Pomegranate molasses is, in essence, reduced pomegranate juice. Like when you reduce balsamic vinegar, cooking down pomegranate juice creates a thickened syrup with a much more potent flavor. This syrup can be used as a condiment, or added to various dishes to enhance their flavor. Simply reducing pomegranate juice creates a very sour syrup with a powerful, almost overpowering flavor. Reducing pomegranate juice together with a little sugar helps it thicken to a syrup faster, and makes the resulting sauce more palatable. Adding a little lemon juice helps to increase the sauce’s shelf life. This post will walk you through both methods of making pomegranate molasses, and explain my preference between the two.
What is pomegranate molasses?
Pomegranate molasses (also known as pomegranate syrup) is made throughout the Middle East in countries like Iran, Syria, and Lebanon. Traditionally the molasses is made by simply reducing pomegranate juice into a thickened syrup, relying on natural fruit sugars to thicken the sauce. In some areas, sugar is added as a preservative and to counteract the natural tartness of the pomegranate fruit; sugar also helps the syrup to reduce and thicken more quickly. Lemon juice is often added as an acidic preservative to increase shelf life. The amount of sugar varies by region; for example, Iranian (Persian) pomegranate syrup tends to be sweeter than the Lebanese variety.
I add both sugar and lemon to my pomegranate molasses. This is because it is a concentrated, powerful syrup that I only use sparingly, so when I do make it I count on having a bottle in the refrigerator for at least 3 to 4 weeks. Adding the sugar and lemon juice keeps the molasses fresh longer and gives it a nice sweet/tart balance. I like my molasses on the sweeter side.
How do you make pomegranate molasses?
I hesitate to even call this a recipe, because it’s so simple. Once you’ve whipped up a batch of pomegranate molasses, the possibilities are endless!
To start with, you’ll need pomegranate juice. If making from scratch, you’ll need to seed and juice some pomegranates. Store-bought pomegranate juice will work just fine, too, provided it is pure pomegranate juice with no additives.
For a tarter pomegranate molasses with a shorter shelf life, you can simply reduce pomegranate juice on its own with no added ingredients. It will take longer to reduce, and you’ll need to watch it carefully to make sure it doesn’t start to burn. There’s a thin line between thickened and burned… and if you thicken it too much, you’ll end up with a solid piece of syrup when it cools.
How do you use pomegranate molasses?
Pomegranate molasses can be used in a variety of ways to add a pop of flavor to your food. Think of the ways you might use a reduced balsamic vinegar; often, pomegranate molasses can be used as a substitute. I like it as a topping for desserts like ice cream, as a meat marinade, in sauces, and in salad dressings. The sweetened version works nicely as a glaze on roasted vegetables or fish. You can get creative with it; the flavor is really potent and unique.
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Pomegranate Molasses
Ingredients
- 4 cups pure pomegranate juice (bottled or fresh)
- 2/3 cup sugar (optional - recommended)
- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (optional - recommended)
NOTES
Instructions
- You can make pomegranate molasses with added sugar and lemon juice, or without. I prefer making it with, as it will reduce to a syrup much faster, and the end result will be more tasty. However, you can simply reduce plain pomegranate juice if you prefer, which will take longer and produce a much tarter syrup. Pour pomegranate juice, sugar, and lemon juice (or just the pomegranate juice) into a small saucepan.
- Heat up over medium until the sauce begins to simmer lightly. Stir to dissolve sugar. Allow the liquid to simmer very lightly for 60-80 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the liquid reduces by 75% to about 1 cup of molasses. If reducing just the juice without sugar, it will take longer to reduce (up to 2 hours), and you will end up with less liquid in the end to reach the syrupy consistency - roughly 3/4 cup syrup.
- The liquid is ready when it has a light syrupy consistency and coats the back of a spoon. Don't let it thicken too much, or it will harden when it cools.Remove from heat. The syrup will continue to thicken as it cools. If you are unsure about the consistency, measure the reduced liquid-- it should be roughly 1 cup of syrup (or 3/4 cup for juice alone). If it's a lot more liquid than that, continue reducing.
- After the syrup cools completely, store it in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.
Donna says
Recently I have developed a desire to cook and eat using more Meditteranean recipes. In my search for pomagranate molasses I came upon your blog.
I think it is great and look forward to trying some of your recipes.
As a child in CA I recall trying to pull apart pomogranates and the resulting mess. Thank you for the great directions and wonderful photos of each step.
Deb says
Just made this delicious and versatile molasses. It tastes even better than it looks! I used limes as well as lemons and it added some complexity to it. LOVE IT!
Tori Avey says
Great Deb! I love the idea of adding lime juice too.
meg says
looks good
akhtar says
good but i want to make its syrup without using sugar so kindly tell me the alternate way
Tori Avey says
Hi Akhtar- the process would be the same, simply cook and reduce the juice (without sugar) until it thickens into a syrup. It may take longer and you won’t end up with quite as much molasses, but the process is identical.
Linda Jones says
This all feels delightful. But I have a question about the sugar. I tend to avoid refined sugars and artificial sweetners. May I use coconut sugar or aguave syrup?
