Elevate your guacamole game with this refreshing homemade Pomegranate Guacamole dip! A vibrant twist on the classic, featuring creamy avocados and juicy pomegranate seeds. Perfect for parties and a deliciously unique appetizer that’s sure to impress!
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It wouldn’t be Cinco de Mayo season without a shout-out to good ol’ guacamole. Chunky, smooth, spicy, tangy—I don’t discriminate when it comes time to guac out. And while I’m all for a classic guacamole recipe, I’ve discovered a fruity mix-in that adds a burst of flavor and color to the creamy dip. Enter pomegranate seeds … and their notoriously difficult extraction from the pith that binds them.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Bursting with flavor and freshness, ready to elevate your snacking game.
- Wholesome and nutritious, packed with the goodness of ripe avocados and antioxidant-rich pomegranate arils.
- Ready in 10 minutes.
- Requires just a handful of simple ingredients.
- Serves a crowd (and can easily be doubled).
- Avocadoes: For this festive guacamole with pomegranate arils, you’ll need two avocados. Look for avocados that yield slightly to gentle pressure when squeezed, indicating they are perfectly ripe. If your avocados are not quite ripe, you can speed up the ripening process by placing them in a paper bag with a ripe banana or apple for a day or two.
- Red onion: You’ll want to finely dice the red onion so it’s evenly distributed. Plus, bigger pieces won’t be as pleasant to eat!
- Cilantro: You’re either Team Cilantro, or you hate it! If you’re in the latter camp, you can leave it out. However, I love cilantro: Its distinctive flavor can’t be replaced.
- Lime: For two tablespoons of lime juice, you’ll probably need just one lime. Gently rolling the citrus on a hard surface before juicing will make it easier to squeeze.
- Pomegranate: Adds a burst of juicy sweetness and a delightful crunch. When selecting pomegranates, choose ones that feel heavy for their size, indicating they are full of juicy seeds. Check out my video tutorial for the easiest way to seed a pomegranate.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Prep the avocados. Halve the avocados and remove the pit. To remove the avocado’s pit, you have two options: You can (very carefully!) use the heel of a knife to pierce and pull out the pit or you can gently squeeze the avocado half until the pit loosens and pops out. Use a spoon to scoop out the avocado’s flesh into a bowl.
- Add the other ingredients. To the avocados, add the red onion, cilantro, lime juice and salt and pepper, mashing until you’re satisfied with the consistency. Two forks or a potato masher work well for this.
Pro Tip: Season to taste. After mixing everything together, give your guacamole a taste. Adjust the seasoning to your liking. You might want more onion zing, a touch less salt or an extra squeeze of lime for a tangy kick. Make it yours by fine-tuning the flavors to suit your palate.
- Stir in the pomegranate seeds. Then, serve with chips or crudité!
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To prevent the guacamole from browning, make sure to cover it tightly with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the surface of the guacamole to minimize exposure to air. Adding a squeeze of fresh lime juice can help delay browning, too.
The top may still brown a little—just scoop that part off before eating. If you’re making it ahead, wait to add the pomegranate seeds until just before serving to maintain their freshness and crunch.
Frequently Asked Questions
A ripe avocado will have a slight give to it when you squeeze it. If it’s rock hard, it’s not ripe. And if it’s super soft, it’s likely spoiled.
You can sprinkle pomegranate seeds onto yogurt, cottage cheese or oatmeal. I also like adding the seeds to fruit salad and roasted vegetables (like carrots or Brussels sprouts).
This guac is excellent scooped up with chips or raw vegetables (like carrot sticks or cucumber spears). You could also dollop this guac onto tacos, like my spicy shrimp tacos.
To prevent avocados from turning brown, adding acid (like lime juice) will help. You’ll also want to limit air exposure. Storing the guac with a layer of plastic wrap pressed onto the top will help.
- Rotisserie Chicken Taco Dip
- Hot and Creamy Artichoke Dip
- 5-Ingredient Pizza Dip
- Quick Beer Cheese Dip
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip
And for all those looking for other takes on traditional guacamole, don’t miss fan favorites Guacamole Bruschetta and Quinoa Guacamole Salad.
Craving more? Subscribe to Just a Taste to get new recipes, meal plans and a newsletter delivered straight to your inbox! And stay in touch on Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.Ingredients
- 2 medium ripe avocados
- 1/3 cup diced red onion
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
- Chips or assorted crudité for serving
Instructions
- Halve and pit the avocados then scoop out the flesh into a large bowl.
- Add the red onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper to the bowl, mashing the mixture together with two forks until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Stir in the pomegranate seeds then serve the guacamole with chips or assorted crudité.
Kelly’s Notes
- Storage: The guacamole can last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To prevent it from browning, make sure to cover it tightly with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the surface of the guacamole to minimize exposure to air. The top may still brown a little—just scoop that part off before eating. If making ahead, wait to add the pomegranate seeds until just before serving to maintain their freshness and crunch.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of JustaTaste.com.
So good and easy to prepare! Never thought to add pomegranate seeds to it and it just takes up the flavour a notch! Thanks!
So glad you enjoyed it, Helen!
Very tasty. I omitted the Coriander and added some lime zest. Yum!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Margaret!
I was a bit skeptical, but this combination is unbelievable! The pomegranates add a pop of sweetness to each bite. And, yes, I went the fast route and bought the pre-packaged seeds. :)
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Rachel!
