Holiday Pomegranate Guacamole
Who knew that adding pomegranates to guacamole takes it to a whole new level! This holiday pomegranate guacamole is fantastic!
Some years ago, I was talking to Brian’s aunt who lives in California and she off-handedly mentioned she has a pomegranate shrub in her front yard (conversation brought on discussing this divine pomegranate cheesecake I made for dessert).
I’m not sure but I think I made a fool of myself asking if I could visit or move in or maybe just come and get it. You know, lovingly take it off her hands and transplant it to Idaho.
I heart pomegranates big time.
And since I double heart guacamole, it seems only sensible to combine the two.
I don’t have an actual recipe for guac since I usually throw and mash those yummy avocados together with fresh lime juice, garlic, salt and pepper and call it good.
But I have a feeling now that I know about (and have devoured) this pomegranate guacamole, I’m going to be shedding buckets of tears in, say, June, when there isn’t a pomegranate to be found in my grocery store.
Good thing I know where to find homegrown ones even if it would necessitate a 15-hour road trip.
Assuming the little beauties grow year round, that is. I actually have no idea if they do.
Now I feel like I need to go study up on my horticulture unless one of you smarties wants to enlighten me (since I’m too lazy, blame it on post-Thanksgiving lethargy, to just google it).
One Year Ago: Perfect Pumpkin Pancakes
Two Years Ago: Apple Dapple Cake with Warm Vanilla Cream Sauce
Three Years Ago: Black and White Holiday Bark
Holiday Pomegranate Guacamole
Ingredients
- 2-3 medium avocados
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- ½ teaspoon coriander or cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt + more to taste
- Pinch of black pepper
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- ½ – ¾ cup pomegranate arils, from about 1 medium pomegranate
Instructions
- Halve the avocados, take out the seed and scoop the flesh into a medium bowl. Drizzle the lime juice over the avocados and lightly mash the avocados with a fork. Add the coriander or cumin, salt, pepper and cayenne, and mash again until desired consistency. Gently stir in the pomegranate arils. Serve immediately.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: lightly adapted from a recipe sent to me by a reader, Caitlin J (thanks!)
I hope this doesn’t sound blasphemous but does anyone know if a lazy person in a hurry could make a reasonable copy of this by using store bought guacamole and mixing in some pomegranate arils and maybe some spices? I’m picturing Costco’s guacamole and the arils I think they still sell.
I think it would work great!
We love this!! I’ve made it multiple times and it is always a hit at parties and gatherings. Thank you for your recipes that put fun and festive twists on what would normally be…normal! 🙂
Thanks, Emily!
Well, I was skeptical but I tried it and loved it. It won’t take the place of my everyday guacamole but it was a hit with my kids who tried it. It was creamy and the pomegranate gave it color and a fresh taste! Thanks for sharing another great recipe!
Hi Mel! I know you said in this post that you don’t have a basic guacamole recipe because you just throw it together; however, for those of us who need specific measurements, would it be possible to get a basic recipe? Pretty please? 🙂
Hey Marcie – ok, let me see here. I usually do 2-3 ripe avocados. I add the juice of half a lime, a pinch of coarse, kosher salt and pepper and sometimes a little bit of fresh garlic or garlic powder (just a pinch). I mash it all up until I like the look of it (mostly smooth with a few little chunky bits). Then I taste it and add more salt, pepper and lime if it needs it.
Wow! You’re the best! Thank you for doing this! I will try your guacamole recipe. I just made your unbelievable chocolate cake tonight too and it was delicious, of course! Thank you so much! 🙂
I add a tiny bit of mayo to the same ingredients too…maybe just 1 tsp…it is so creamy! Yum!
Unfortunately, Poms do not grow year round. Harvest time is usually in October. But Costco (at least in our area) sells packaged arils year round.
Last night at a Christmas party, somebody had brought a dip that was chopped tomatoes, pomegranate arils, chopped avocado, and I saw cilantro in there, and I’m thinking salt and maybe lime juice. It was so good! So I can only guess this will be good too!
This sounds fabulous! We have a taco truck in town (well, 2X a week at Farmer’s Market) and he adds all kinds of interesting ingredients: peach, mango, cucumber, almonds (not all at the same time). This version sounds awesome.
So, I’ve tried the spoon method before after reading your post without success and gone back to bowl of water method. When I read your post I decided to try spoon method again… with no success. Is there a secret? When I do it, the inside membranes seem to be blocking their escape. And then when I start pulling out the membranes I basically feel like I’m doing it the old fashioned way.
I know what you mean. I abandoned the spoon method for a while for the same reasons and then realized it helped to gently pull on the pomegranate half (with the open side facing you, almost as if you are trying to break it in half like a loaf of bread). Don’t actually break it apart – but it seems tugging on it helps loosen the membranes. It seems to work for me but I do find myself pulling back some of the membranes, too, so maybe it’s just as efficient as the water method.
Love your site and use SO MANY of your recipes. Wanted to let you know I tried the pomegranate method you referenced above and I would say it is my new preferred way. I have tried the spoon method and bowl of water method. I wouldn’t recommend cutting it wearing a white shirt, but overall the easiest and least messy way. 🙂 Thanks for sharing it!
Pomegranates are so beautiful! I’m going to tell you a little secret… shhhhh… The most delicious pomegranates are grown in St. George, Utah. I don’t live there so I unfortunately had Thanksgiving without a pomegranate because the California pomegranates just don’t hold a candle to the ones from southern Utah. The St. George pomegranates are pale in color, more of a pink, so they are not as pretty, but oh my, the skins are tender and the seeds are not hard and they are SWEET instead of sour. As far as I know, pomegranates ripen in the fall and don’t produce all year, but that might be different in the California climate.
Ooooh, grinch dip!
🙂
This guac looks delicious! I never would have thought that avocados and pomegranates taste good together, but I’m definitely interested in trying it out now!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
We love pomegranate and buy them whenever they are a decent price and then freeze them to use through the year…just put in a freezer container/bag and put in freezer and they will be good to go for guacamole (or whatever) through the upcoming year…I can’t state positively but don’t believe they bear fruit year round…
I heart pomegranates too, and this looks so festive and yummy!
I am fortunate enough to have a pomegranate bush in my front yard. They are treasures for sure, especially when I see them priced from $1 to $3 EACH at the grocery store. I just happen to have 4 avocadoes that didn’t ripen in time for Thanksgiving (they either get ripe too soon or too late, what is that?). Anyway, since I am fortunate to have all the ingredients, I will try this. Oh, yeah, I’m supposed to be on a DIET !
I have been buying pomegranate kernels at Whole Foods in the frozen section. Makes it super easy. What a great idea. My husband will love it.
Thanks for sharing:)
This looks so beautiful & festive, mel~I can’t wait to make yummy holiday guac this season!!!
Never once would I have considered avocado and pomegranate going together… But now that I think about it, it sounds absolutely amazing! Definitely going to have to try this out with one of the pomegranates that I have lying around =).
Mel,
I just had to write… Thank you for the pie crust recipe (the one with the sour cream) and the video. I made my first-ever pie this weekend (apple pie!), and it was SO good! My husband can’t stop raving about it! I feel like such a rock star. Your video was super helpful to a pie-making newbie like me. 🙂
Thanks again! A big hug to you! 🙂
Yay, Christine! I’m so happy to hear that!