We’re havin’ a heat wave! Time for some pomegranate lemonade.
That’s right, it’s hot in Southern California. And it’s also pomegranate season. That means we need to use a little summer-meets-fall produce magic to help ourselves cool off. This sweet-tart pomegranate lemonade has just enough of a “zing” factor to perk you up after a hot day.
To make the lemonade, we started with these beautiful fall pomegranates from Melissa’s Produce (shown here mixed with red pears).
How do you get the juice out of the little red seed drops (called arils)? We researched (and tested) all sorts of different techniques. At one point we had a kid filling a Ziploc baggie with seeds and using a rolling pin to roll out the juices. But in the end, the easiest and least messy way to juice them was to cut them in half and ream them with a lemon squeezer. (One “con” that we read about with that approach was that the juice might taste bitter, but we didn’t notice any bitterness when juicing them this way.) After that, we just mixed up the juice with fresh-squeezed lemon juice and lots and lots of ice. Oh, and a little mint too, for some of that extra “cool” factor.
Pomegranate Lemonade Recipe
Pomegranate Lemonade
A sweet-tart lemonade made with pomegranates that is super-refreshing on a hot day.
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup fresh-squeezed pomegranate juice
- 1 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- 5 cups (additional) water and ice
- mint leaves for garnish (optional)
Instructions
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Make a simple syrup: Combine the sugar and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan; heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is simmering. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
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In a large pitcher, combine the pomegranate juice, lemon juice, simple syrup, water and ice. Adjust water level to taste. Serve garnished with fresh mint leaves.
P.S. Looking for another refreshing lemonade? Try our Orange-Ginger Lemonade.
Beautiful!
Thanks, Dorothy!
How perfect for this week! Looks so beautiful and refreshing!
Thanks, Valentina! Hope everyone is a little cooler today!