Lovely with Beantos white bean chips (no corn!) I used all organic ingredients for best flavour and healthier. I used a good sea salt, no lemon juice was on hand so freshly squeezed orange worked, I added some crushed garlic & cayenne. Pretty!
This is such a refreshing idea! I want to try it and see how the pomegranate tastes with avocados :)
Thanks, Mary!
Kelly, I love this idea! What a gorgeous color contrast. My go-to method of extracting seeds is walking into Trader Joe’s and grabbing their packaged variety :)
Seriously, here is THE best way to extract pomegranate seeds. All seeds extracted in a bowl, all pith plucked out…whole thing from start to finish: about 30 seconds and ZERO mess. Really!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJ7dk9nDR-k
CANNOT wait to pick up a pom and some avos at the store tomorrow to give this a try, looks and sounds lovely!
This was the star at my Mexican food Christmas dinner. I can hardly wait to make it again! Thanks for the recipe!
Awesome, Jeneanne! So glad you enjoyed the recipe :)
Made this last night and it was FANTASTIC! Thanks for the idea.
I’ve always been luke warm on pomegranate seeds, but this past winter I fell in love with them, like eating half a pomegranate a day. I always seed my own, though. I find the best way it to cut it into quarters and pick them out with my fingers. It sounds worse than it is. They typically come out in bunches and don’t make too much of a mess. And adding them to guacamole – I’m in love.
Great method, Laura!
Oh my word… YES! This is perfect for next weeks celebrations!!!
that color in the photo is just stunning!
like artwork you know?
what a treat!
This looks soooo good. I love avo and pom together. Such beautiful colours and flavours. They complement each other so well. Beautiful photography too :)
Such a great idea to include pomegranate seeds! It makes it look so pretty and I’m sure it tastes amazing.
Lovely way to take guacamole up a step!
Now this is a guacamole I could enjoy! Love the addition of pomegranate, Kelly!
I must try this! What a delicious mix. The first time I’ve ever gotten my hands on a pomegranate (as a kid), I was in love. It was new and different from any other fruits I have come across. I had so much fun picking out the seeds. You can imagine what a mess it made on a little kid.
I bought one of those pomegranate deseeder contraptions and I LOVE it. It is life changing. Yes, life changing! You cut the pom in half, put it on the deseeder, and give it a few whacks. The seeds just fall out. Love the idea of adding pomegranate seeds to guacamole–and it is beautiful too!
Love the combination of tart pomegranate and smooth avocado!
I’ve never thought to pair these two – but now I really want too!
I love the pomegranate addition! It looks delicious. I saw this on Amazon the other day, and while it seems to be some kind of witchcraft, I am going to try it at some point. Mark my words. It has good reviews though.
http://www.amazon.com/Seconds-Pomegranate-DeSeeder-Logistica-Innovation/dp/B0073ROS0G/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1366921627&sr=1-2&keywords=pomegranate
I’m currently in Mexico, enjoying eating my body weight in guacamole (one of my all-time favourites). But I really like this twist with the pomegranate seeds. Will give it a try when I (ever) get back in a kitchen!
Wow, that guacamole is a looker! I love the addition of pomegranate. Gives it lots of color and texture. Lovely post…
I loveeeee that you added pom seeds to this! I never would have even thought about it!
This is a Cinco de Mayo winning combo!! I love the pom arils! I could et avocado all day long. Lately I have been, so this is perfect!
What a fun and fruity twist on this guacamole!!!
Pomegranate seeds in guacamole is a great idea! That little burst of sweetness among the creamy avocados would turn anybody into a fan.
Pass the chips, I’m ready to dig in!!
Poms & avos, what a brilliant couple.
Love the colours, too.
great idea Kelly! Miss you! xoxoxoo
how beautiful! and tasty too, i imagine :)
This is a must make!! My favorite dip of all time combined with one of my favorite fruits. :) So colorful and pretty. Brightens up guac any day. ;)
This is so gorgeous, Kelly! What an awesome idea to add colorful, nutritious pomegranate seeds to my favorite dip. Thanks for sharing!
I am loving this change! I can only imagine that pomegranate pop with creamy avocado!
This certainly brightens up guacamole! Fun!
it’s like you read my mind! I bought like 12 packs of pomegranate seeds at Trader Joe’s this weekend and after eating them non-stop, was thinking of throwing them into some Guac as well! Great share :)
Love the addition of pomegranate in this! It really makes everything pop!
This looks so beautiful and delicious! Love pomegranate seeds and guac so I’m definitely going to love them together :)
If you cut the pomegranate in half, then submerge it and your hands in a bowl/sink full of water, you can easily free the arils (which will sink to the bottom) from the white membrane (which floats). Skim all the membrane out of the bowl and drain arils. With this method, even if you happen to rupture one, it happens underwater instead of all over yourself!
Great method, Simone! Thanks for sharing :)
Pom + avo. It looks like it could be Christmas with the red and green :) So pretty!
The best way to get the seeds out of a pomegranate is to halve it, then place the cut half loosely in your palm over a bowl. Thwack it with a spoon repeatedly until the seeds fall out. No stained fingers, clothes nada. This way you don’t have pith problems either. Pomegranates are in season at the moment so will have to try the gaucamole. Thanks.
Love this idea, Tania!
Love the addition of pomegranates for that fruity kick (and I’m a complete pre-packaged girl in this situation too…)
Kelly, your Guacamole Pomegranate Dip looks divine! So innovative to add a punch of sweet pom! Pinning… xo
Cinco de Mayo perfection, Kelly! I love the pomegranate addition to one of my favorites!