Easy Vegan Jackfruit Tacos Recipe (2024)

Last modified: April 20, 2023. Originally posted: April 20, 2023 By Sophia DeSantis

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These vegan jackfruit tacos are not only easy to make but they are absolutely delicious! Paired with refried beans, its an all in one meal!

Jackfruit is an excellent source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Because of it's meaty texture, it's the perfect substitute for meat in recipes like tacos.

This post was originally published on May 31, 2021.

I am a huge fan of tacos; roasted vegetable tacos, breakfast tacos and vegan birria tacos are some of my go to recipes. These jackfruit tacos now add to the list of favorites!

Ingredients

Like vegan burritos, tacos are great family meals. They're so easy to make, and everyone can dress them up with their own toppings! Since figuring out the best way to prepare jackfruit, it's been added to our taco filling rotation.

The simple ingredients you need to make this jackfruit taco recipe are:

Red onion
Jackfruit
Taco seasoning
Roasted salsa
Sea salt
Tortillas and toppings - see below for a full list of ideas

How to Make Jackfruit Tacos

Once you have the process down, you'll want to make these pulled jackfruit tacos on a weekly basis! Here are the simple steps:

Sauté the onion and jackfruit.
Mix in the taco seasoning and cook until browned and crisp on the edges.
Add the salsa and mix until reduced and almost sticky like.
Remove from heat, and fill tacos.
Serve with all of your favorite toppings!

Jackfruit Taco Toppings

Fill your tacos up with all kinds of toppings. Even set up a topping bar and have everyone make their own! For a proper taco feast, try serving with some of the following:

Tortillas- corn or flour
Refried beansor pinto beans
Cabbage
Guacamole or avocado
Jalapeño
Lime
Cilantro
Cotija or feta cheese
Vegan queso fresco
Sliced green onions
Red or Green Salsa
Sour cream
Grilled Pineapple

What to Serve With Tacos

The best thing about tacos is that they're so versatile! Serve the jackfruit tacos alone or even with vegan stuffed jalapeños as an appetizer, or make them a meal with any of the following dishes:

Preparation and Storage Tips

When making this vegan jackfruit tacos recipe, these suggestions will come in handy:

Use broth to sauté in order to keep this recipe oil free.
The salt will depend on how much salt your taco seasoning and salsa has. You may want to wait and add it at the end.
Use about 40 ounces of jackfruit, but if you are using 14 ounce cans you can use 3 cans and be about the same.
You can also sub the jackfruit with shredded mushrooms. Portobello or king oyster work best. Use 2 pounds.
Find gluten-free tortillas if needed.
Make the jackfruit filling ahead of time.
Keep the filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Reheat in a skillet for best texture results.

Common Questions

Does jackfruit taste like meat?

Jackfruit has a sweet flavor, and when prepared in certain ways it can taste like pulled pork. It's a good meat substitute for its texture, fibrous and meaty. While it's not as high in protein as other common meat substitutes, it is still nutritious and full of fiber to make all kinds of vegan jackfruit recipes.

What are jackfruit tacos?

Jackfruit tacos are tacos that are made with jackfruit instead of meat. This plant based recipe is made by seasoning jackfruit with taco seasoning and sautéing with salsa until nice and sticky. Then, the taco filling is added to tortillas and paired with the best taco toppings.

What does jackfruit meat look like?

Jackfruit meat is fibrous and resembles pulled pork.

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Easy Vegan Jackfruit Tacos Recipe

Sophia DeSantis

Spice up your taco night with flavorful vegan jackfruit tacos recipe made with healthy ingredients. Perfect for a quick and delicious dinner!

5 from 1 vote

Ingredients

1 ½ cups chopped red onion
Drizzle of your favorite oil to sauté , or broth if oil free
40 ounces jackfruit , about two 20 ounce cans (see note)
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
¼ - 1 teaspoon sea salt , see note
1 cup roasted salsa , homemade or store bought

To serve (optional):

Tortillas , gluten-free if needed
Refried beans , homemade or store bought
Cabbage
Guacamole or avocado
Jalapeno
Lime
Cilantro
Cotija or feta cheese
Sliced green onions
Salsa
Sour cream

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Instructions

Sauté onion and oil, or broth if oil free, until onion is soft. About 5 minutes.
Add the jackfruit, taco seasoning and salt (if using) and saute over medium high heat until browned and crisp on the edges. This takes between 10-15 minutes depending on your stove. You want it crisp to get the right texture. If you stop early it will be soft and mushy.
Add the salsa and mix until reduced and almost sticky like.
Remove from heat, and serve with all of your favorite toppings! I highly recommend the refried beans and veggies for an all in one meal.

Notes

You can also sub the jackfruit with shredded mushrooms. Portobello or king oyster work best. Use 2 pounds.
Use about 40 ounces of jackfruit, but if you are using 14 ounce cans you can use 3 cans and be about the same.
The salt will depend on how much salt your taco seasoning and salsa has. You may want to wait and add it at the end.
Nutrition facts are for the filling only.

