Easy Vegan Jackfruit Tacos are a perfect quick and easy dish. Jackfruit has a shredded meat texture, and in this recipe, it is packed full of spices and can be layered on a taco with your favorite toppings. Perfect for Taco Tuesday!
There are four of my favorite words in the title of this recipe... yeah, I bet you guessed each and every word, you clever minx you. Easy Vegan Jackfruit Tacos. Boom.
EASY: Every now and then I don't mind a more complicated recipe such as my Vegan Tiramisu (so worth it), but for the most part, I like my recipes easy, and I like 'em quick. These jackfruit tacos just require a little sautéing, add some seasonings, then mash, and done. They take less than 30 minutes to prepare. Easy peasy, quick, and so super delicious.
VEGAN: pre-tay sure that you aren't surprised that this is one of my favourite words. Not only did this life-changing word make me a healthier, happier, more compassionate and environmentally-friendly human being, but it also gave my career a 180-degree flip. Now I have the job of my dreams (that I didn't even know I was dreaming about)!
JACKFRUIT: the fruit that is the jack of all trades. You can eat this fruit ripe and sweet, which to be honest is not my fave, but where jackfruit really shines is when you get it young and green. At this stage, it's starchy, savoury and is so amazing in that it replicates pulled or shredded meat almost exactly. Except, of course, it's so much better! I swear I was eating these tacos and wondered why in the world would anyone want to eat a chicken when they can have jackfruit!?
TACOS: this Mexican handheld food with endless topping combos is an all-time fave for me. There's an entire day of the week dedicated to tacos called #tacotuesday! So I'm clearly not the only one who get's this excited about tacos. Just as this shirt says, mas tacos por favor.
Common Questions:
What can you make with jackfruit?
Jackfruit is perfect for making a shredded meat texture so it is great in tacos, on a BBQ jackfruit sandwich, as a jackfruit salad sandwich, or try my buffalo jackfruit to use on nachos!
Is jackfruit healthier than meat?
Yes! Jackfruit is a whole plant food that is full of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It is also cholesterol-free, and free of harmful animal proteins.
How do you use jackfruit?
When ripe, jackfruit is very sweet and can be eaten as is like any other fruit. I prefer to use young green jackfruit found in a can that is in brine or water (not syrup). When the jackfruit is young (and not fully ripe), it's much starchier and not sweet and makes for a great meat substitute. The cool thing about it is that once cooked, it has this pulled pork, shredded texture that is totally fun.
How do you use jackfruit?
To prepare young green jackfruit, slice it into thin pieces, then cook it for a bit to soften it. Once it is softened you can mash it with a potato masher to get a shredded meat texture. Season with any spices, sauces, or flavor you like! You can use it in tacos, burgers, curry, on pizza, in stir-fries, pot pie, on nachos, in sandwiches- really anywhere you wanted a shredded meat replacement.
How make Easy Vegan Jackfruit Tacos:
First, you are going to need jackfruit. (I know, you're probably shocked). It's important that you find young green jackfruit in brine or in water, and not the sweet ripe kind in syrup. You can pick it up on Amazon, or check out any Asian grocery store.
For optimal texture, use a knife to cut the jackfruit into thin slices from core to the outer edge as seen in the picture above. This breaks up the tougher core as much as possible and makes for the best shredded texture.
Do NOT discard the core or seeds, they are totally edible and you are just wasting precious jackfruit!
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onions and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes until the onions have softened and begin to brown.
Add the chopped jackfruit, broth, agave, lime juice and all the spices to the pot and cover. Reduce heat and let it simmer until the jackfruit softens slightly, and about ½ of the liquid is absorbed. About 5 minutes.
Take a potato masher and smash all the jackfruit to get that shredded texture. Pretty cool huh? If you find it a bit wet, just cook a little longer. If you find it a little dry, just add a splash more vegetable broth.
To assemble the tacos, warm the taco shells according to the package directions. When warmed, add a scoop of the jackfruit, with the toppings and a squeeze of lime juice. OR you can top with whatever toppings you enjoy such as pico de gallo, guacamole, salsa, roasted sweet potato, pineapple chunks, (for something sweet), vegan cheese, vegan sour cream, hot sauce, or more salt and pepper to taste. Omnomnom.
These jackfruit tacos are...
