Updated on November 9th, 2022
If you enjoy Middle Eastern cuisine, you’re familiar with the flavour explosion of pomegranate molasses. Cooking down pomegranate juice until it becomes a thick, slightly sour syrup yields this delectable condiment. However, because this molasses is unique to Middle Eastern cuisine, it isn’t widely available. But don’t worry: your Turkish-inspired dinner won’t be spoiled. There are a variety of sweet and sour condiments that can readily replace pomegranate molasses without sacrificing flavour!
Raspberry jam, which has a sweet, acidic flavour and a jelly-like consistency, is another fruity option. It can also be cut in half to achieve the same pomegranate flavour. If you don’t want to eat sugar, cut it down to a similar level and reap the same benefits.
What are Some Substitutes for Pomegranate Juice?
1. Pomegranate Molasses
Handmade molasses is one of the many pomegranate juice replacements. In terms of flavour and consistency, homemade molasses is the closest match, and the degree of sweetness and sourness is the difference. Although it takes longer to disintegrate, the end result is a substitute as similar to the real thing as feasible.
Middle Eastern dishes employ pomegranate molasses. It contains more sugar than conventional molasses and has a stronger acidity than lemon juice. Follow these instructions to prepare a sauce using pomegranate molasses. Pomegranate arils and sugar are combined to form pomegranate molasses. Cook for about an hour or until the mixture has the consistency of syrup.
Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh screen once it has achieved the desired consistency. The completed product can be kept in a glass jar. Pomegranate molasses is a sweet-tart syrup that can be used in various recipes, including sweets, beverages, and sauces. Chefs in Middle Eastern cuisine prefer this alternative to pomegranate juice because its rich flavour complements many sauces and dishes. It can even be used to make savory recipes like braised meat.
2. Lemon-honey mix
A lemon-honey combo is one of the simplest ways to replace pomegranate juice. Lemon is acidic like pomegranate, but honey balances and counteracts it. Other citrus fruits with similar characteristics include lime and grapefruit. Simply add 2 tbsp granulated sugar and 2 tbsp lemon juice to the fruit juice to make your own lemon-honey mixture. Making a thick simple syrup from two parts sugar and one part water is also straightforward.
Raspberry jam is an alternative to pomegranate molasses. Pomegranate juice has the same sweetness as this fruit, but it is smoother. You can also use a similar product instead of molasses, such as cranberry jam or cranberry syrup. Sweet and unsweetened versions of these items are available. The key is to know how to use pomegranate juice and whether you wish to replace it with a fruit-based alternative.
3. Cranberry Juice
If pomegranate juice isn’t in your grocery budget, cranberry juice can be used instead. This sweet crimson sauce is usually only accessible in specialty stores. Pomegranate juice and its health advantages can help lower cholesterol and minimise your risk of cardiovascular disease. Pomegranate juice can also produce a delectable sauce for chicken or turkey.
4. Grand Marnier
Grand Marnier can also be used instead of pomegranate juice. Pomegranate juice has a tangy and sweet flavour with any sparkling or dry cocktail, and a dash of orange flavour from Triple Sec is also welcome. To finish, scatter pomegranate arils on top. Add a splash of orange juice and pomegranate liqueur to the classic margarita for a more festive twist.
Grand Marnier has a stronger orange flavour than the juice from an orange segment fruit cup. Most orange juice concentrate is frozen and can be used to replace half a cup of Grand Marnier in a recipe. You can also make a similar drink by mixing half a cup of orange juice with half a cup of concentrate.
5. Blackberries
Blackberries are a popular fruit that is frequently used in cooking. They have a sweet and tangy flavour and can be used in dishes instead of pomegranate, and it’s often compared to a cross between raspberries and grapes.
They are commonly used in jams, pies, and other pastries and can be eaten raw or cooked. It’s also delicious in smoothies, yogurt bowls, and other breakfast dishes.
6. Raspberries
Raspberries are little red berries with a sour flavour linked to blackberries. The inside of the fruit is soft and hollow, with smooth skin. Raspberries are naturally high in sugar; therefore, reducing them enhances their sweetness. Because of the resemblance in flavour, this substitute for pomegranate molasses is the best option. If you’re worried about the chunkiness of raspberry jam, you can dilute it and sift out the pulp for a smoother drink. You can also think of its associated items, such as syrup or juice.
Making raspberry juice into syrup follows the same steps as making molasses. To assist the liquid in evaporating less water and creating a more concentrated consistency, simply slurry it on the burner. Raspberries have a unique sweet-tart flavour among fruits. In food and beverages, raspberries are substituted for pomegranates. Jams, jellies, pies, cobblers, smoothies, and wine are all made. Supplements and healthful foods contain raspberries. Raspberries can be stored for up to six months or kept refrigerated for two weeks.
7. Lemon Juice
You may not always have grenadine, raspberry jam, or cranberry concentrate on hand to make the desired mixture. What if all you had was lemon and honey?
Don’t be concerned! Lemon juice and honey are an adaptable and friendly mix for a wonderful substitute. While lemon juice is an acidic element that produces a tart flavour, honey helps to balance it out. If you want a more acidic mixture, add more lemon juice, and vice versa. If you don’t have lemon juice on hand, lime juice can be substituted.
