What to Do With Unripe Pomegranates? (4 Unique Methods)

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One fine morning you’ve just gathered some unripe pomegranates. Are you going to eat those right now? 

Because directly eating unripe pomegranates is not similar to ripe ones. Unripe pomegranates taste quite bitter and sour, to be honest.

What to do with unripe pomegranates?

You can do a few things with unripe pomegranates, such as making smoothies or juice. You just need to add sugar, milk, or water and mix it in the blender. Also, making an unripe pomegranate pie is the best way to enjoy the unripe fruit. 

There are more to make smoothies, juice, or pies with unripe pomegranate. We have discussed this in detail here for you. So, why don’t you dive in? 

Are Unripe Pomegranates Okay to Eat?

The fruit is not sweet but a bit bitter when it is unripe. But it’s not poisonous when the fruit is unripe. The same goes for unripe pomegranates. 

Generally, unripe pomegranates are not tasty to eat. But if you want to, you can eat it with salt or sugar. The best way to eat unripe pomegranates is half gnawing the pulpy seeds. 

How to Utilize Unripe Pomegranates?

There is no specific way to eat unripe pomegranates. You can make smoothies, juice, pie, salad, and maybe different things out of it.

Here are a few things you can try out-

Unripe Pomegranate Smoothies

Smoothies are tasty summer treats for everyone. They can turn your unripe, bitter, and a bit sour pomegranate into a sweet delight. 

Also, making smoothies is extremely easy. You’ll need a few things. 

Ingredients 

• Sugar 2 tbsp
•  A pinch of salt
•  Milk 1 ½ cup
•  3 to 4 mint leaves

After gathering the ingredients, you can just mix them in the blender. Your unripe pomegranate smoothie is already. 

When we compared homogenized and whole milk, we noticed whole milk is better for smoothies. However, this depends on your preference. 

Even though the pomegranate is unripe, it holds a distinctive flavor in the smoothie.

Unripe Pomegranate Juice

Making unripe pomegranate juice is similar to making smoothies. This is another way to make your unripe pomegranate useful. 

Things You’ll Be Needing 

• Sugar 2 tbsp
•  A pinch of salt
•  Water 1 cup
•  3 to 4 mint leaves

After getting all the ingredients, you must mix them quickly in the blender. Use less water if you want the consistency of the juice to be thick. 

Getting the best juice just doesn’t depend on good ingredients. A good blender comes in handy in multiple scenarios. 

This blender has durable blades which can even crush ice. Make your smoothies and juice cool in the hot summer. 

Also, using mint both in smoothies and juice is optional. But we suggest you use it. It will give a gentle mint flavor to your juice. 

But again, don’t try other leaves, such as refrigerated curry leaves to bring different tastes. 

Unripe Pomegranate Pie

Are you looking to get the best out of the unripe pomegranate? Then making a pie is the best option. 

You see, pies are everyone’s favorite. Since the unripe pomegranate isn’t that sweet, making a pie can be yummy. It will add sugar and flavors to it. 

Ingredients 

• Pie dough
•  4 cups of unripe pomegranate
•  1 ½ cups of sugar
•  Vanilla extract 1 tsp
•  Cinnamon powder ¼ tsp
•  A pinch of salt
•  Ground ginger ¼ tsp
•  Cornstarch or flour 2 tsp
•  One egg

Let me tell you, making a pomegranate pie is similar to making any other pie. 

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Step 1: Preheat the Oven to 400F

You need a gas or electric oven to make the pie. So set the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit while you get the ingredients. 

The preheating will ensure the oven is hot when you put the pie in. 

Step 2: Roll Out the Pie Dough

Spread the dough as per the size of the dish pan. Use a 9-inch pan for the above measurement of ingredients. 

After you roll out the dough, let it sit in the fridge to cool. 

Step 3: Make the Filling

To make the filling, you need to use a saucepan. Put the unripe pomegranate, sugar, salt, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla, and cornstarch in the pan.  

Here, the cornstarch will act as a thickener. You can also use it to thicken your puree.

Now, keep the saucepan on medium heat. And keep stirring the pie filling so it doesn’t stick at the bottom. 

Step 4: Put the Filling in the Mold

Now, you need to see when the pomegranate is soft, and the sugar has dissolved. When the filling is ready, put it in the mold. 

But before you do so. Take the egg and mix it with 2 tbsp of water. Then brush it around the edge. 

This will make the pie crust golden and tasty. You can also brush on the pie if you put a layer of dough on top. 

Step 5: Cook the Pie 

Now that everything is ready. You can put the pie in the oven. Cook for 15 minutes or wait till the filling bubbles. 

You can serve the pie with chocolate spread or syrup. But on its own, it is also really delicious. 

You can also sprinkle cinnamon dust over the pie.  

Is Unripe Pomegranate Good for Health?

Unripe pomegranates are packed with a lot of vitamins and nutrients. Even though unripe pomegranates are not tasty, they are packed with health benefits. 

Also, pomegranate juices are great. However, it is even more beneficial when you add fresh or frozen oat milk to it.

Now, let’s see what health benefits you’re getting from unripe pomegranates-

1. Antioxidants: Our body needs a dose of every nutrient now and then. Antioxidants improve a lot of things in our bodies. It protects the cells of our body and prevents cancer, heart disease, and other diseases. 
2. Vitamins: Unripe pomegranates are rich in vitamins C, E, and B16. Vitamin C helps us from the common cold.  
3. Antibacterial: Other than vitamin C, which is an antibacterial, there’s potassium and folate. These help fight many infections. 

Well, unripe pomegranates are hard to get hands-on. But you can easily find it if you have local pomegranate producers. However, farmers’ markets are the best place to look for.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can unripe pomegranate be poisonous?

No, unripe pomegranate is not poisonous. They can taste bitter because the sugar is developed when the fruit is ripe. 

Does unripe pomegranate contain fewer calories?

Since unripe pomegranates contain less sugar, they contain fewer calories than ripe pomegranate. 

Do I need to deseed unripe pomegranate?

You don’t need to deseed an unripe pomegranate. The seeds are still soft since the fruit has not matured yet. 

Conclusion

So now you know what to do with unripe pomegranates. It’s a great fruit that is packed with nutritional value. 

But if you are looking for them, the best option is to get them from a pomegranate farm.

Enjoy your smoothies!