This month’s “Savor Cooks” recipe features pomegranate. Try our recipe for Roasted Delicata Squash and Red Onion with Pomegranate and Tahini.
Pomegranate seeds, also known as arils, are a great accompaniment to so many recipes and foods, especially those with a Mediterranean inspired influence. Here are a few ways to enjoy them:
- Over oatmeal, yogurt, waffles or nut butter toast
- As part of a fruit salad
- Sprinkled into salads or cooked vegetables like eggplant or winter squash
- As a topping to homemade or store-bought dips like hummus, baba ganoush or labne/yogurt dips
- Mixed into cooked rice
- Served with cooked chicken or meat dishes, or chickpeas
- Stirred into cocktails or mocktails
- On a cheese plate
This is our favorite method for getting the seeds out of a pomegranate. Or, save time and hassle by finding pomegranate arils ready-to-eat.
Don’t forget to check out our Food of the Month post on pomegranate.
Recipe
This recipe makes a great side dish for both holiday entertaining and low-key weeknights. The seasonal colors brighten up the table, from bright yellow squash (yes, you can, and should, eat the skin of the delicata squash!) to deep purple onion and ruby red pomegranate to green pepitas or parsley.
There is a sweet and savory contrast going on as well. When roasted, the red onion becomes slightly sweet, which pairs well with the brightness of the pomegranate arils. The dressing, too, has both savory tahini and tart lemon juice with a little maple syrup mixed in.
Hungry for more pomegranate dishes? Try our recipe for Herbed Farro Salad with Pomegranate and Feta that we created for VeryWell’s cancer prevention series.
Need more ideas for winter squash recipes? Try our Roasted Curried Kabocha Squash Soup or Roasted Pumpkin Slices with Cilantro Avocado Dressing.
- 2 medium delicata squash, halved lengthwise, seeds removed, and cut into ½-inch slices
- 1 medium red onion, sliced into ¼-inch slices
- 2 tablespoons canola, coconut or olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- ½ lemon, juiced (or 1 tablespoon lemon juice)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ¼ cup pomegranate arils
- ¼ cup pepitas/pumpkin seeds (or chopped nuts)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
- Heat oven to 400F.
- Spread out the squash and onion onto a baking sheet in a single layer and rub with oil and salt (you may need an extra baking sheet if the squash do not all fit).
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping midway through baking for even cooking, until squash are fork tender, golden brown and slightly caramelized.
- To make the dressing: whisk together tahini, lemon and maple syrup in a bowl. Or, place ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake until combined. Add in a tablespoon of warm water, one at a time until a desired pourable consistency is reached.
- Top the roasted squash and onion with pomegranate seeds and pepitas or chopped nuts, and drizzle on the dressing.
