What Is Pomegranate Molasses?

What Is Pomegranate Molasses?

Pomegranate molasses is a condiment that is made from pomegranate arils. They are juiced and this juice is cooked until it reduces and thickens. 

Although it is called molasses, this condiment is not sweet unlike other fruit molasses and it is not used in desserts. So it won't be a good idea to use it as a substitute for regular sweet molasses (like date molasses, grape molasses) in a recipe. 

It has a deep, dark red (sometimes even brown) color, thick syrup-like consistency, and a tangy flavor with slightly sweet undertones. So it is mostly used in salad dressings paired with lemon juice or on its own.

This molasses is the same as pomegranate concentrate, and the terms are often used interchangeably.  

You might see pomegranate molasses under the following names: Pomegranate sour, pomegranate syrup, pomegranate sauce, pomegranate paste. They all refer the same ingredient. 

What Does It Contain?

Originally pomegranate molasses contains only pomegranate juice made from pomegranate seeds. It doesn't contain any additives like sugar or lemon juice, but most of the store-bought products contain glucose, citric acid and other additives. 

Also, some recipes around the Internet add sugar, which is definitely not a traditional thing. A little sweetness coming from pomegranate itself is ok, but the dominating taste of this molasses should be sour. So pick tart pomegranates if you are planning to make your own molasses.

If the pomegranates you use to make molasses are not tart enough, you can add lemon juice in the pomegranate juice and cook them together.

How Is It Made?

It has a very simple and straightforward recipe. Fresh pomegranate juice is simmered in a pan over medium heat until it reduces and thickens. This might take several hours.

You need to stir it occasionally to prevent the bottom from burning or caramelizing. Let it cool completely and keep it in jars. Check out our pomegranate molasses recipe to learn the full details.

Which Countries Use It?

Pomegranate molasses originate from Middle Eastern countries. In Turkey, it is called nar ekşisi (pomegranate sour when it is translated word to word). It is used in several Turkish dishes.

It is known as dibs it-rim-man in Syrian cuisine, dibs rumaan or rub rumaan in Arabic cuisine and rob-e-anar in Persian cuisine, narsharab in Azerbaijan. It is also used in Georgian, Armenian, Iraqi, Israeli and Lebanese cuisines. 

Although each cuisine uses pomegranate molasses in different dishes, it is a staple ingredient for them. 

Uses of Pomegranate Molasses

Pomegranate molasses is a key ingredient in several Middle Eastern dishes and with good reason. It can be used before, during or after cooking. And you might be asking how much you need in a recipe. Well, this molasses has a pleasantly sharp taste and using about 1 tablespoon for a recipe would be enough.

In Turkey, it is used in almost all salads. We can't think of a bowl of fresh Turkish salad without it.

Also,the salads like Turkish bulgur salad kisir, purslane salad and wheat berry salad have their unique taste with this condiment.

Besides salads, it is also a great addition to the filling of dolma (stuffed veggies).

It is great in dips like muhammara and in spreads like sun-dried tomato sauce.

Another use of pomegranate molasses is on roasted vegetables. We do love it on our roasted onions, but you can use it on any vegetable you like to roast.

Where To Buy

You can find pomegranate molasses at Turkish and Middle Eastern grocery stores. Many online stores, including Amazon, sell it too.

Always check the ingredient list before buying. The best products are made from 100% pomegranates (or pomegranate juice).

Some brands also add a little salt. That's fine. But avoid products with added sugar, glucose syrup or other sweeteners.

You may notice that some bottles are much cheaper than others. That's usually because they are not made from pure pomegranates.

These products are often labeled as pomegranate sauce or pomegranate-flavored sauce.

In Turkish, you might see nar ekşili sos on the label. They usually contain sugar and other added ingredients.

These products are very common in Türkiye too. Many restaurants use them because they are more affordable. If that's the flavor you like, they are perfectly fine to use.

