BBQ Jackfruit Tacos – Quick Meals

Looking for a sure-fire recipe for your next meatless Monday? Our BBQ Jackfruit Tacos are the perfect combination of quick and indulgent comfort food that’s ready in less than 15 minutes. Combined with BBQ Jackfruit, shredded lettuce, elote inspired corn, and a chipotle cream, these tacos will make your mouth water.

While I was exploring more plant-based recipes, I stumbled upon Jackfruit as a potential option to replace meat. I was looking for something that offered a meaty like texture with a relatively neutral flavor. And that’s when the recipe for BBQ Jackfruit Tacos was born.

About these BBQ Jackfruit Tacos

While there are many brands which make pre-made BBQ Jackfruit, I always enjoy experimenting in the kitchen. The flavors are more customizable and typically fresher when prepared at home vs prepared. Plus, this recipe is so easy to make, it will likely save you money with the ingredients you have at home.

The BBQ Jackfruit is extremely versatile, and while we are using it for tacos in this recipe, there are plenty of other options to consider. We’ve included links to some of our favorite pairings below, but you can also consider it for a Nacho topping, quesadilla filling, or even just a sandwich or a wrap.

Ingredient spotlight:

Jackfruit 

If you’re unfamiliar, Jackfruit is a fruit that grows in tropical climates such as Asia, Africa, and South America. It’s typically called the poor man’s fruit because it is plentiful, and a single jackfruit can grow up to 40 lbs. Underneath its bumpy hard rind, the fruit can give the appearance of meat, similar to pulled pork or brisket. Much like tofu, jackfruit has a neutral taste, so it takes on the flavor of anything around it. Jackfruit also has a good amount of fiber and protein to offer great nutrition. 

While jackfruit is not readily available in North America, you can purchase it canned, which can save you time from cutting the fruit. If you are purchasing it in a can, be sure to obtain the savory version. There is jackfruit in syrup that is often used in Asian-style desserts, but the jackfruit in brine will be appropriate for dinner.

Corn oil 

The reason we are using corn in this recipe is because corn has a higher smoke point than olive oil. Corn oil is also extremely affordable, and offers many great health benefits similar to olive oil, such as cholesterol reduction. The corn also provides less flavor in the finished dish than something like olive oil.

BBQ Sauce

There are many different types of BBQ sauce on the market, and plenty of recipes online to make your own. My favorite brand is the classic Sweet Baby Ray’s, but with so many different varieties, we leave you to pick the BBQ sauce of your choice! While we recommend 1/2 cup for this recipe, you can adjust it to your flavor preference.

About the recipe

This recipe for BBQ Jackfruit tacos is extremely customizable. We’ve provided some recommendations for what we like to include in our tacos. However, the recipe is flexible so you can keep what you want and omit what you don’t. In our tacos, we like to add Mexican style street corn, red cabbage, and cashew cream. 

Best of all, it’s a great meatless addition to add into your meatless Mondays because it is ready in just about 15 minutes, with minimal preparation needed. If you have leftovers, you can put it over rice with other vegetables, or in burritos with a vegan creams based off of cashews. 

My favorite three ways to eat this jack fruit are as tacos, over a baked potato or my hatch chili vegan Mac and cheese. BBQ Jackfruit tacos quite accommodating for many diets, so they are easy to feed a crowd.

Food Science Tips for BBQ Jackfruit

While you can use avocado oil in place of corn oil if you prefer, it can be quite an expensive purchase upfront.  Regardless of which oil you select, be sure your oil has a high smoke point. Your jackfruit won’t be cooking very long, but it needs to get to a higher temperature to evaporate off the water.

If you’re just getting introduced to jackfruit, you’ll definitely want to purchase it canned. Ensure that when you do purchase it brine because there is a syrup version that may alter the taste of your dish. My favorite version is the Jackfruit in Brine from Trader Joe’s since it’s typically always in stock and relatively inexpensive.

You can purchase fresh jackfruit from your local market, but it’s likely imported from Asia. They are also quite difficult to cut, so I recommend purchasing them canned. Here’s a link if you’d like to try to cut your own jackfruit. But be warned, cutting your own jackfruit is a labor of love and can be a very messy process.

BBQ Jackfruit Tacos Recipe

• Preparation Time
  15 minutes
• Cooking Time
  10 minutes
• Serves
  2 adults
• Difficulty
  Easy

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