While pomegranates can stay fresh for a while under the right conditions, you don’t want to wait too long before using those juicy seeds. If you’re looking to stretch out your harvest without losing that signature sweet-tart flavor, freezing is definitely the way to go!
How to Seed a Pomegranate
When it comes to freezing, we’re only interested in those vitamin-packed seeds (arils). To get to them, you’ll need to open the fruit. If you’re working with a ripe pomegranate, the easiest way is to gently score the skin and break it open near the flower end. I usually recommend avoiding a full cross-cut with a knife—slicing right through the middle tends to damage too many seeds, and those bruised ones aren’t great for freezing.
Even with a perfectly ripe fruit, it’s hard to avoid a little mess. I’d suggest wearing gloves because that red juice stains like crazy! Keep a bowl handy to catch any juice that escapes so you can use it later.
Freezing the Seeds Individually
For the best results, you only want to freeze the seeds that are still intact. If you end up with a lot of crushed ones, you’re better off juicing the pomegranate and freezing the liquid instead.
Here’s my step-by-step guide to freezing:
- Line a cutting board or baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread the seeds out on the paper, making sure they aren’t touching each other.
- Pop the board into the freezer.
- Once they’re frozen solid (usually by the next day), transfer them into a freezer bag or container.
- Get them back into the freezer immediately.
This “flash freezing” method is a lifesaver if you have a pomegranate tree in your backyard and need to process the fruit as it ripens one by one. It keeps the seeds from clumping together into a giant frozen brick!
Using Your Frozen Pomegranate Seeds
Freezing isn’t your only option—you can also dry pomegranate seeds—but I find that frozen seeds are way more versatile in the kitchen.
You can toss thawed seeds right into your favorite salads. They might lose a tiny bit of their “crunch” compared to fresh ones, but the flavor is still spot on. You can also juice them straight from the freezer by steaming them or simmering them with a splash of water.
Quick tip: Sometimes a few seeds might burst during the freezing process. To make sure you don’t lose any of that liquid gold, always let them thaw in a bowl so you can catch any juice that runs off!