Tori Avey says
I have never tried it with either, so I can’t say for sure, but I would think that coconut sugar might be a better substitute. I’m not sure agave will help it to thicken properly. It would require some experimentation. 🙂
Cathy Blackbernn says
My husband has just licked the passion fruit molasses pot clean ….
Tori Avey says
It sounds divine Cathy!!
Cathy Blackbernn says
I loved your recipe. But, here in Trinidad, pomegranates are rarer than hens teeth. Sooo, having a plethora of passion fruit in the garden, I have just made passion fruit molasses. Of course, having never tasted the pomegranate version, I cannot compare them, but what has turned out I think has the potential to be as delicious and useful. At any rate, I am going to make souvlaki tomorrow with it in the recipe, and cross my fingers!
Ruby Brown says
Thanks for the recipe for Pomegranite Syrup. I am new to the idea of how to use the pomegranate. It is a beautiful fruit with a long history, so I’m excited about learning how to use it.
Stef says
I just posted some pomegranate molasses cookies on my blog! I am new to the world of pomegranate molasses but it certainly is wonderful and it hadn’t occurred to me to make it myself. Awesome!
renee says
I LOVE your blog!
any suggestions for using the pomegranite molasses on a corned beef?
vera says
what an easy way to make pomegranate molasses, just for the holiday. Thanks, Tori!
Have a great holiday season! All the best to you and your family.
And we all will wait for new recipes in the new year.
Tori Avey says
Shana tova Vera! Wishing you love and light in the new year. 🙂
Cara says
Is it my imagination or did you totally just rip off Alton brown’s episode on pomegranate? Wow.
Tori Avey says
Hi Cara. You’ve posted this just before Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, a time of year that is all about forgiveness in Judaism. So, as a convert to Judaism, I’m going to forgive you for assuming that I’ve “ripped off” a fellow cook. Pomegranate molasses has existed in the Middle East for centuries. I wouldn’t say anybody has a “monopoly” on the concept. That said, I’ve never seen Alton Brown’s pomegranate episode, but I just Googled his recipe out of curiosity. My recipe is different, with much more lemon juice and a bit more sugar. Every pomegranate molasses recipe is similar in that most contain 1-3 main ingredients– pomegranate juice, sugar, and lemon juice. In fact, Claudia Roden introduced the concept of pomegranate syrup to Americans long before Alton did, and I doubt she considers herself “ripped off.” Simple dishes like this often have an ancient history, and are made by people throughout the world. It’s like saying somebody “ripped off” the concept for chocolate milk. Kind of a silly thought, no? 🙂
Theresa says
Thank you for the helpful hints on seeding and juicing the pomegranate!!! 🙂
CynthiaT says
Thank you! I’ve heard of this but couldn’t find it w/o a bunch of nasty preservatives at the market I checked out. I really wanted to try it. Now I can make it myself and try all sorts of new recipes!!
Tori Avey says
Hi Cynthia– agreed! I love knowing exactly what goes into my food, which is why I really try to make everything from scratch. 🙂
Theresa says
Hi Tori,
just saw you on New Day, love your recipes, but how do you get 4 cups of Juice from Pomegranates? Hmmm I am stumped! How many would that take? Do you recommend a brand at the market or where to purchase 100% pomegranate juice?? Going to make this as a Roshoshana gift for my friend!
Tori Avey says
Hey Theresa, so happy you caught the New Day segment! RE: pomegranate juice, there is an easy way to seed and juice pomegranates. Here is a post explaining the process:
http://theshiksa.com/2011/09/06/how-to-seed-a-pomegranate/
You can also use any bottled 100% pomegranate juice (no sugar added), including Pom Wonderful or Trader Joe’s 100% pomegranate juice. Enjoy! I think it will make a terrific gift for your friend. 🙂
Sharonshiatsu says
I learned how to make pomagrant molasses when it was part of the salad dresssing for a Meditteranean Bread Salad. I then used the leftovers for all kinds of things since it was so delish! Thanks for this since my recipe was just a juice reduction without the sugar and lemon. You’re the best Tori!
dan says
Pomegranates were put on this earth for fesenjan.
Oh, and the fruit tastes pretty good, too. 🙂
Bro baba says
This is very true. fesenjan, a persian dish from north of Iran, made with sour pomegranate paste, crushed into paste walnuts, and chicken or duck meat is best tasting stew you can have. If you need the recipe, look online.
Alex says
This of of those items that is time consuming to make but the home made one is well worth it. My grandma and older aunts used to make this during fall each year when pomegranates where in season. The Persian version ( Robeh anaar) is more of a thin paste. The way they make it to cook the seeds until soft and then they run it though a sive with a back of a spoon. The pulp goes through and the seeds stay behind. It should be dark purple vs the brown goo you get in a bottle. Keeps in the freezer for a long time. Also, its not too acidic like the bottled product so not much sugar is needed when cooking with it.
Sabrina says
I couldnt find the molasses in stores anywhere around me so I’m thankful for your post…I’ve been wanting fattoush for a while. Have you tried replacing the sugar with honey or agave?