Grab this Pomegranate Smoothie for a ruby red beverage loaded with potassium, vitamin A and vitamin C. It’s the perfect antioxidant-rich drink that you can sip this season to ward off the sniffles and capitalize on some seasonal ingredients.
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I live for pomegranate season, like buy Costco-sized boxes every time I see them in stores kind of living. My family loves them as well!
I’m sure it’s the burst of juice you get when you bite into the arils as well as how versatile they are as a topping for a Fall salad, a bright addition to a vegan charcuterie board or a lovely flavor mixed into berry sangria. They are perfect for this Pomegranate Smoothie and I hope you get to enjoy this recipe at least once this year.
Today’s smoothie recipe is loaded with healthy benefits that will leave us glowing from the inside out. These antioxidant gems make an energizing pomegranate smoothie in just minutes.
Pomegranate Smoothie Ingredients
I added as many red ingredients as I could fit into this smoothie recipe resulting in a delicious, gorgeous red beverage that’s loaded with vitamins and minerals. Here’s what I’m blending today:
- Red cabbage: Red or purple cabbage helps reduce inflammation.
- Pomegranate arils: Also known as pomegranate seeds, these juicy pods bring you 34% of the RDI of vitamin C. Pomegranate juice can help protect your heart.
- Goji berries: These superfood berries contain polyphenol which can help eliminate carcinogens from the body.
- Frozen strawberries, raspberries and cherries: Turns this pomegranate smoothie into a cool, refreshing drink.
If you want to boost your smoothie and turn it into a meal replacement then add in 1 serving of homemade protein powder. It takes this smoothie from 5g of protein to 15g of protein as well as thickens the final product up a bit.
How to Cut a Pomegranate for a Smoothie
While we LOVE this great fruit and all the incredible benefits, how the heck do you get it open?! Pomegranates are a little weird in that we can’t just peel or slice to get to the juicy good parts.
Here is a short tutorial on how to de-seed a pomegranate:
Follow these steps for the least amount of mess and the biggest yield:
- Cut the fruit directly in half ‘hamburger style.’
- Holding the fruit seed side down over a bowl, use a wooden spoon or flat, sturdy spatula and whack the fruit.
- Repeat with the other half.
How to Blend a Pomegranate Smoothie
While this smoothie may not have “leafy greens” it does have some leafy reds, so we’re going to do the 2-step blending method to get the best result:
- Blend cabbage, water, pomegranate arils and goji berries until smooth. If you aren’t using a high-powered blender then soak the goji berries first to soften them up a bit.
- Add the remaining ingredients and blend again until smooth. Since the berries have seeds you may need a longer blending time than normal. Stop and scrape down the sides of the container as needed.
- Pour into your fav glass and enjoy!
If you’re adding protein powder to this recipe then add it during step 2. You can also add in some yogurt (greek yogurt or vegan yogurt) to turn this smoothie into a meal replacement.
More Ways to Use Pomegranate
Since pomegranate has a lot of the same nutrients that berries do, you can swap them into any smoothie recipe that calls for berries: my raspberry smoothie would be a great one. You could also add them to this mixed berry smoothie with ease.
Pomegranate isn’t just good for smoothies; toss it into this mason jar salad or even use it as a delightful vegan pumpkin soup topping.
Don’t forget to rate + review this recipe once you blend it up!
Healthy Pomegranate Smoothie
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup red cabbage chopped
- ½ cup water chilled
- ½ cup pomegranate arils
- ½ cup strawberries frozen
- ½ cup raspberries frozen
- ½ cup cherries frozen
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 2 tbsp goji berries optional
Instructions
- Place cabbage, water, pomegranate arils and goji berries (if using) into a blender.
- Puree until smooth.
- Add the remaining ingredients and blend again until smooth.
Notes
- Can substitute pomegranate arils with 1/2 cup pomegranate juice.
- Use at least 1 frozen fruit for a refreshingly cool smoothie.
- Swap out the cabbage for the leafy greens of your choice.
- Feel free to add in some Antioxidant Smoothie Cubes for even more red foods.
Nutrition
Pomegranate Smoothie FAQs
Pomegranate mixes well with so many fruits. You can pair it with citrus, berries, bananas and more! It also pairs well with a variety of squashes, so don’t be afraid to toss some pomegranate arils in your next dish.
It is safe to blend pomegranate arils. If you aren’t using a high-powered blender then you may still get a few gritty pieces after blending, so feel free to pour it through a mesh sieve into your glass. If you are using a high-powered blender then there shouldn’t be any grittiness leftover from the arils.
Pomegranate goes well with a variety of fruits, including bananas. Toss some arils on your next salad, fruit salad or citrus platter. Mix it in with some butternut squash. Blend some in your next smoothie, or enjoy fresh and by itself!
I was had some reserve about the red cabbage in this but it was delicious! I will definitely make this one often during pomegranate season. Good thing Costco still had some extra large ones this week
Got some pomegranates from Costco yesterday, and this smoothie was the perfect way to use them! So good, slightly tart. I was surprised how well the cabbage blended in with everything.
Awesome Costco find, Erin!
I can’t find fresh or dried goji berries where I live, but did find powder. How much powder should I use in place of 1/4 c fresh goji berries?
Hey rawkstar! We would start with 2 Tbsp of powder (that shouldn’t overpower it), then if you want to add more in the next recipe you can.
I’m loving the flavor and color of this smoothie!
So delicious, isn’t it?!
I was such a picky eater growing up. Sometimes I can’t believe I’m blending up things like cabbage, goji berries and pomegranate together! But I’m so glad I am! Gotta try it to believe how good it is. 🙂
That’s awesome, Kat! Love that we could introduce you to great combos for delicious smoothies!
I love the color of this recipe. So bright and fun! 🙂
I know, the color is so pretty!!
I love adding pomegranates to my salads, I haven’t thought of smoothies. I can’t wait to try this recipe!
If you like pomegranates in your salad, you’re going to love this smoothie!
This was good! Sort of a pink explosion with all the different fruits :). I’ve never used goji berries before so that was fun to try something new. Even though I have a Ninja blender, the pomegranate seeds didn’t totally break down. So there are some seeds in my smoothie. I think next time I’ll use pomegranate juice instead for it to be totally smooth.
Either way works, Carmen!
I’ve used pomegranate juice in my smoothies before, but never the actual seeds. Brilliant! I have a vitamix so I’m excited to try this and get the extra fiber with it. Thanks for the perfect autumn smoothie recipe Jen.
This is definitely a perfect autumn smoothie! 🙂