10 Festive Pomegranate Recipes Perfect for the Holidays

Sprinkle pomegranate arils all over this holiday season for a splash of ruby red color.

You don’t have to be a gourmet chef or Julia Child to incorporate pomegranates into your diet – the juicy fruit is so versatile, it’s easy to find ways to use it in your everyday cooking.

The ruby red arils of pomegranates not only help brighten up any dish, but they’re also loaded with antioxidants. Pomegranate arils are a solid source of fiber: There are 11 grams of fiber in each 8 oz container of arils, or 39% of the recommended daily intake.

“We know Americans don’t get enough fiber and we need it for our digestive health,” says Maggie Moon, Registered Dietitian and Head of Nutrition Communications at The Wonderful Company. “Because the fiber is packed into these beautiful rubies that are so juicy, sweet and tart, people don’t always consider it a good source of fiber because it doesn’t taste like cardboard.”

Arils also offer a good source of vitamin C. (And we all know that fueling yourself with healthy foods, drinks, and antioxidants is your best offense and defense all year round.)

Fresh, whole pomegranate juice contains additional nutrients from the rind, skin and pith of the fruit, and is a good source of potassium. “Potassium has recently been recognized in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans as a nutrient of public health concern, which means we’re not getting enough of it,” Moon says. “An easy way to get close to this requirement is to add pomegranate juice to a smoothie, or simply use it in glazes or salad dressings.”

Whether you prefer to drink the juice or simply eat the fresh arils, let’s not forget that this powerful fruit is known for its antioxidants and can be part of a healthy diet and lifestyle, two factors that can help you age well.

“We have free radicals circulating in our bodies that cause damage at the cellular level over time, and antioxidants help quench them and make them more stable,” Moon says. “Antioxidants come in and give our body a helping hand against free radicals.”

Pomegranates are an easy (and delicious) ingredient to add to almost any dish, from your overnight oats to a roasted carrot side dish to yogurt cheesecake bites. “I put arils on everything,” Moon says. “They are so beautiful and they add a nice crunch. Wherever you want a bright note, that’s where you can put arils. I put them on salads, cereal bowls, on turkey – I put them everywhere.

Pomegranate season runs from November to January, so we’re sharing 10 delicious recipes to try during the holiday season (and long before the New Year):