Jackfruit Tacos!

Jackfruit tacos are really simple to make any night of the week and can come together in about 30 minutes. They are vegan and nonvegan friendly. You can customize them with your favorite topping like you would with any taco.

The Jackfruit Taco has a similar shredded texture to pulled pork or chicken but they are meat free. These are great when you are switching to a plant based diet and want to figure out ways to create filling meals that are healthy, delicious, and simple to make. That is my criteria. This shredded jackfruit does the job. You can load up the taco and it is very filling, especially when you finish it with your favorite topping.

What to top your tacos with:

Try a corn tortilla with lettuce,  jackfruit topped with diced tomatoes, sliced avocado, fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.

You could also top your tacos with vegan sour cream or avocado lime dressing found in the Oil Free Salad Dressing Guide.

You could also make a jackfruit taco bowl over rice and finish with your favorite topping.

What is Jackfruit?

Jackfruit is from the largest fruit-producing tree in the world. It contains fiber and is low in fat like many fruits. It is often used as a meat substitute for pulled pork, shredded chicken or bbq chicken. For more information on jackfruit click here.

Where can you find Jackfruit?

You can find Jackfruit in your local grocery, usually in the International aisle and in a can. You want to get the jackfruit in the brine or water, not syrup. When you buy “young” jackfruit in the can, it is not ripened, that is what helps create the string texture when you are looking to create a meat substitute for say chicken or pulled pork substitute. Ripened jackfruit is sweet in taste and would be used more for desserts. Unripened jack fruit would be used more in savory dishes like bbq jack fruit or tacos.

What are the Ingredients for Jackfruit Tacos?

• Young Jackfruit (in a can with water or brine)
• Onions
• Garlic
• Red Bell Pepper
• Cumin
• Chili Powder
• Smoked Paprika
• Jalapeno (optional)
• Tamari ( substitute soy sauce, coconut aminos )
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Water
• Corn Tortilla
• Limes, cilantro and avocado (optional)

How to make Jackfruit Tacos?

Making jackfruit tacos is about sautéing the veggies with the shredded jackfruit and letting simmer for about 2o minutes. Then adding in the jackfruit taco filling to your favorite taco shells and topping it off with your favorite toppings in about 30 minutes.

Step 1: Prepping the Jackfruit (By hand with a knife or using food processor)

Start by draining and rinsing the jackfruit from the can. You can either shred the jackfruit by hand or pull the jackfruit apart into shredded pieces. You can also use a knife to shred the small pieces.

If you’re using a food processor, drain the can and add one can at a time to the food processor, then pulse 6 to 10 times until shredded. Keep in mind, don’t over blend or the jackfruit will become mushy. Remove the shredded jackfruit and add to a bowl and repeat with the second can of jack fruit. Once shredded, remove from the food processor and add back to the bowl of shredded jackfruit.

Step 2: Sauté the veggies and Jackfruit.

To a medium hot sauté pan add in the diced onions and bell peppers with a couple tablespoons of water and sauté for 5-6 minutes. Next, add in the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add in the spices and the jalapeño (optional) and stir and sauté for about 1 minute. You can add in small amount of water if the ingredients begin to stick.

Add in the shredded jackfruit, tamari and 1 cup of water and combine. Cover and stir frequently for about 20 minutes. Taste to see if you need any additional seasoning or additional tamari. Remove from heat and prepare your tacos.

Step 3: Make your tacos 

Warm your corn taco shells and add in you shredded jackfruit filling, finished with your favorite toppings.

My favorite way to serve the taco is on warm corn tortilla shells with jackfruit, topped with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, cilantro and a slice of avocado. S0 Good! I’m making my self hungry.

Refrigerate any remaining jackfruit taco filling in the refrigerator for 5-6 days. Make this in advance as part of meal prepping. Reheat the jackfruit taco filling in a sauce pan and make tacos or taco bowls with rice during the week for a quick meal.