Pomegranate Vinaigrette Marzetti Copycat (Vegan & GF)

This Pomegranate Vinaigrette Marzetti style dressing is made in five minutes with only a handful of ingredients. It’s perfect for drizzling on your fall season salads especially if you’re on a special diet because this dressing is raw, vegan, soy, nut and gluten free!

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My 3 year old loves pomegranates. She enjoys everything from picking the seeds out of the skin to eating them one by one.

In order to placate her I’ve been buying pomegranates when ever I can find them. They’re hard to find in the supermarket even when they’re in season. But they’re worth searching and waiting.

I’ve always enjoyed eating pomegranates plain or using them as a colorful garnish. But I never cooked with them. Finally, I decided that I needed to capitalize on the sweet and sour flavor of this awesome fruit! So I came up with this pomegranate vinaigrette recipe!

The first time I tried it was from the pomegranate vinegarette Marzetti makes. It was dressed on a salad my friend served for brunch. When I asked for the recipe she pulled out the vinaigrette by Marzetti and showed it to me. Since I prefer making Homemade Salad Vinaigrette I decided to come up with my own pomegranate dressing!

After spending many rounds perfecting , I’m excited to share this homemade dressing recipe with you! Just in time for Thanksgiving.

Pomegranate Vinigarette: Ingredients & Substitutions

• Pomegranate Whole or Seeds: You can use pomegranate juice for this recipe but the dressing won’t be as thick.
• Balsamic Vinegar: Balsamic vinegar tastes best in this recipe but it will change the color so you can use white balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
• Sea Salt
• Maple Syrup: You can use any type of liquid sweetener, liquid stevia, agave or honey would work. I love how this dressing tastes with honey but I chose Maple Syrup to keep it vegan.
• Dijon Mustard: This will bind the dressing but you can also use French mustard.
• Olive Oil: Olive oil is mellow and works well of this recipe but you could also use avocado oil if you’re avoiding olives.

How to Make Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Step 1: Deseed the Pomegranate. This is the hardest part of the recipe. If you’re in a rush you can purchase pre opened pomegranate seeds if available. Whole foods often carries them. For a detailed guide on opening a pomegranate check out this video.

First fill a large bowl with warm water. Then slice the pomegranate into smaller wedges. Then using your fingers place the pomegranate under the water and dislodge the seeds from the skin. The seeds will fall to the bottom of the bowl and the skin will float to the top! Use a slotted spoon to scoop out the skin and drain the bowl to harvest the seeds.

Step 2: Combine the seeds, dijon, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sweetener and salt into a Vitamix or high speed blender. Emulsify until completely smooth.

Equipment: Vitamix, Bowl, Pairing Knife.

When Are Pomegranates in Season?

Most pomegranates grown in the United States come from California. They’re in season from late September to December, making them perfect for holiday cooking. In recipes such as in this Fall Harvest Salad and garnished on this Curried Carrot Ginger Soup with Sweet Potatoes.

How to Know When A Pomegranate is Ripe

Pomegranates are notoriously hard to read. Most people aren’t familiar with them in the first place, let alone know how to pick a ripe one. The principals for picking the perfect fruit are similar to those of other members of the citrus family.

1. Look for Heavy Fruit: The heavier the more water it will have in it indicating a higher level of juiciness and freshness.
2. Look for Bright Red Skin with Some Browning
3. A Ripe Pomegranate Will Look Plump: Some dehydration and wrinkling in the skin is normal.

How Long Do Pomegranates Stay Fresh?

1. Fridge: Ripe Pomegranates can be kept in the fridge for up to three months but once opened they should be eaten in four days.
2. Freezer: Seeds can be frozen for up to six months.

Pomegranate Vinigarette Nutrition

People always ask me how many calories Pomegranate Vinigarette has. Pomegranates are low in calories so this dressing is diet friendly. With only 136 calories per serving you can enjoy an extra serving even if you’re on a low calorie diet.

What Happens If we Eat Pomegranates Daily

Pomegranates are known as a superfood because they’re filled with magniseium, high in polyphenols, fiber and antioxidants. So eating pomegranates every day is going to have a positive impact on your health! If you eat pomegranates daily you’ll likely see an improvement in your digestive health and an increase in bowel movements. Eating pomegranates daily is a great way to prevent bowel diseases.

Eating pomegranates every day is also believed to help lower blood pressure, reduce risk of cancer, and have anti-inflammatory effects. People with heart disease will benefit from eating pomegranates daily because they’ve been proven to clean the arteries and reduce the damage from heart disease. Pomegranate juice is also considered one of the best drinks to reverse heart disease.

What time of Day is best to Eat Pomegranates?

The best time to eat pomegranates is in the morning when your bowel is clear and you’re in need of an energy boost.

How to Store Homemade Pomegranate Dressing

The best way to store homemade dressing is to pour it into a reusable dressing container. I love using the OX good grips dressing dispenser because it has a good spout for drizzling and it doesn’t leak. It’s also easy to clean.

The dressing will last up to seven days in the fridge and for three months if you freeze it.

More Vegan Dressing Recipes

• Dairy Free Caesar Dressing
• Carrot Ginger Miso Dressing
• Oregano Vinaigrette
• Spicy Green Tahini Sauce