Creating mouthwatering pulled BBQ jackfruit tacos at home is an easy and delicious way to take ordinary tacos to the next level of Mexican awesome! Naturally gluten free, vegan, and plant-based, jackfruit is an amazing alternative to real and mock meat!
What is Jackfruit?
Jackfruit is actually just what it says, a fruit! It's a HUGE spiky green fruit with a softer inside. It can be purchased fresh, dried, or canned. You'll find young jackfruit canned either in water, brine, or syrup. We don't want sweet jackfruit for a vegan meat substitute so look for young jackfruit canned either in water or brine!! (Look in the Asian section of your grocery store, online or at Trader Joe's.)
Young jackfruit itself is very neutral flavored, but is said by many to have the texture of 'pulled pork' - it just needs some yummy seasoning!
Related recipe: Vegan Black Bean Tofu Street Tacos
How to make pulled Jackfruit Tacos:
Grab 2 cans of young jackfruit in water or brine. Rinse and drain the jackfruit. Cut up the jack fruit chunks into thin slices, starting at the firm edge of each piece and cutting inward toward the core. (Photo 1).
Sauté diced onion pieces in olive oil over low heat until clear (Photo 2). While the onions are cooking, go ahead and mix up your sauce for the jackfruit in a small mixing bowl. Once the onions are ready, add minced garlic, sliced jackfruit, and BBQ flavoring sauce to the onion pan (Photo 3).
Stir everything together, and use a potato masher to further breakdown the jackfruit (Photo 4). Simmer over medium/low heat for 5-7 minutes, adding a few tablespoons of water for moisture during cooking process if desired.
What to serve on pulled jackfruit tacos:
All the taco toppings you love are perfect for pulled jackfruit tacos! Salsa, vegan cheese or cream, tomatoes, olives, shredded cabbage, lettuce, avocado dices or guacamole, you name it! But be aware that I generally try to fit way to much into my tacos!!
A couple of my favorite toppings include: Cabbage Salsa, Easy Guacamole, and Mom's best Blender Salsa. I also love a side of Mexican Rice with this!
If you have leftover pulled jackfruit, you can serve it over Mashed Butternut Squash with White Beans, or on top of some Savory Oatmeal. So good!
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Recipe
Jackfruit Tacos
Ingredients
Slice:
- 2 20 oz cans of young jackfruit in water or brine, rinse and drain
Saute:
- 1 ½ cup onion, finely diced
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
Flavorful Barbecue Sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce, or Bragg's liquid aminos
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar
- 2 teaspoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, optional
- 1 ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Grab 2 cans of young jackfruit in water or brine. Rinse and drain the jackfruit. Cut up the jack fruit chunks into thin slices, starting at the firm outer edge of each piece slicing inward toward the core.
- Sauté diced onion pieces in olive oil over low heat until clear. While the onions are cooking, go ahead and mix up your sauce for the jackfruit in a small mixing bowl. Once the onions are ready, add minced garlic, sliced jackfruit and flavoring sauce to the onion pan.
- Stir everything together, and then use a potato masher to further breakdown the jackfruit. Simmer over medium/low heat for 5-7 minutes, adding a few tablespoons of water for moisture during cooking process if needed.
- Add a spoonful of pulled jackfruit to warmed soft or hard tacos. Top with shredded cabbage, lettuce, diced tomatoes, and a drizzle of vegan sour cream! Or whatever else your heart desires! Yumm!
Anna
Is there a substitute for tomato paste and lime juice? I have an allergy to both.
Kate
Is lemon juice an option? If not, apple cider vinegar will give you a nice acidity. I've tried a "nomato" BBQQ sauce where pureed cooked beet was used instead of tomato as the base. Look for an AIP "no-mato" BBQ sauce recipe and use that.
Shama
Wow! This is amazing! I love jackfruit meat!