My favorite Pomegranate salad dressing recipe will take your simple salad recipe to the next level with the elevated flavor combination of a vinaigrette made with pomegranate juice, citrus, shallots, and creamy Dijon mustard. Easy, healthy and delicious!
With the holidays rolling around in no time, having a menu planned ahead of time is essential. May I suggest my holiday salad recipe with this Pomegranate Dressing? It is the perfect way to add a touch of the holiday color to a salad with all the healthy benefits of citrus juice and pomegranate.
For all my pomegranate lovers out there, and I know quite a few, start your celebration off with a Goat Cheese Pomegranate and Fig Appetizer or this Whipped Goat Cheese with Bacon & Dates. Then complete your holiday table setting with more gorgeous pomegranate recipes like Pomegranate Punch or the Pomegranate Mule.
Why You Will Love this Recipe
- Elevated Flavor | This delicious dressing has the depth of a classic balsamic vinaigrette with a tangy citrus lick and a little sweetness too.
- Healthy Option | Making your own healthy dressing recipe is an excellent way to control precisely what is going in your body.
- Pom Juice | If you are a fan of pomegranate, this is a great way to enjoy your favorite salads with the fresh pomegranate flavor.
Key Ingredients
- Balsamic Vinegar | Vinegar is the tang and flavor of any vinaigrette recipe. Use regular or pomegranate balsamic, but red wine vinegar would be delicious too.
- Olive Oil | The bold taste of olive oil in a salad dressing helps the dressing cling to the veggies and fruits and adds flavor too.
- Shallots | Shallots are the onions I prefer in salads for a delicate sweet onion flavor without the punch of other onions.
- Orange Juice | Fresh squeezed orange juice is best in salad dressing.
- Pomegranate | Not only does it add gorgeous color, but pure and fresh pomegranate juice provides antioxidants and a sweet and tangy flavor profile. If no Pom juice on hand, use pomegranate arils, pressing for juice.
- Dijon Mustard | Spice it up and add a touch of creaminess to your dressing with Dijon.
This tangy sweet citrus salad dressing recipe is the “icing on the cake”- so to speak- for my Holiday Salad Recipe. The Christmas Salad Pomegranate plate is already stunning in presentation and full flavored. But when you dress any salad with this delicious homemade salad dressing, it brings all the lovely flavors together with a sweet and tangy finish.
How to Make Pomegranate Dressing
This easy recipe makes the ultimate salad dressing to compliment the bold flavors and the juicy pomegranate syrup on your favorite salad.
Get started with making the vinaigrette by finely dicing the shallots. Be sure to use a sharp knife; the smaller the shallot pieces, the better in your dressing.
Next, choose a mason jar or a small bowl and measure in the oil, vinegar, juices, mustard, salt, and onion pieces. You can always transfer the dressing to a small glass pitcher for your holiday buffet if you would like.
Shake or whisk the ingredients until the oil and vinegar combine. You can also use a blender or a Vitamix to fully blend the dressing for a silky smooth dressing.
Finally, put a lid or covering on your mixture and place your homemade dressing in the refrigerator. Leave plenty of time for the flavors to marry and the dressing to chill.
Fresh Tip
- A great idea for your holiday season prep is to stage out your food prep. Make this dressing a few days before, and then there will be one less thing to do on the day of your celebration.
- Use the best ingredients you can afford, they will shine in this recipe.
Salad Suggestions for Festive Pomegranate Vinaigrette Recipe
Try this simple vinaigrette recipe over your favorite green salad, or try one of mine. Pour it over my Festive Holiday Salad Recipe. Or perhaps change it up and make a batch for this Fall Harvest Chicken Salad. This Harvest Wild Rice Salad, tastes divine with this tangy vinaigrette and some pomegranate seeds (arils) sprinkled on top.
Oh, and you can switch out the blackberries in this Blackberry Grilled Chicken Salad with Fried Goat Cheese. No matter which of the holiday salads you decide to make; friends, and family and your baby greens will love this healthy recipe!
Variations & Substitutions
- Vinegar | Choose balsamic or pomegranate vinegar. White wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar and a splash of pomegranate molasses work well too!
- Swap the Oil | You can use vegetable oil, I like Avocado oil, or use Canola, Grapeseed or your favorite.
- Cheese Please | |Try feta, goat, blue cheese or even burrata cheese with this salad dressing recipe.
- Sweet Spice | Add a squeeze of Hot Honey or regular honey to sweeten it up a bit! Or a smidge of maple syrup.
Frequently Asked Questions
A sauce typically made of oil, vinegar and your favorite seasonings; used on salads, as a marinade, cold meats and fish.
Vinaigrette dressings are generally healthier than creamy dressings, though by emulsifying the oil and vinegar you can emulate a creamy dressing without using any milk based products. Dijon mustard can make recipes taste creamy as well.
A traditional vinaigrette has 3:1 ratio. 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar.
Similar to a balsamic glaze reduction, pomegranate molasses is a reduction of pure pomegranate juice and sugar, most used in Middle Eastern cuisines.
Storage Tips
Making your own salad dressings and vinaigrette dressings keep well in an airtight container, refrigerated up to 1 month.
Mason jars are a great way to store your own pomegranate juice dressing recipe. That way, you can just take out the jar and give it a good shake! If using olive oil, bring to room temperature before serving.
