How to Open a Pomegranate

Co-authored by Ollie George Cigliano and Danielle Blinka, MA, MPA

Last Updated: September 9, 2024 Approved

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Pomegranates are a delicious, nutritious fruit, but getting them open can seem tricky. Fortunately, there are a few simple techniques for opening this yummy fruit. If you just want to eat it, it's easiest to make shallow slices with a knife and then pull the fruit apart. If you want to remove the seeds, you can halve the pomegranate, then either submerge it in water or hit it with a spoon.

Opening a Pomegranate

To open a pomegranate without making too much of a mess, start by rolling the fruit on a cutting board to loosen the seeds. Then, cut it in half. Grasp the edges with your fingers and press it inside out over a wide bowl.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Cutting Vertically

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1
Roll the pomegranate on your cutting board to loosen the seeds. Flatten your hand and press it over the top of the fruit. Use a firm pressure to push down on the pomegranate as you roll it over the surface of the cutting board.
- This will make it much easier to remove the seeds.
Variation: If your counter is clean, you may prefer to roll the pomegranate on the countertop rather than your cutting board.
2
Position your pomegranate in the middle of the cutting board. Use a plastic or wooden cutting board when opening a pomegranate. Since pomegranate juice stains pretty much everything, you may want to protect your cutting board with a cloth.
- Additionally, it's helpful to wear rubber gloves while you're cutting a pomegranate, as your fingers might get stained.
- You can also work above a water bowl to contain the juice that stains easily. ^{[1]
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  Expert Source
  
  Ollie George Cigliano
  Private Chef & Food Educator
  
  Expert Interview. 31 January 2022.}
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3
Cut the top (flower) off of the pomegranate.^{[2]
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Ollie George Cigliano
Private Chef & Food Educator

Expert Interview. 31 January 2022.} The top is also called the flower. Use a knife to remove the top of the pomegranate, where the nub from the stem remains. Then, pop it off like a lid. Discard it in your compost or trash.^{[3]
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- You might also remove the bottom of the pomegranate, but this is completely optional.
4
Slice the pomegranate in half, along the ridges. Look inside your pomegranate and find the natural boundaries that separate the seeds, which will be white. These are the ridges. Align your knife with the centermost ridge, then slice through.^{[4]
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- You don't want to cut through the seeds of the pomegranate, only the white parts that make up the ridge.
5
Cut each of the ridges to create 5 slices for easy eating. Slice your knife through each white barrier inside the pomegranate, which separates the seeds. This should create 5 slices, which will be connected at the bottom. Pull off each piece to eat the seeds.^{[5]
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- You can scoop the seeds out with a spoon or pick them out. The white part is bitter and fibrous, so it's best to avoid eating it.
- The open pomegranate will look like a flower or star.
Variation: You might prefer to cut off the bottom of the pomegranate so that the slices won't be stuck together.
Use your hands to gently rip the pomegranate into 2 halves. They may not be even halves, depending on where the ridge was located inside the pomegranate.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Cutting Along the Side

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1
Roll your pomegranate on the cutting board to loosen the seeds. With a flat palm, apply gentle pressure along the side of the pomegranate. Continue to press firmly against it as you roll the pomegranate over your clean cutting board.
- This will make it much easier to remove the seeds.
2
Put your pomegranate on its side on a cutting board. Place the pomegranate so that the fleshy side is facing the cutting board. The ends of the pomegranate should be sticking out. You may want to place a towel under the pomegranate, as the juice stains.^{[6]
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- It's a good idea to wear rubber gloves, as pomegranates can stain your fingers.
Slice the center first, then make 2 cuts approximately .25 inches (0.64 cm) from both the top and bottom. Cut just into the skin of the pomegranate, careful not to cut down into the seeds.^{[7]
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Ollie George Cigliano
Private Chef & Food Educator

Expert Interview. 31 January 2022.} The fruit should still be in one piece after you make the cuts.^{[8]
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4
Tear or cut off the top and bottom of the fruit. You should be able to pop the top and bottom off like a lid. Then, discard them in your compost or trash bin. You should be able to see the seeds. If not, pull away any flesh that's still covering the seeds.^{[9]
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- On the top, a bit of the calyx, which is the name of the stem or crown, may still be lodged into the fruit. If it is, remove it gently.
5
Turn the pomegranate so the cut sides face out, then slice again. Make the same shallow cuts that you did before. Be sure that you don't cut all the way through the fruit, as you don't want to cut the seeds.^{[10]
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- This will make it easier to pull your pomegranate apart to eat it.
6
Roll the pomegranate to the other side, then make a shallow cut. Just like before, your cut should only pierce the skin. Don't push your knife all the way through the fruit.
- At this point, your pomegranate will be exposed on the top and bottom. Additionally, it will have 5 shallow cuts along its skin.
7
Use your thumbs to pull the pomegranate apart.^{[11]
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Expert Source

