One of our favorite meat substitutes is actually a fruit! Jackfruit is an indigenous fruit of Southern India and grows well in tropical areas around the world. Eaten when it is still young, it takes on the flavor of whatever seasoning you add to it (we love barbecue or curry) and the texture comes out like pulled pork or shredded chicken.

Jackfruit also has a slew of vitamins, antioxidants, and it has high amounts of fiber and protein. You can find it fresh in some Asian style markets, but it’s much easier to buy canned (make sure you get it in water, not syrup) or prepared pouches.

Check out these four ways to prepare barbecue jackfruit for your next get together!

Easy Jackfruit Barbecue

Makes 8 servings

  • ½ Yellow Onion Caramelized in Water
  • 1: 14oz Can of Jackfruit in Water (Not Syrup)
  • 1 ¼ Cup of Your Favorite Barbecue Sauce

Instructions

The key to this recipe is the preparation of your jackfruit out of the can. You will want to drain the water out and then using a fork, gently shred the jackfruit until it resembles a pulled pork texture.

You will notice that there are “core” portions of the fruit that are left that don’t quite shred. You can discard those, or use them, but we recommend using them in a separate batch of bbq (they work great for the sweet potato option) because the texture is very different than you would expect on a taco or sandwich.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add half of a diced yellow onion. Once the onion begins to stick or brown, add two tablespoons of water or vegetable stock to deglaze (or rinse) the bottom of the pan. Repeat the process until your onions are caramelized.

After caramelizing your onion, simply add your prepared jackfruit to the skillet an continue to sauté for 4 minutes on medium high after stirring. Then add your favorite barbeque sauce to the pan and stir until the mixture is coated and turn heat down to low.

After you have made your jackfruit mixture, use them in one of these four ways and just add the other ingredients to complete your dish!

Additional Simple Recipes

Jackfruit Tacos

  • Tortillas: Whole Grain (Corn or Whole Wheat)
  • Red Cabbage: Shredded
  • Red Onion: Diced
  • Cilantro: Chopped
  • Corn: Off the Cob or Frozen
  • Lime: Squeezed Over the Top


Sloppy Joe

Sweet Potato

  • Green Onion: Diced
  • Vegan Sour Cream: A Dollop on Top
  • Red Onion: Diced


Lettuce Cups

  • Romaine or Bib lettuce for Shells
  • Red Cabbage: Shredded
  • Red Onion: Diced
  • Cilantro: Chopped
  • Corn: Off the Cob or Frozen
  • Lime: Squeezed Over the Top