Pomegranate Salsa a Seasonal Salsa Recipe for Winter

Pomegranate Salsa is the perfect salsa recipe to make if you are craving fresh salsa in the winter.

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Creating this Pomegranate Salsa Recipe

Homemade salsa is one of my favorite snacks. But how do you make tasty homemade salsa in the winter?  

My mind was wandering the produce aisle looking for a wintery red substitute for tomatoes. And there was my aha! moment. Pomegranates.

Their rich red color seemed and excellent substitute for tomatoes.

I would create a pomegranate salsa recipe.

Have you ever though of using a pomegranate for salsa?

I usually just eat a pomegranate by removing all of the arils and placing them into a bowl.

Then I enjoy scooping them up with a spoon and eating bite after bite of juicy goodness.

Sometimes I add them to a bowl of yogurt and granola, to a salad, like this Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Salad, or I use the juice to make Spiced Pomegranate Apple Cider.

But I have definitely never tried pomegranates in salsa before. But, I love making different, unique homemade salsas.

I don’t think salsa just has to be the traditional tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime that you might think of when chips and salsa come to mind.

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Pomegranates are a particularly attractive winter produce to me.

And I thought their sweet, juicy flavor would taste so good contrasted with the hot and spicy jalapeño taste.

Not only because the pomegranate fruit makes me forget we are in the midst of winter with it’s bright juicy arils, but also for their amazing health benefits.

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Pomegranate Salsa – a Healthy Snack!

• Juicy pomegranates are the source of many essential nutrients, such as: Vitamins C and K, fiber, folate, copper, phosphorous, and potassium.
• Powerful antioxidants; pomegranates offer anti-cancer , alzheimer prevention, and cardiovascular health benefits. 
• Pomegranates in salsa may improve healthy cell survival, induce cancer cell death, and prevent tumor growth 
• The pomegranate in this salsa contain Anthocyanins which have anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antimicrobial properties.
• Pomegranates have Anti-inflammatory properties encourage radiant, youthful skin when incorporate into skin care products.

source: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, January 2005

Pomegranates are obviously the star of the show in this salsa recipe.

This winter pomegranate salsa recipe also boasts cilantro, jalapeño for a little heat (adjust it to your liking), red onion, a hint of lime, and diced cucumber.

It kind of looks a little bit like Christmas salsa with all the red and green. And it tastes even better than it looks.

Now, I know cucumbers aren’t in season, but they are a vegetable that doesn’t seem to have as degraded quality during the off season and their flavor is a great match for that of pomegranates.

If, however, you want to keep things even more true to winter, you can omit the cucumber completely or try substituting diced celery or fennel for some color contrast.

This Pomegranate Salsa is especially if you’re in the mood to change up your salsa for something more unique (or Up Your Taco Tuesday Game).

Pomegranate Salsa Ingredients

You will need the following ingredients to make this Pomegranate Salsa:

• Pomegranate Arils
• Cucumber
• Red Onion
• Jalapeno
• Cilantro
• Lime Juice

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

Tips for Making Pomegranate Salsa

• For super quick preparation, try POM Wonderful’s ready to serve POM POM Fresh Arils.
• Serve scooped and eaten with chips, on top of a plate of greens for a tasty salad, over grilled meat or fish as a relish, or tossed your favorite grain, such as quinoa, for a side dish.

The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.

How to Eat Pomegranate Salsa

This Pomegranate Salsa is the perfect, creative salsa to add lots of color and flavor in a variety of uses. Here are a few ideas to get you started below:

Pomegranate Salsa and Chips

Hello one of my absolute favorite healthy snack ideas! Second or third only to Easy Kale Chips or 5 Minute Guacamole.

Salsas with tortilla chips make a great snack when you need to satisfy a salty, crunchy craving. Especially when you make fresh homemade salsas using a variety of produce.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who has practically filled up on chips and salsa at a restaurant before the dinner has arrived!

Pomegranate Salsa on Tacos

Make your favorite tacos and use this salsa in place of jarred grocery store salsa.

If you’re craving something lighter, substitute lettuce leaves (butter lettuce or iceberg work best) for the tortillas to create a Mexican lettuce wrap like I did in these Lettuce Wrap Carnitas.

Pomegranate Salsa on Grilled Meat

Marinade some skirt or flank steak (I love this flank steak fajita marinade recipe), slice it against the grain, and spoon salsa over top.

For chicken, I like to make this Cilantro Lime Marinade recipe for a Mexican inspired grilled chicken.

Pomegranate Salsa Salad

Add one of the grilled meat ideas from above, pepitas (green pumpkin seeds) and crunchy tortilla strips for a delicious entrée salad.

Just add greens and now you have a super interesting salad with lots of fresh flavor.

Pomegranate Side Dish

Stir a generous amount of salsa into steamed white rice or quinoa to create a colorful, easy side dish.

MORE HOMEMADE SALSA RECIPES

Looking for some other tasty salsa recipes to try in addition to this Pomegranate Salsa? Here are a few favorites:

Roasted Cranberry Salsa combines roasted fresh cranberries pair perfectly with the traditional elements of salsa – jalapeño, cilantro, onion, and lime for a spicy, fruity salsa. This is another perfect salsa to bookmark for fall and winter.

Juicy mango pairs well with grilled corn and blistered red bell peppers for a sweet and savory summertime salsa in this recipe for Mango Salsa with Grilled Corn.

For a different variation of a Mango Salsa, try this Strawberry Mango Salsa recipe. Serve it with cinnamon chips!

For a classic chips and salsa snack, try this Easy Restaurant Style Salsa; it is super quick to prepare.

This Easy Roasted Salsa Verde is a mix of roasted tomatillos, roasted poblano pepper, roasted jalapeño pepper, fresh garlic, cilantro, and shallot. Bonus: It add it to the slow cooker with chicken breasts for an easy chicken recipe OR use it as a green enchilada sauce.

Creamy Cucumber Salsa is great when you’re craving something light, creamy and cool.

I need to remember to make this Fresh Zucchini Corn Salsa this summer when zucchini and corn are abundant and inexpensive.

Have you ever made pomegranate salsa?

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Disclosure: POM Wonderful has compensated for my time and provided coupons for POM POM Fresh Arils to create my recipe for Pomegranate Salsa. However, all experiences contained in this post are my honest opinion.

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Let me know if you try this recipe and what you think of it by leaving a comment below.

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