- Meaty
- Juicy
- Quick to make
- Delicious with your favorite taco toppings
More jackfruit recipes to try:
Vegan Jackfruit Salad Sandwich
Easy Vegan Buffalo Jackfruit
6 Ingredient Pulled Jackfruit
If you try this recipe let us know by leaving a comment, rating it, and don't forget to tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull
Easy Vegan Jackfruit Tacos
Ingredients
For the jackfruit:
- 2 20oz cans green jackfruit in water or brine , drained, rinsed, and chopped (see instructions)
- 1 tablespoon light oil (such as canola or vegetable)
- 1 yellow onion , sliced
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- ½ cup vegetable broth or water
- 1 tablespoon agave
- ½ lime , juiced
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the tacos:
- 8 taco shells , hard or soft (gluten-free if preferred)
- 1 avocado , sliced
- ¼ red onion , thinly sliced
- ¼ cup cilantro , roughly chopped
- lime wedges
Instructions
To chop the jackfruit:
- For optimal texture, cut the jackfruit into thin slices from core to the outer edge as seen in the pictures above in this post. This breaks up the tougher core as much as possible and makes for the best shredded texture. Do NOT discard the core or seeds, they are totally edible, and you are just wasting precious jackfruit!
To make the shredded jackfruit:
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onions and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes until the onions have softened and begin to brown.
- Add the chopped jackfruit, broth, agave, lime juice and all the spices to the pot and cover. Reduce heat and let it simmer until the jackfruit softens slightly, and about ½ of the liquid is absorbed. About 5 minutes.
- Now take a potato masher, and smash all the jackfruit up to get that shredded texture. If you find it a bit wet, just cook a little longer. If you find it a little dry, just add a splash more vegetable broth.
To assemble the tacos:
- Warm the taco shells according to the package directions. When warmed, add a scoop of the jackfruit, and top with an avocado slice, a couple red onion slices, some cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice. Or you can top with whatever your favourite taco toppings are! I also love a squeeze of hot sauce.
Awright says
Instead of vegetable broth, I used a mild chunky pico de gallo salsa at the same measurement. I also used red onion instead of white with the jackfruit mixture. It added a more flavorful taste.
Sam Turnbull says
Sounds great!
Cindy says
Thank you!
Turone says
Good afternoon, i can't find jackfruit in a can, would i be able to use the the fresh jackfruit to make the make the tacos??
Sam Turnbull says
I'm not lucky enough to have access to fresh jackfruit so I have never worked with it. If the jackfruit is young and green (and not ripe) then I imagine it should work just fine 🙂
Cindy Matthews says
Hi, I can't wait to try this and like all recipes, I'll tweek it to suit my taste, but I just have a question about the agave. What does this bring to the party and will it be critical if I leave it out?
Sam Turnbull says
A bit of sweetness. Skip if you prefer
Sheryl says
What would you suggest to make it look more like shredded beef instead of chicken? I didn't eat anything with feathers even when I was a carnivore, and it may sound silly, but I don't think I could eat/enjoy anything that even LOOKED like chicken! 🙂 I know I could caramelize the onions a little more but not sure that would be enough. My mom always used Kitchen Bouquet to make gravy richer and darker, but since I've never used it, I wonder if it would make it too salty? Would dark soy sauce (omitting the agave and salt in the recipe) affect the taste? Can't wait to make this!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Sheryl, you could try my pulled jackfruit instead which is darker in colour. Keep in mind it's just a fruit, so you don't have to compare it to meat. Enjoy!
ERIN BEDENBAUGH says
This recipe is delicious! But I'm using half the amount of jackfruit called for, changing nothing else, and getting a good 4 servings (8 tacos) out of it. Also, canola oil, unless organic and cold pressed, is terrible for you, as is vegetable oil no matter how it is obtained. People who know this will of course sub a healthier oil, but for people who don't, I hate to see these oils suggested in recipes.
Sam Turnbull says
Glad you enjoyed! Actually, I would say no oil is a health food. Many people omit the oil in these types of recipes by simply doing water or broth sauté.
Wendy says
I had to laugh when you said don't throw out the cores or seeds because I already had! I just opened my first can of jackfruit half an hour ago and "cleaned" it all up as that's what I had seen in a different video! I thought what a sad waste..... It was practically half the can! But now I know to keep it in the future. I'm glad I watched your video! I'm looking very forward to finding out what jackfruit is all about
Sam Turnbull says
Thanks so much Wendy! Yes, it's such a waste, I'm really not sure why other people say to do that! I hope you have fun with jackfruit 🙂
Brenda says
great stuff , but super annoying video
thanks for recipe.
Sam Turnbull says
So don't watch my videos then, easy solution. Glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
susan oldenburger says
I love the videos, stop being so mean, I have tried so many of your recipes and they are great, Thankyou Sam
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome, Susan. So glad you enjoy my content!