But if you want a more traditional and concentrated flavor, choose a product made from 100% pomegranates. It costs more, but the difference in flavor is noticeable.

Alternatively, make your own pomegranate molasses!

How To Store

Keeping it in the refrigerator may not be the best option if the product you have contains sugar. Otherwise, it gets much thicker and might be hard to drizzle over your food. It doesn't mean that you can't refrigerate it. If you want, you can. And if you see it is too thick, just let it sit on the counter for 15-20 minutes before using.

We use it in our cooking for ages and never keep it in the fridge. Pomegranate molasses won't go bad when kept at room temperature. Just make sure the molasses in the bottle doesn't touch any other food or water when you are using it. This will cause it to go bad in a very short time.

How long does pomegranate molasses last? If stored correctly, it will easily last up to a year.

What Does It Taste Like? Sweet or Tart?

Pomegranate molasses has an intense, fruity flavor with prominent, tangy undertones. It isn't very sweet but has a subtle caramelized sweetness. So expect for a more nicely tart flavor than sweet.

But where does the acidity come from? Is pomegranate juice acidic? The fruit juice is naturally acidic and tangy. That ultimately creates an acidic syrup as well. While the sugars get concentrated through the cooking method, so do the sour flavors.

Is Pomegranate Molasses The Same As Grenadine?

No, grenadine isn't the same as pomegranate molasses. They are both made from pomegranate but for different purposes. 

Pomegranate molasses has tart flavor, which makes it perfect for salad dressings. Grenadine is much sweeter and known as a cocktail ingredient.

On the other hand, pomegranate molasses is never used in drinks. At least, traditionally. 

Also, the color of the pomegranate molasses is also much darker and a deeper red, almost brown color while grenadine is in between red and pink.

Molasses vs Pomegranate Molasses

Molasses is a thick syrup that is used as a sweetener. It is known as a byproduct of sugar and made from sugar beet and sugar cane. It is like a thick and sticky syrup you can use as a substitute for sugar. 

There is also fruit molasses, which is very popular in Turkey. The word "molasses" means pekmez and it is a kind of thick syrup made from simmering crushed fruits. It can be made from grapes (the most popular one), carobs, mulberries and dates. 

So it makes the English term "pomegranate molasses" a bit confusing. It is completely different from other fruit molasses. It is not as sweet as other molasses and definitely NOT used as a substitute for sugar. 

In Turkish it is called "nar ekşisi" meaning pomegranate sour, which is really meaningful. The word "sour" is used as a noun and it means a thick liquid that is extracted from sour fruit.

Substitutes

Pomegranate molasses is such a unique ingredient with its tart and subtly sweet flavor, so it is not easy to find a substitute for it. 

As the original product is made from pomegranate juice only, the best substitute could be pomegranate juice itself or pomegranate arils. You won't feel that concentrated sour flavor but this might work especially in salads.

Another substitute could be a mixture of balsamic vinegar and a little sugar. Simmer this mixture in a pot until sugar melts or it thickens a bit. You can use it in savory dishes, but in small amounts. As it has a dark brown color, the color of your dish will definitely change.

Traditionally, pomegranate molasses is used as a sour ingredient, often as a substitute for lemon juice. So why not use lemon juice as a substitute for the molasses? Just mix it with a little honey (for the subtle sweetness of pomegranate) and use it in your savory dishes. You can even add a little pomegranate juice or cranberry juice for coloring.

We have shared a list of pomegranate molasses substitutes. You might want to check it out too.

Is It Healthy?

Pomegranate fruit has many benefits. It is a low-calorie and fat ingredient, but it contains a ton of vitamins and minerals. It is high in calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. It is also exceptionally high in vitamin B9 (folate) and C.

These nutrients can benefit overall heart health and urinary tract health. It is also high in antioxidants, which can help fight cancer.

So homemade pomegranate molasses has similar health benefits. However, we can't say the same for the store-bought versions especially if they contain sugar. As we have explained above, homemade version contains only pomegranate juice, so it is much healthier.