Jackfruit is a mild flavored fruit that when prepared correctly is a perfect meat substitute. It has a tender, meaty texture and takes on the flavor of the spices and sauces it is cooked with. These BBQ Jackfruit Tacos are a delightful plant-based twist on traditional pulled meat tacos. Make them with our homemade vegan barbecue sauce and top them with avocado crema for the best tacos ever! (This recipe is gluten-free and vegan)
Pair your tacos with Cilantro Lime Rice and Cantaloupe Agua Fresca, and enjoy a delightful feast!
What is Jackfruit?
Jackfruit is a tropical fruit that originated in southwest India and is now grown in other parts of Asia and Africa! Jackfruit is a large yellow-green fruit that has become quite popular for its versatility and ability to be transformed into a meat substitute because of its interesting texture when cooked. It is also packed with tons of nutrients and antioxidants!
What does Jackfruit taste like?
When jackfruit is ripe, it has a sweet taste, similar to mango, pineapple, or banana. When eaten unripe, which is how it is used for cooking, it has a neutral flavor. For this recipe, you will want to use green, unripe jackfruit, which you can usually find in cans in the grocery store.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 2 Cans of Young Green Jackfruit
- Spices: Smoked Paprika, Chili Powder, Dried Oregano, Red Crushed Pepper, Salt, and Pepper
- Homemade Barbecue Sauce: or your favorite barbecue sauce
- Vegetable Broth
- Cooking Oil
- Onion and Garlic
How To Make Bbq Jackfruit Tacos
- Rinse the jackfruit and add it to a large bowl. Then, shred it so it resembled pulled meat (like pork or chicken). You can use two forks or simply use your hands.
- Season the jackfruit with the spices and barbecue sauce.
- In a large skillet, sauté onion and garlic until golden.
- Add the seasoned jackfruit to the skillet and pour in the vegetable broth. Mix the ingredients and then cover the pan for 5 minutes on medium-low heat.
- After the vegetable broth has been absorbed by the jackfruit, turn up the heat to medium-high and sauté the jackfruit for 3-5 minutes, until slightly browned on the outside.
- Remove the jackfruit from the heat. Assemble your tacos and enjoy!
The trick to making tender flavorful jackfruit is to pour a small amount of vegetable broth into the pan with the jackfruit and cover it for 5 minutes to tenderize and cook the jackfruit. Then, turn the heat up a bit and saute the jackfruit so that it gets nice and browned, sealing in all the flavor.
Toppings for your vegan jackfruit tacos:
Toppings on your tacos are essential! Load your tacos with as many toppings as you like. Here are a few great options:
- Sliced Radish
- Sliced Jalapenos
- Pickled Vegetables
- Chopped Cilantro
- Salsa
- Avocado Crema
Does Jackfruit really taste like meat?
Jackfruit on its own does not taste like meat, but with the help of savory aromatics like garlic and onion and a few seasonings, it can very well taste like meat! Jackfruit absorbs the flavor of whatever it is cooked with. This, and its uncanny resemblance to pulled pork when jackfruit is shredded, makes it perfect as a vegetarian meat replacement.
Where can I buy jackfruit?
You can start to find jackfruit in the produce section in grocery stores now that it is spring. Jackfruit are large, yellow-green fruits with a bumpy exterior. However, this is not the jackfruit that you’ll want to buy for this recipe. You’ll need canned, green jackfruit for this recipe.
You can also buy frozen jackfruit, but I’ve found that the outcome is not quite the same as canned jackfruit.
I hope you enjoy this BBQ Jackfruit Tacos Recipe
If you try the recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know what you think in the comments below! Take pictures, tag #goodfoodbaddie, and share them with me on Instagram and Pinterest! I love seeing my recipes come to life in your kitchen
More Flavorful Vegan Dishes To Try:
- Vegan Caesar Salad
- Vegan Chipotle Cashew Cream | Gluten-Free!
- Best Baked Orange Cauliflower Wings
- The Best Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
- Ginger Garlic Bok Choy Soup
Vegan BBQ Jackfruit Tacos
Ingredients
- 2 20-ounce cans young green jackfruit
- 1/2 Red Onion
- 3 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Chili Powder
- 1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1/4 tsp Red Crushed Pepper
- 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/4 tsp Fresh Ground Pepper
- 1 cup Homemade Barbecue Sauce or your favorite barbecue sauce
- 1/3 cup Vegetable Broth
- 1-2 tbsp Cooking Oil
Optional Ingredients for Assembling Tacos
- Tortillas
- Sliced Radishes
- Sliced Jalapeños
- Avocado Crema
- Salsa
Instructions
- First, prepare the jackfruit by pouring it into a strainer and thoroughly rinsing to remove any debris, salt, or liquid remains
- Transfer the jackfruit into a large bowl. Then, using a knife or your hands, pull apart (or slice) the jackfruit into thin pieces. (Do not discard the core or seeds)
- Season the jackfruit with the seasonings listed above and add the barbecue sauce. Mix well to ensure all the jackfruit is evenly coated.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1-2 tablespoons of oil of choice. Then, add the chopped garlic and onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until golden.
- Add the seasoned jackfruit to the pan and then pour in the vegetable broth. Mix the ingredients and then cover the pan for 5 minutes on medium-low heat.
- After the vegetable broth has been absorbed by the jackfruit, turn up the heat to medium-high and sauté the jackfruit for 3-5 minutes, until slightly browned on the outside.
- Place generous portions of the pulled bbq jackfruit onto your prepared tortilla. Add toppings of your choice and Enjoy!
13 comments
These tacos were so flavorful and delicious! I served them to my whole family and everyone (even the meat eaters) devoured it!
Yes! I am so happy to hear that!
I am always looking for new ways to make vegetarian tacos, and these look great! I haven’t tried working with jackfruit before, but you make it seem so easy and delicious that I will have to give it a try.
Hi Kait, I promise you it’s super easy! I hope you enjoy!
This was a yummy introduction to the new-to-me jackfruit. Thanks for this creative recipe. So good!
Hi Lisalia! I am glad you like the recipe!
Yum these tacos look amazing! I’ve been meaning to try cooking with jackfruit, can’t wait to try this!
Hi Cate! I hope you have fun cooking with jackfruit!
What a great twist to taco Tuesday! These were great; even my picky eaters gobbled this up!
Hi Sara! I am happy to hear that! 🙂
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