Vegan Jackfruit (Carnitas) Tacos

Get ready to have your mind, sorry, your taste buds blown! These vegan carnitas-style tacos need to be on your menu for your next taco meal. Surprise your family and friends on the next Taco Tuesday with this creation. Best of all, it is a very easy meal to prepare and takes less than 30 minutes to prepare.

The star of this recipe is jackfruit. It is a fruit native to South India, but now grown in many tropical regions of the world. It looks like a huge oblong bulb with a green spiky outer skin. The ripe fruit inside is yellow in color and very sweet. Tender, unripe jackfruit though, has a very neutral taste and lends itself easily to the flavor of any seasoning or sauce you cook it in. I’ve heard folks compare its consistency to that of pork or chicken, which explains why it’s become very popular as a vegan alternative to recipes that call for pork or chicken.

From a nutrition perspective, jackfruit is rich in fiber and potassium, making it a heart-healthy choice. And because it does not contain any saturated fat or cholesterol, unlike pork or chicken, you can feel good about doing something right for your health too. 

For this recipe, you need tender young jackfruit, not the ripe kind usually in syrup. Tender jackfruit may be available in the frozen section of your grocery store, or in cans soaked in brine. You can buy it on Amazon too.  

To make the tacos, I paired the “jackfruit meat” with a kale and cabbage slaw, slices of avocado and a chipotle yogurt drizzle. But feel free to put your own spin on the same.

Vegan Jackfruit (Carnitas) Tacos

Recipe by theplantpaletteblogCourse: MainCuisine: Mexican, Vegan

Servings

8

tacos

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

These plant-based jackfruit tacos will satisfy your craving for carnitas. Best of all, it only takes 30 minutes or less from prep to plate.

Ingredients

• For the jackfruit filling

• 2 20-ounce cans jackfruit in water or brine (NOT in syrup)

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil (optional, you can sub water instead)

• 1 yellow or red onion, thinly sliced

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder or ground paprika (use less if you don’t like it spicy)

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 2 teaspoons ground coriander

• 1 teaspoon oregano

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 1 tablespoon chipotle hot sauce (or any other hot sauce)

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (plus more to taste)

• 1/2 cup water (plus more as needed)

• For the cabbage and kale slaw

• 2 cups chopped red cabbage

• 1 cup finely chopped kale (lacinato or curly is fine)

• 1 cup chopped cilantro

• 1/3 cup finely chopped green onions

• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt (plus more to taste)

• 1-2 tablespoons of lime juice

• Optional chipotle yogurt drizzle

• 1/3 cup any non-dairy yogurt

• 1 teaspoon chipotle hot sauce

• 1 tablespoon water

• For assembling the tacos

• 8 (or more) taco shells, soft or hard

• 1 avocado, sliced

• Lime wedges

Directions

• To make the jackfruit filling
• Drain the liquid from the cans, and thoroughly rinse the jackfruit. Chop the jackfruit into small pieces, including the thick core and seeds. There is no need to discard anything.
• Heat a skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the onions and garlic (and oil if using) and sauté for 5 minutes until the onions have softened and become brown. If skipping oil, add water as needed to deglaze the pan.
• Add the chopped jackfruit and all the remaining filling ingredients, mix it well and cover the pot. Reduce heat and let it simmer until the jackfruit softens and the liquid is mostly absorbed. This took about 9-10 minutes for me.
• Taste the filling and adjust flavor as needed, adding more salt, paprika or hot sauce as needed. Take off heat and assemble the tacos.
• To make the slaw and drizzle
• Mix all the ingredients together for the slaw.
• Whisk together all the ingredients for the drizzle.
• To assemble the tacos
• Warm the taco shells slightly in a microwave or skillet. Add the desired amount of jackfruit filling, a generous portion of the slaw and avocado slices.
• Drizzle with the yogurt mixture and add a squeeze of lime juice.

Notes

• Leftover jackfruit filling can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can also freeze it. To reheat, heat in the microwave or on a skillet until hot, adding water if the mixture is too dry.