Ever since I tried the amazing jackfruit nachos at Sage Bistro I’ve been dying to try my hand at cooking other jackfruit recipes at home. I finally found some canned jackfruit at a local indian market. I’m not really sure if restaurants use canned jackfruit or fresh but I plan on asking next time I eat at Sage. For now, I figured canned would be ok for experimenting with some new recipes. If you can’t find an indian market nearby, you can purchase canned jackfruit on Amazon.
I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I opened the can but was happy to see that the jackfruit cam in large chunks which would be easy to shred. You can see there are these little seeds throughout the meat and I wasn’t really sure if I should remove those or not. Also, there seemed to be a core to the jackfruit chunks which was firmer so I cut those off.
I decided my first experiment with this new ingredient would be jackfruit tacos, using the jackfruit similar to how it was used on the nachos that were so impressive. Using two forks, I held the chunk still with one and pulled the other fork along the edge of the jackfruit chunk in order to create strands of the jackfruit meat which would create the shredded chicken-like texture for the tacos.
Everything after that was identical to the way I have always made taco meat, which is to start by sautéing onions, garlic and meat then adding spices with some liquid to simmer until the flavors meld.
The jackfruit tacos filling turned out wonderful! Even my husband agreed the texture was a lot like shredded chicken and the flavor was delicious as usual. I can’t wait to try using jackfruit in other recipes. Next on my list are pulled “pork” sandwiches and teriyaki style tacos so make sure and check back for those recipes.
You can also use crunchy taco shells!
Have you cooked with jackfruit before? Let me know what recipes you’ve tried in the comments.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 white onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 cans of canned jackfruit
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/2 tablespoon paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 vegetable broth or water
- 8 small corn tortillas
- cashew nacho cheese
- guacamole
- black beans or vegetarian chili
- pico de gallo
- Saute onions and garlic with the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat until they start to brown on the edges.
- While the onions cook, rinse and drain the jackfruit. Cut the core off of the jackfruit chunks. Using two forks, shred the jackfruit meat, removing the seed pods.
- Add the shredded jackfruit and all the spices to the pan with the vegetable broth or water. You want enough liquid so that the spices are evenly distributed throughout the jackfruit and so it can simmer without burning but not so much that it turns into soup! Simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
- Heat the corn tortillas. I have a gas stove and I like to cook them directly over an open flame so that the edges will char a little bit. Be sure to use tongs for this so you don’t burn your fingers! Alternatively, you can wrap them in a slightly dampened paper towel and heat them in the microwave for about 10 seconds. The dampness will help keep them from drying out and cracking. Tortillas can also be doubled up to help prevent them from breaking.
- I topped my tacos with some black beans, cashew queso and cilantro.
Amanda T.
I’ve never cooked with jackfruit before, but am definitely intrigued. Whenever I do get to the store to buy some, I am going to try this taco recipe first because it looks absolutely delicious! I love eating a plant-based diet because there are always new food/ingredients to explore.
Kate
These look amazing! Question: did you have any leftovers and, if so, did the jackfruit reheat well?
Taylor
Thanks, Kate! They are actually so good that I’ve never actually had leftovers! But…I think they would reheat fine if you kept the jackfruit mixture separate from the bun and slaw – then put it all together when you’re ready to eat. Let me know how it goes.
Kate
Just so you know, I thought the jackfruit reheated pretty well! So nobody looking at this recipe should be scared of leftovers
CS
Ha! I’m sitting at Sage eating these tacos right now. Was wondering about the recipe and your site came up.
Taylor
That’s so awesome! I love Sage and I’m totally jealous of you right now! Let me know if you make these – I’d love to know what you think, as a fellow Sage enthusiast!