Rebecca says
yaaaas hehe silly haters
erin says
Hi! We're not vegan but trying to cut down on meat consumption! I've been wanting to try jackfruit for awhile and we tried our very first recipe for supper last night! I'm amazed how close the look, color, and texture is to pulled pork!! We loved your recipe but we definitely needed to double the spices for a 30 oz. bag of jackfruit. I would actually triple the spice mix next time! I'm wondering if marinating the jackfruit overnight would also help with the flavour - any ideas? Thanks again and looking forward to more jackfruit recipes!!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Erin, so happy you enjoyed! I am guessing the jackfruit you purchased isn't in brine like the canned version? If that's correct then that's likely the reason your jackfruit was lacking a little punch. Free free to adjust flavours as needed! 🙂
Linnea Hanson says
We just had this for dinner. The hubby and the four year old adore it, so it looks like it will be one of our regulars. Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Awesome! So happy everyone enjoyed it 🙂
Dan says
Sam - sometimes you are a lifesaver at dinner time! If I've gotten lost in work and suddenly - what's for dinner??? I can always find a recipe of yours that is perfect for - what I might have left in the fridge! Tonight it was - ooops used most of the ingredients yesterday that I needed for what I had originally planned on for dinner tonight, and then saw a can of Jackfruit on my shelf. Jackfruit Tacos anyone! Thanks....
Sam Turnbull says
Aww that's awesome, Dan! So happy my recipes work so well for you 🙂
Molly says
Hiii, this is amazing, you are amazing!!! Just bought your book, can't wait to make the goods! Request! Jackfruit Bao? To go with some Vegan Ramen 🙂 Thanks again for this amazing blog 😀
Sam Turnbull says
Aww thank you so much, Molly! Request noted 🙂 I hope you love the book 🙂
Doreen Karp says
I cannot eat chili or paprika spices so what spices would you suggest using instead.
Sam Turnbull says
You can omit them and add more of the other spices to taste. Enjoy!
Juli says
Thanks for makin my chosen life style easy for me as a new vegan. I like your style and energy
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you so much!
Robyn Newman says
Can I use fresh jack fruit for this recipe? Would I need to change anything if so? Saw some fresh jack fruit at my local grocer and thought I’d try it but most recipes call for canned jack fruit!
Sam Turnbull says
I don't have the pleasure of having access to fresh jackfruit, so I have never worked with it. I imagine that as long it is a young green jackfruit (and not a fully ripe one) the recipe should work just fine. Enjoy!
Eeka says
You say 'don't waste the seeds & core' of the jackfruit - do you have any ideas/recipes for them?
Thank you!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Eeka, you use the seeds and core in this recipe. Enjoy! 🙂
Nat says
My family loves this meal, thank you! Just wondering if I can prep and then keep in the fridge to reheat later. How long would it last in the fridge do you think?
Thanks
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Nat, absolutely. The jackfruit should keep for 3 - 4 days when kept in an air-tight container in the fridge. Enjoy!
NJ Dromi says
Made these for our end of Sabbath dinner the other night. They were SO DELICIOUS. We’re gonna start a new tradition thanks to you — Shabbat + Tacos = Shabbacos
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Awesome! Happy Shabbacos!
Ean says
Super tasty! My chili powder was spicier than I anticipated so I added a bit more maple syrup, which I used in place of the agave syrup.
I also did not have a potato masher, so I ended up breaking up the jackfruit with the back of a spatula. The texture was slightly mushier but it worked well enough, just in case anyone else was looking for alternative to the masher!
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! So happy you enjoyed it so much, Ean 🙂
Valeen says
Wow! So so good!!! My husband liked it too.
This was my first time with jackfruit, yikes! Thank you so much for the pictures and the YouTube video, you made it so easy! {clapping}
Thank you so much for making cooking fun again 😀
*For anyone nervous to try this meal - We have been meat eaters for 40 years and are jumping into a plant based diet. I promise it's good!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Awesome! So happy you enjoyed it so much, Valeen 🙂
Glen W Pollock says
try taking the jackfruit and putting in a food processor rather than using a potato masher. the results are pretty much the same but so much easier;
Karen says
SO yummy! Omnivore hubby went back for seconds, and somehow I still had leftovers for lunch the next day (the flavors had melded even more, win!) Topped it with avocado, tomatoes from our garden, and the sour cream-ish recipe from your book, and added a side of veggie refried beans.
Looking forward to trying your BBQ Jackfruit recipe next. Oh, and those tofu bites you just posted. Om-nom!!
Sam Turnbull says
Woohoo!! So thrilled you are enjoying so many recipes, Karen 🙂