Pomegranate Molasses Dressing

This easy pomegranate molasses dressing is sweet, tangy, fruity, and ready in just 5 minutes. Made with pomegranate molasses, fresh lemon, Dijon mustard, honey, and extra virgin olive oil, it's especially delicious with fall salads, roasted vegetables, and grain bowls.

Pomegranate Molasses Dressing

This is one of our favorite dressings to make once fall rolls around. It has everything we love in a vinaigrette: plenty of brightness, a little sweetness, good olive oil, and that wonderfully tangy pomegranate flavor.

Grant is extremely sensitive to anything sour - honestly, he can practically hold a lemon in his hand and pull a face. ☺️ Yet somehow he branded pomegranate molasses "addictively tangy," which tells you just how good this flavor combination is.

The pomegranate molasses gives the dressing sweet-tart fruitiness, while lemon keeps it bright, Dijon adds savory depth, and honey rounds everything out.

Scroll down for step-by-step instructions, chef's tips, salad pairing ideas, variations, and storage tips.

Jump to:

• Pomegranate Molasses Dressing
• Recipe at a Glance
• What Does Pomegranate Molasses Dressing Taste Like?
• Ingredients You'll Need
• How to Make Pomegranate Molasses Dressing
• What Salads Go With Pomegranate Molasses Dressing?
• Other Ways to Use Pomegranate Molasses Dressing
• Storage Instructions
• FAQ's
• More Homemade Salad Dressings
• Pomegranate Molasses Dressing

Recipe at a Glance

• Ready in: 5 minutes
• Makes: About 180 ml (¾ cup), enough for 4-6 servings
• Main ingredients: Pomegranate molasses, lemon, Dijon mustard, honey, and extra virgin olive oil
• Dietary information: Vegetarian, dairy-free, and gluten-free
• Perfect for: Fall salads, grain salads, roasted vegetables, and grain bowls
• Cooking method: No-cook; whisked or shaken
• Make ahead: Yes

What Does Pomegranate Molasses Dressing Taste Like?

This pomegranate molasses vinaigrette is sweet-tart, fruity, tangy, and lightly savory.

Pomegranate molasses gives the dressing a deeper, more concentrated fruit flavor than pomegranate juice. Fresh lemon adds brightness, Dijon brings a savory note, honey balances the acidity, and extra virgin olive oil adds richness.

The result is a punchy, balanced dressing that works especially well with roasted vegetables, feta, grains, nuts, and hearty fall salads.

Ingredients You'll Need

You only need a handful of ingredients for this easy pomegranate molasses dressing:

• Pomegranate molasses - Provides the concentrated sweet-tart pomegranate flavor. Use our Homemade Pomegranate Molasses or a good-quality store-bought Pomegranate molasses like this one.
• Fresh lemon juice - Adds fresh acidity and brightness.
• Dijon mustard - Adds savory flavor and helps the dressing emulsify.
• Honey - Balances the acidity. Swap it for maple syrup for a vegan version.
• Extra virgin olive oil - Adds body and richness to the vinaigrette.
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper - Bring all the flavors together.

See the recipe card for quantities.

How to Make Pomegranate Molasses Dressing

This dressing comes together in just 5 minutes and can be whisked in a bowl or shaken in a jar.

Combine the dressing base

Add the pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and honey to a clean jar or small mixing bowl.

Mix until smooth

Whisk or shake until the mustard and honey are fully combined with the pomegranate molasses and lemon juice.

Chef's Tip: Mixing the mustard into the acidic ingredients first helps the dressing emulsify more easily.

Add the olive oil

Slowly pour in the extra virgin olive oil while whisking, or add it to the jar and shake well until the dressing looks glossy and slightly thickened.

Season to taste

Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust with more lemon juice for brightness, honey for sweetness, or pomegranate molasses for a deeper sweet-tart flavor.

Chef's Tip: A good salad dressing should taste a little punchy on its own. Once it coats greens, and other ingredients, the flavor softens.

Use or store

Use straight away, or refrigerate until needed. Shake well before serving.

What Salads Go With Pomegranate Molasses Dressing?

This dressing is especially good with salads that combine sweet, salty, earthy, and nutty flavors.

• Butternut squash salad - Our Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Feta and Pomegranate was developed specifically for this dressing.
• Pear salads - Try it with our Pear and Pecan Salad, especially with blue cheese, feta, or toasted nuts.
• Roasted beet salad - Drizzle it over our Roasted Beet Salad with Feta.
• Grain salads - It pairs beautifully with quinoa, couscous, farro, or bulgur wheat. Try it with our Moroccan Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Salad.
• Green salads - Toss with rocket, mixed greens, or our Bistro Salad and add pomegranate arils or toasted nuts for a fall or festive side.
• Middle Eastern-inspired salads - The sweet-tart flavor works particularly well with herbs, grains, roasted vegetables, feta, nuts, and pomegranate. Try it drizzled over our Middle Eastern Salmon Salad for an easy way to change up the dressing.

Other Ways to Use Pomegranate Molasses Dressing

You definitely don't have to save this dressing just for salads.

• Roasted vegetables - Drizzle over roasted butternut squash cubes, carrots, roasted beetroot, eggplant, or sweet potatoes.
• Grain bowls - Spoon over quinoa, couscous, farro, or rice bowls.
• Lentils and chickpeas - Toss with cooked lentils or chickpeas while they are still slightly warm.
• Marinades - Use as a quick marinade for chicken or vegetables when you want a sweet-tart Mediterranean flavor.

Storage Instructions

Fridge: Store the dressing in a clean, sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Make ahead: This is a great make-ahead dressing for meal prep or entertaining. Give it a good shake or whisk before serving.

Before serving: Extra virgin olive oil can become cloudy or partially solidify in the fridge. Let the dressing stand at room temperature for 10-15 minutes, then shake or whisk until smooth again.

FAQ's

More Homemade Salad Dressings

If you enjoy making your own dressings, try our:

• Classic French Vinaigrette
• Red Wine Vinegar Salad Dressing
• Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Homemade Greek Vinaigrette
• Italian Vinaigrette

Once you've made a jar, use it first in our Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Feta and Pomegranate, or keep it in the fridge for easy fall salads and roasted vegetables throughout the week.

Give the recipe a try and let us know what you served it with. And don't forget to Pin it for later!

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The nutrition is an estimate only. It was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.