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Taco night will never be the same with these mouth-watering Jackfruit Tacos. The texture of shredded jackfruit is the perfect replacement for traditional pork tacos. It will knock your socks off!
Fruit as a replacement for taco meat - what kind of sorcery is this? I know it sounds completely nuts, but it's freaking delicious and the texture is spot-on! You've gotta trust me and give it a try.
They are super easy to make, kid-friendly, and they will be on your table in 30 minutes! I love making them for Taco Tuesday with Loaded Vegan Nachos and Blood Orange Margaritas. They're always a hit!
What is jackfruit?
Jackfruit is a tropical fruit from Southeast Asia and it looks like a giant dinosaur fruit. Seriously, it's a super long, prickly, green monster! It’s one of the largest fruits on the planet and can reach up to 50 pounds. Totally Jurassic Park!
It has a meaty, fibrous texture with large seeds throughout. The jackfruit tree can grow up to 150 jackfruits over two harvest seasons and all that fruit can feed an army.
What does jackfruit taste like?
When a jackfruit is fully ripened, it's very sweet and almost tastes like Juicy Fruit gum. It tastes wonderful when it's fresh, but it's really messy to cut, so I don't buy it often. You can find fresh or unripened jackfruit (young) in the can though.
The unripened jackfruit is virtually tasteless and it has the ability to absorb lots of flavor from seasonings. Also, it has an uncanny resemblance and texture to shredded meat which makes it a great replacement for pulled pork, chicken, or fish recipes. When it cooks it will fall apart and shred, while absorbing all the goodness. You can also shred it beforehand to speed up the cooking process.
For savory recipes, you need to buy canned young jackfruit in water or brine. Whatever you do, don't buy the jackfruit packed in syrup for this recipe. It won't be what you are expecting. If you can't find jackfruit in your local grocery store, you can find it in most Asian grocery stores or markets.
How to make Jackfruit Tacos
Shred the jackfruit in a food processor by pulsing it a few times to get a "shredded meat" texture. Don't over pulse or it will be mushy.
If you have a small food processor, you may need to work in batches. If you don't have a food processor, you can cut the jackfruit into thin slices and shred some by hand.
- Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent.
- Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant. Now add the tomato paste and cook for 30-60 seconds.
- Add the shredded jackfruit and sauté for a few minutes. Now add the spices and sauté until fragrant.
- Pour in the vegetable broth and simmer until it has cooked down completely. Taste for seasoning and add more if needed. Remove from heat.
Warm up your corn tortillas one at a time in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook for 30 seconds on each side to soften.
What can I serve with jackfruit tacos?
The options are endless, but here are some of my favorites: Lime Wedges, Vegan Sour Cream, Fresh-Cut Cilantro, Sliced Green Onion, Hot Sauce, Salsa, Pico De Gallo, Sliced Radishes, Shredded Red Cabbage, Creamy Chipotle Sauce, or Guacamole.
More 30-minute meals to enjoy
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📖 Recipe
Jackfruit Carnitas Tacos
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or preferred oil)
- 1 small onion , finely diced
- 3-4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 14-ounce cans young jackfruit in water or brine. Rinsed and drained well
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon sea salt , more to taste
- ¾ cup vegetable broth
- 8 Corn tortillas
Recommended Equipment
- Food Processor (optional)
Instructions
- Start by shredding the jackfruit in a food processor. Pulse a few times to get a "shredded meat" texture. Don't over pulse or it will be mushy. If you have a small food processor, you may need to work in batches. If you don't have a food processor, you can cut the jackfruit into thin slices and shred some by hand.
- Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the garlic and sauté for 30-60 seconds until fragrant. Now add the tomato paste and cook for 30-60 seconds more.
- Add the shredded jackfruit and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Now add the spices and sauté until fragrant about 1 minute.
- Pour in the vegetable broth and cook until the liquid has cooked down completely about 3-4 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more if needed. Remove from heat.
- Warm up your corn tortillas one at a time in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook for 30 seconds on each side. Now build tacos to your taste. See notes for serving ideas. Enjoy!
Kaley
First time having jackfruit! I can’t believe how good the texture is. So flavorful too. This is a keeper.
Melissa Huggins
Yes, jackfruit is so underrated. Glad you got to try using it, Kaley. 🙂
Emily Webber
These were FREAKING PHENOMENAL! I recently purchased a massive can (i.e., 6 pounds) of jackfruit and didn't want it all to be devoted to BBQ sandwiches (the only way I've had jackfruit up until now). That's when I found this recipe. I'm blown away! The seasonings you call for are exactly what I have in my kitchen - hooray for easy, common ingredients! When coupled with my own recipe for chipotle sauce + lettuce + tomatoes, the tacos were sublime! This is a new favorite! Thank you so much!
Melissa Huggins
Hello Emily, you are welcome and I am glad you found this recipe! Jackfruits are so versatile and can be used in so many dishes, but this one is a family favorite too. 🙂
Home
This was amazing! My family asked for me to make it again soon. All the flavors worked beautifully well together. Thank you.
Melissa Huggins
Glad to hear it, Home. 🙂 Thanks for giving it a try and for the great feedback.
Lisa Ramirez
just made this recipe but used fresh jackfruit ... the flavor was amazing
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Lisa! We are so happy to hear that you loved the tacos! Thanks so much for giving them a try 🙂
Patti
Thank you! I made this for lunch today. My husband and I both really enjoyed the meal.
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Patti! We are so happy to hear that you both loved the recipe 🙂 Thanks so much for trying it out!
Cecilia Downey
this is so good! first time working with jackfruit and it was way easier than I thought it would be. would absolutely recommend!
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Cecilia! We are so happy to hear that you loved the recipe and found it easy to work with the jack fruit! Thanks for giving it a try 🙂
Cheryl
I love this recipe! I use it to make enchiladas instead of carnitas and I also add some chipotle for spice.thanks for a great recipe.
Melissa Huggins
Hi Cheryl, thank you for your feedback. I'm so happy it all worked out for you. I'm totally craving enchiladas now 🙂
Amber
This is exactly the recipe I needed! Plant Food for People has a food truck that makes killer jackfruit tacos, but when I finally SAW a jackfruit in the market, I had no idea how to even begin working with it. I can't wait to try this recipe. Pinning it now...
mhuggs
Thank you, Amber! I was lost with jackfruit at first, too. It works well for so many recipes. I'm kind of addicted 🙂
Anna
This sounds and looks fantastic Melissa! I can't find it anywhere over here, but keep seeing it on other blogs, and it makes my mouth water! 🙂 I must search for it a bit harder 😉 xxx
mhuggs
Hi Anna, Thank you so much! It's such a great meat substitute and so versatile. Have you tried searching online? I rarely find it anywhere, except online or in Asian markets. Good luck on your search 😉