Recipe by Veggies Don’t Bite, visit our site for more great plant-based recipes.

Nutrition

Calories: 322kcalCarbohydrates: 77gProtein: 7gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 596mgPotassium: 1596mgFiber: 7gSugar: 59gVitamin A: 625IUVitamin C: 45mgCalcium: 101mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition and metric information should be considered an estimate.

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Comments

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Sarah
June 14, 2021 at 9:01 am
These were so good! Classic taco flavor, and the perfect texture! Topped ours with guac, cilantro, and some vegan feta. So yum!
Reply

Easy Vegan Jackfruit Tacos Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to make jackfruit taste like meat? ›

Simply tease the raw jackfruit apart with your hands or two forks, mix with your favorite spice blend (barbecue or fajita seasonings work well), and sauté before serving in buns with slaw or in fajitas, burritos, or tamales (these are filled with jackfruit and drizzled with a bright and fresh cilantro sauce).

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What's the best way to prepare jackfruit? ›

Wearing plastic or rubber gloves, cut jackfruit crosswise into 2-inch slices; then cut the pieces in half. Run a paring knife along the core to separate it from the fruit pods. Pull out fruit pods and remove the white fibers and tips. Cut pods in half lengthwise; remove the jackfruit seeds and their rubbery skins.

Get More Info Here ›

Should I rinse canned jackfruit? ›

However, because the Heart Foundation warns people about the sodium content of canned foods, it's best that you rinse canned vegetables, including your jackfruit, prior to cooking them. Not only will your heart thank you, but whatever seasonings you add won't be competing with the salt of the brine.

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Can you eat all parts of canned jackfruit? ›

So if you're in a rush and don't feel like removing the seeds or trimming the hard parts, you can leave them as is. The pieces you'll find in a can of jackfruit are completely edible and can be consumed as is.

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What is the fake meat from jackfruit? ›

Shredded jackfruit is also frequently used to replace other meats, like chicken. Similar to tofu in that it lacks a strong flavor profile of its own, many people love the jackfruit's adaptability to be used in curries, stews, and sauces. It's especially popular in tacos and burritos, too.

Tell Me More ›

What not to mix with jackfruit? ›

Jackfruit and milk are considered a harmful combination, according to Ayurveda. For centuries, the combination of jackfruit and any dairy product has been forbidden and is said to cause indigestion and skin diseases.

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How long does jackfruit take to cook? ›

Leave to simmer gently, covered, for 30 mins stirring every 5-10 mins to help break down the jackfruit, then take the lid off and cook a further 10 minutes. Once cooked, use a fork to make sure all of the jackfruit is well shredded. Check seasoning and add another tbsp of bbq sauce if necessary for extra stickiness.

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Does canned jackfruit need to be cooked? ›

Do I need to cook canned jackfruit? Yes. The cooking stage is when the transformation from unripe fruit to rich, meaty dish takes place. Luckily, cooking jackfruit is simple.

How do you prepare jackfruit from a can? ›

Instructions

Drain jackfruit and rinse thoroughly.
Add jackfruit, spices and veggie broth to a heavy-bottom skillet and bring to a boil over medium heat. ...
Remove jackfruit from heat and mash with the back of your spoon or potato masher.

More items...

Learn More Now ›

How healthy is canned jackfruit? ›

Jackfruit is a good source of vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber, and other important vitamins and minerals. Also, research suggests that compounds in the flesh, seeds, and other parts of the plant may potentially treat or prevent several health conditions. Jackfruit is a popular meat substitute.

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What parts of jackfruit are inedible? ›

About 60% of the whole jackfruit consists of inedible parts such as outer prickly rind, inner perigones, and central core [82] and only around 35% of the whole fruit consist of edible flesh [19]. The jackfruit flesh is highly perishable and often undergoes flavour loss, tissue softening, and cut surface browning [83].

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Why is my packaged jackfruit brown? ›

Hello there, the reddish/brown color is caused by oxidation.

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Can jackfruit taste like meat? ›

2. Green Jackfruit: it's mild and neutral in flavor. The texture is firm and fibrous similar to pulled pork. 🥫 The easiest way to cook green jackfruit is by buying it in a can.

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Does jackfruit taste like meat when cooked? ›

Before you take a bite, it's helpful to know what to expect. The jackfruit texture is not dissimilar to a banana, mango, or pineapple in terms of being dense and fibrous. But the taste is quite distinctive. Some say it's sweet, and some say a jackfruit has a flavor similar to pulled pork, especially when cooked.

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Does raw jackfruit taste like meat? ›

Ripe yellow jackfruit has a subtly sweet flavor, often described as a combination of banana, apple, and mango. Young green jackfruit, on the other hand, has a neutral flavor and texture similar to shredded meat, making it a popular meat substitute in savory dishes.

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