Make the flavorful vinaigrette dressing ahead of the salad, so it has time for the ingredients to incorporate and chill in the fridge. Bring to room temp for 30 minutes before serving.
More Homemade Dressings
- Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
- Apple Cider Vinaigrette Dressing
- Easy Garlic Yogurt Sauce
- Maple Dijon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
I hope you loved this Pomegranate salad dressing recipe — if you did, would you share your creation on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest? And be sure to comment below!
Like this recipe?
Don’t forget to give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and leave a comment below the recipe!
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil or use other neutral oil, if preferred
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar regular or pomegranate
- ½ small shallot minced
- 2 tablespoons orange juice fresh squeezed
- 2 tablespoon s pomegranate juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar Optional if using pomegranate balsamic
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Add oil, vinegar, shallot, orange juice, pomegranate juice, Dijon mustard, extra balsamic (if using) and kosher salt to a mason jar with a lid and shake until combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Or place in a blender and blend until smooth.
Notes
- Vinegar | Choose balsamic or pomegranate vinegar. White wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar and a splash of pomegranate molasses work well too!
- Swap the Oil | If you find your pantry out of olive oil, use vegetable oil, I like Avocado oil, but you can use Canola, Grapeseed or your favorite.
- Cheese Please | If your salad is not complete without a sprinkling of cheese, try feta, goat, blue cheese or even burrata cheese with this salad dressing recipe.
- Sweet Spice | Add a squeeze of Hot Honey or regular honey to sweeten it up a bit! Or a smidge of maple syrup.
Nutrition
Gina
I love pomegranate so I was so happy to come across this dressing recipe! It was delicious and the perfect dressing to my salad today. This will be a staple salad dressing in my home!
Yay, so glad you loved it Gina!
Heidy
Your Pomegranate Salad Dressing Recipe perked up my ordinary dull salad! This was so flavorful, and the entire family enjoyed a new flavor.
Wonderful to hear Heidy, thank you for your sweet words!
Gen
Delicious recipe – tangy, a bit sweet, and I love the dijon mustard! Thank you for the recipe.
You are so welcome!
Aimee Mars
Years ago when I had a job where I brought my lunch to work I would make a salad that had a pomegranate salad dressing, but it was from a cook book I’ve now lost! I can’t wait to make this dressing again using your recipe since it was one of my favorites.
Oh yay, I love rediscovering old recipes! Hope you love it!
Mirlene
This salad dressing definitely tasted delicious! Loved the addition of pomegrante and orange juice. One of my favorites now and I’ll be making this again for my salads.
Thanks Mirlene, so glad you enjoyed it.
Tayler
This is my new favorite dressing! After trying it over the weekend, I want to put it on everything!
Haha, I hear you! A delicious marinade too!
Tara
This delicious salad dressing topped my salad beautifully. I used feta cheese and it was a wonderful compliment.
Oh yum, sounds amazing!
Aimee Mars
I was getting really bored with the most recent dressing I was using and came across this site. WOW! The flavor is perfectly blended and just really enhanced my salad. I will be making this again.
So glad you found us and loved the dressing.
Beth
I tried this with a wilted kale salad, and it was absolutely amazing. This is my new favorite dressing.
That is fabulous Beth, thanks so much!
am
Ooh, this is such a yummy salad dressing! I love the tart flavor of the pomegranate juice! Excellent with some candied almonds for crunch.
So good with almonds!
Michaela Kenkel
I adore anything pomegranate and this dressing is TOP NOTCH!! I am making it again for Thanksgiving – it’s perfect!
So glad you loved them!
Tristin
This is a great fall salad dressing, super tasty!
Thanks Tristin, it really is!
Megan
This dressing is so easy to make. I love how it makes my salads taste even fresher!
Thank you!
Mindy
Followed your recipe exactly and made it in the mason jar. So convenient and delicious! Love having it in the fridge for whenever I make my lunch salad. Thank you so much for an awesome recipe!
You are most welcome!
Erin
Made this to put on a dinner salad last night, and I am just BLOWN AWAY with how flavorful it is! The pomegranate is such a great addition to the dressing. I never thought I’d say this: but I can’t wait to eat another salad!
Thank you so much Erin!
Susannah
This is one of my favorite salad dressings ever. I know it will be so good at Thanksgiving so I’ve already added it to my list. (Can you plan the holidays TOO early — asking for a friend.)
You cannot plan the holidays too early! Hahah!
Lynn
I love making my own dressings, and this one is a new fav!
Glad you loved it.
Jennifer
This dressing is so tangy and delicious! I used it on my salad and then drizzled it on my green beans too!
Love the idea of splashing it on green beans or other veggies!
Julie
This salad dressing is amazing! It’s so pretty too. I quickly whipped up a batch an have been having a salad every day drizzled with this dressing.
Perfect for meal prep! Delicious too!
Nikki
Made this for our lunch salad today. WE both loved it! So fresh, bright, and flavorful.
So glad to hear that Nikki! Thanks!
Debi
I’m always on the lookout for homemade dressings, they always taste better and are so much better for you than store bought. This one was perfect. Light yet flavorful! Will make again!
So glad to hear that Debi! Thanks!
Tasia ~ two sugar bugs
With all the simple ingredients in this pomegranate salad dressing I was able to shake some up tonight! So good with the last of the lettuce from our garden. Looking forward to dressing more salads with it!
Bet it was so good on homegrown garden lettuce!!