Ollie George Cigliano
Private Chef & Food Educator

Expert Interview. 31 January 2022.} Stick your thumbs into the center cut, then tear the pomegranate into 2 halves. Next, push your thumbs into the other 2 shallow cuts you made and tear apart the slices. This will create several small chunks of pomegranate, which you can eat.^{[12]
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- You should see lots of tasty seeds inside your pomegranate pieces.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Submerging in Water to Remove Seeds

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^{[13]
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Expert Source

Ollie George Cigliano
Private Chef & Food Educator

Expert Interview. 31 January 2022.} Use clean water, as you'll be consuming the pomegranate seeds. Add enough water to the bowl to cover both halves of the pomegranate.
There's no need to cut off the top or bottom if you're just removing the seeds. Just make a thin cut through the skin of the pomegranate. Don't cut deeply, as you don't want to cut the seeds.
3
Use your thumbs to tear the pomegranate into 2 halves. Dig your thumbs into the side of the pomegranate, then gently pull the fruit apart. The sides should be roughly even, but it's okay if they're not.
- Removing the seeds will be easier if the pieces are even.
Variation: If you want to get the seeds out faster, you can make 2 additional shallow lines on the fruit. Then, rip the pomegranate into 4 pieces. This will expose more of the surface area, so the seeds will come out faster.
After it's been in the water for a few minutes, you'll start to see the white parts, called the pith, floating away from the pomegranate. As it does, the seeds will come out.
5
Use your fingers to nudge the seeds free, if they're stuck. The white pith will float and the seeds will sink. When most of the seeds are out, you'll be able to invert the skin to get out the remaining seeds. When you're finished, you'll be left with the skeleton of the pomegranate, like two inverted caps.
- You may need to pull some seeds out of the pith, if they're stuck.
^{[14]
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Expert Source

Ollie George Cigliano
Private Chef & Food Educator

Expert Interview. 31 January 2022.} Take out the skin, then skim off the white pith. Throw these in your compost or trash bin. Then, slowly pour the water and pomegranate seeds over a kitchen strainer. This will collect the seeds, which you can place in a bowl for use.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Removing the Seeds with a Wooden Spoon

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Use a knife to just cut through the skin itself. Don't cut through the pomegranate, as you don't want to slice through the seeds.^{[15]
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2
Use your thumbs to pull your pomegranate into 2 halves. Stick your thumbs through the slice, then tear the pomegranate apart. This should leave 2 separate slices that are nearly even.
- If the slices are uneven, that's okay. However, if one slice is very big, then it's best to pull it apart again. Simply slice through the skin, then tear it into 2 slices. This will make it easier to get the seeds out.
Hold the pomegranate by the side or place it in your splayed palm. Position the fruit over a medium to large bowl that's big enough to catch the seeds as they fall.
4
Hit the skin of the pomegranate with a wooden spoon. This will knock the seeds out of the pomegranate and into the bowl. Continue to hit the pomegranate until all of the seeds come out.
- Once you finish with one half, repeat the process to de-seed the other side.
Tip: As you hit the pomegranate, some juice might splash out of it. This juice can stain fabric and surfaces.

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What is the easiest way to open a pomegranate?

Ollie George Cigliano
Private Chef & Food Educator
Ollie George Cigliano is a Private Chef, Food Educator, and Owner of Ollie George Cooks, based in Long Beach, California. With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in utilizing fresh, fun ingredients and mixing traditional and innovative cooking techniques. Ollie George holds a BA in Comparative Literature from The University of California, Berkeley, and a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from eCornell University.

Ollie George Cigliano

Private Chef & Food Educator

Expert Answer

Remove the stem at the top of the fruit using a paring knife. Next, score the sides by cutting the skin between the ridges from top to bottom. If you can’t feel the ridges, just make about six evenly spaced cuts around the fruit. Then, pull it apart with your thumbs.

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How do I eat a pomegranate?

Community Answer

After opening the pomegranate, you can remove the red seeds and eat them as is. You can also use them in a parfait, fruit salad, jam, etc.

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I planted some pomegranate in Jos Plateau State, Nigeria. I get one or two fruits once in a while. How can I improve the fruiting?

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Check the quality and acidity of the soil, or use a fertilizer or nutrient rich compounds.

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Tips

A large pomegranate can yield around 1 teaspoon to one tablespoon of juice, which can be collected easily if the fruit is opened over a dish or bowl.

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Warnings

Be careful when handling a knife.

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Pomegranates can easily stain anything their juice touches.^{[16]
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Expert Source

Ollie George Cigliano
Private Chef & Food Educator

Expert Interview. 31 January 2022.} Wear appropriate clothes and/or gloves while dealing with this fruit.

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