You might also use granulated sugar instead of honey. Lemon juice with honey is a colourless mixture that can be adjusted in taste. As a result, food colouring can be used to change the colour of the sauce. Do not squeeze the lemon juice into the boiling water when creating the combination, and the juice will be harsh if you use hot water. Furthermore, melt the granulated sugar before putting it in the liquid to make it easier to dissolve.
What Fruit is Most Similar to Pomegranate?
It is Guava. The seeds are also edible if you’re looking for crunchy seeds. Guavas come in various shapes and sizes, with some having more seeds than others. Their small white seeds, regardless of species, are perfectly safe to eat.
Guavas have a sweet-tart flavour that is rich and refreshing, similar to pomegranates. Guava can be used similarly to pomegranate seeds, such as granola and cake toppers. You might also juice these fruits and use the juice in granitas, sorbets, and smoothies. As you can see, there aren’t many fruits that compare to pomegranate, and none are similar enough to be used interchangeably.
Punica granatum is a fruit-bearing shrub or small tree, whereas psidium guajava is a tropical tree or shrub of the myrtle family. Guava also contains folic acid, often known as vitamin B-9, a vital ingredient for a healthy circulatory system. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, getting enough folic acid in your diet will help lower your risk of cardiovascular disease and avoid anaemia caused by folic acid deficiency.
What is Related to Pomegranate?
Punica granatum, the commercial pomegranate, is one of only two members of the Punicaceae family. The Order Myrtales includes plants like Corymbia torelliana, used as a windbreak around citrus in Florida, and Eucalyptus, Melaleuca, Jaboticaba, and guava.
The pomegranate is a naturally bushy, multi-stemmed plant that regularly retains its business thanks to suckers that emerge from the base. Plants reach 10-12 feet in height and are usually grown to a single trunk or three stems for commercial use. Normally, the plant is deciduous. The new spring shoots are usually slender and thorny, and the leaves are glossy and dark green in colour. The plant is essentially monoecious, producing two types of spectacular flowers each spring on fresh growth. Flowering can last several months, with some flowers blooming into late summer/early fall, although the spring bloom season is the most important.
A flower might be either male or female. The last blossom is self-fertile and bell-shaped. Fruit is produced by hermaphroditic blooms. Male flowers have a trumpet form and do not produce fruit. Many cultivars have orange-red to brilliant crimson flowers, and some, particularly attractive ones, have “double” flowers (i.e., with extra petals)
Does Pomegranate Juice Taste Like Wine?
Farmers in India rarely earn a fair price for this fruit grown largely in arid, unwatered areas. Pomegranate may be used to produce a delicious drink and make delicious red wine. Fruit juice can be sweetened with sugar and fermented with wine yeast. This recipe is comprehensive and adaptable to any situation. We conclude that pomegranate wine may have antioxidant properties and could be a good dietary choice for persons who enjoy fruit wines.
If you’re producing pomegranate wine, you’re conscious of consuming something different. Pomegranate wine recipes call for either pomegranate juice or fresh pomegranates. After the sugar and pomegranate juice solution has cooled to room temperature, pour it into a fermentation jar. Pomegranate juice fermentation (using lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, or filamentous fungi) has been found to improve the nutritional and functional profile of the juice.
Is Pomegranate Juice Sweet or Sour?
Pomegranate juice has a deep winey flavour with undertones of sweetness that is acidic and slightly sour. Pomegranate juice that is 100 percent pure (not diluted) has a rich tart flavour and a well-balanced acidity level. Due to added sugar, low-quality pomegranate juice might be harsh or excessively sweet.
Pomegranate is a wonderfully unusual fruit, from its appearance to its flavour. Pomegranate is a superfood in terms of health advantages since it contains vitamins C, B6, and B12 and trace elements including iodine, iron, sodium, calcium, potassium, magnesium, etc., manganese, and phosphorus. Read our detailed pomegranate flavor review if you’ve never had pomegranates before and are curious about how they taste. When pomegranates are out of season or unripe, they have a sour flavour. On the other hand, a sour flavor can suggest that the pomegranate has gone bad owing to faulty storage or transit. Throw away any pomegranate that shows indications of decay.
Given the high cost of pomegranates, the last thing you want to do is pay $7-$8 per piece, only to toss them away later. To keep fresh pomegranates fresh for longer and keep their rich, sweet flavour, store them carefully. Fortunately, if you get a high-quality pomegranate, it will last for 1-2 months!
Why do Pomegranates Taste Like Nail Polish Remover?
Pomegranate seeds that have begun to degrade are bad; they will turn brown and mushy. They’re especially harmful if they smell like nail paint remover (acetone) or alcohol, caused by yeasts breaking down the fruit’s carbohydrates. According to Pom Wonderful, it’s not common for the seeds to smell like acetone, but it does happen (twitter). Get a refund by throwing them away. While fresh pomegranates are often only available until December, pre-packaged seeds are frequently accessible until February (thanks to commercial storage & processing facilities).
Conclusion
Pomegranate seeds are the first thing that comes to mind as a substitute, but their texture is so different that it won’t always work. The highly sweet and somewhat tangy flavour of pomegranate molasses, not to mention the concentrated pomegranate flavours, makes it so amazing and distinctive.
Pomegranate seeds without the syrup are less sweet, have a different texture, and lack a concentrated pomegranate flavour. It can be tough to find a suitable substitute for something like fruit syrup. Pomegranate juice isn’t cheap, and Pomegranate juice concentrate, which may be diluted into pomegranate juice, is inexpensive.
