Jazz up your salads with this easy Pomegranate Molasses Vinaigrette! This tangy salad dressing with pomegranate molasses adds a burst of tart sweetness that will take your salads from good to great!
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Spotlight Ingredient: Pomegranate Molasses
Pomegranate molasses is a very unique ingredient with a distinct flavour. It's made from pomegranate juice that is boiled down to create a thick syrup and is often referred to as pomegranate syrup. This reduction process concentrates the juice into a rich, dark liquid bursting with a tangy flavour that lingers on the taste buds.
Commonly used in Middle Eastern cuisines, pomegranate molasses adds a sweet and tangy depth to a variety of dishes. It's not just for savoury recipes; its versatility allows it to be drizzled over sweet treats, providing a delicious contrast. In salads, it can transform a simple dressing into a tangy vinaigrette that pairs wonderfully with fresh greens and pomegranate seeds.
Ingredients and Substitutes
Only a few simple ingredients are needed for this pomegranate molasses dressing. And you are likely to find most of them in your cupboards.
- pomegranate molasses.
- clear honey: may be replaced with maple syrup or agave nectar.
- vinegar: white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar works best. You may also use balsamic vinegar, but reduce the amount of honey by about a third. Use apple cider vinegar if that's what you have.
- lemon juice: freshly squeezed. Replace it with a little more vinegar if you're out of lemons.
- sea salt and black pepper.
- sumac: optional, but a great addition here.
- olive oil: extra virgin.
Find the ingredient quantities, method and nutritional information in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Step-By-Step Method
1. Place all the dressing ingredients in a medium jam jar or a mason jar.
2. Screw the lid on tightly and shake the jar vigorously for 20-30 seconds to emulsify.
3. Taste your pomegranate dressing and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Proper Emulsification
Emulsification is the process of mixing liquids that usually don't mix well, like oil and vinegar. In a vinaigrette, we want to combine these ingredients to create a smooth and unified dressing. Imagine oil and vinegar as being like water and sand-they naturally separate into layers. But when we emulsify them, it's like creating a mixture where the sand is evenly dispersed in the water, so you don't see the separation.
One key to achieving a good emulsion in your vinaigrette is to add the oil slowly and last. Here's why: By slowly drizzling in the oil while continuously whisking, you help the oil break into tiny droplets that get evenly distributed throughout the vinegar and fresh lemon juice. This makes the mixture stable and prevents the oil from separating out later. So to achieve proper emulsion, make your pomegranate molasses dressing in a food processor by mixing all the ingredients except for olive oil first, and then drizzle the extra virgin olive oil in slowly.
What To Pair With Pomegranate Molasses Vinaigrette?
This pomegranate molasses salad dressing is more versatile than you might think! Not only can it be used for a variety of green salads (our favourite salad to dress with it is Kale and Apple salad), but it also works well with wintery grain bowls featuring goat cheese or halloumi cheese, as well as salads made with roasted vegetables (like roasted beets or sweet potato). Try it with:
What is more, this tangy salad dressing doubles as a marinade. A great way to use up leftover dressing is to infuse salmon fillets of chicken breasts in all the delicious flavours!
Storage and Leftovers
If you made a big batch, fret not - it has a rather long shelf life! Store any leftover pomegranate molasses vinaigrette in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
We recommend taking the pomegranate vinaigrette out of the fridge about 30 minutes before serving, as it tastes a lot better at room temperature. Shake it again before dressing your salads!
Other Homemade Salad Dressings
I hope you enjoyed this pomegranate molasses salad dressing. For more salad dressing recipes to dress your next salad, have a look at some of our all-time favourites (hint: Dijon Mustard Lemon Salad Dressing and Asian-style Katsu Salad Dressing are our everyday favourites).
Pomegranate Molasses Vinaigrette
Equipment
- Mason Jar or Jam Jar
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 tablespoon red or white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ tsp sumac optional
- 75 ml (5½ tablespoon) olive oil extra virgin
Instructions
- Place all the dressing ingredients in a medium jar.*
- Screw the lid on tightly and shake the jar vigorously for 20-30 seconds to emulsify.
- Adjust the seasoning if needed.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Victoria says
I don’t often bother to make a dressing with it, I use it straight out of the bottle on rocket leaves.
I also use it to cook down sliced red onions to top sausage or beef rib baguettes. Slice the onions, sauté them and add water to soften. When they’re soft, add pomegranate molasses and sauté for another couple of minutes. Syrupy, tangy goodness. If you do this with the beef rib baguettes, grill a little blue cheese on top before serving.
Ieva Greber says
Thank you for amazing suggestions! Those beef rib baguettes with blue cheese sound incredible!!!