach Apple Salad.
• Arugula salad: Add it to Easy Arugula Salad or Arugula Beet Salad.
• Citrus salad: Tangy pomegranate pairs well with citrus; try it on Simple Citrus Salad or Fennel Orange Salad

This pomegranate vinaigrette recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free

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