Jackfruit is such an amazing fruit that shreds like pork. The first time I heard of Jackfruit being used as a meat, I thought it was CRAZY. But then I tried it. O.M.G. It’s amazing. I recently had some Jackfruit Street Tacos at a vegan restaurant in San Antonio, Senior Veggie, and they were AMAZING. I knew I would have to try to make my own Jackfruit Street Taco Recipe at home.
Being that I have 2 young kids, I can’t make my recipes too spicy, or really at all, or they won’t eat it. So this recipe is not spicy at all, but feel free to add your own kick to it!
This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. If you click a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I love!
My first experience with Jackfruit used as meat was actually with Upton’s Naturals Jackfruit from Whole Foods. It’s Jackfruit already seasoned and you just heat in a skillet! It’s really good, comes in a few different flavors, but spicy – my favorite is the Chili Lime. So my kids weren’t happy about how spicy it was.
Use Canned Jackfruit!
I hesitated on making my own recipe because I didn’t know that canned Jackfruit was a thing. I had seen those huge Jackfruits in the produce department at HEB and there was no way I was cracking that big expensive thing open and experimenting. Ain’t nobody got time for that!
So when I discovered there was such a thing as canned Jackfruit, I knew I had to find it! I had heard that Trader Joe’s had it, but I happened to be closer to a Central Market and decided to see if they had it. Success! I loaded up. You can also find cans of Jackfruit on Amazon – there are many different brands.
Now make sure you select Jackfruit that is just packed in water without seasonings or sauce. It may have a little sodium or brine water, but the ones I found were low on the sodium side so that was good. You can also rinse the Jackfruit, which I did, to remove a lot of the sodium as well.
Jackfruit shreds like pork or chicken for awesome vegan street tacos
The great thing about Jackfruit is that it shreds like pork or chicken and it has a mild, sweet flavor that absorbs seasonings. Jackfruit can be used in any recipe where you might have shredded pork or chicken. I’ll be making a Jackfruit Tortilla Soup soon instead of using chicken!
After you rinse and drain the Jackfruit, place on a cutting board. You can alternate between shredding the softer parts with your fingers and chopping the tough parts. It’s all good so don’t discard anything! Even the round pod seeds are edible.
Cooking Jackfruit is Easy
Cooking jackfruit is easy – just 5-7 minutes until warm in a skillet over medium and your good.
I always like to saute my onion & garlic first to give it more flavor. Then I add the shredded jackfruit, spices, tomato paste, and water. Then cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes until heated through. You can add more water if necessary or cook longer if it is too runny. Easier and faster than cooking beef or chicken tacos and no cholesterol or saturated fat!
Jackfruit is very nutritious
Jackfruit is rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. It can also help diabetics control blood sugar levels.
It has high levels of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Riboflavin, Magnesium, Copper, Potassium, & Manganese as well as Carotenoids & Flavanones that help to lower inflammation. Check out this article about more benefits of Jackfruit.
Jackfruit Street Tacos Ingredients
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 20 ounce cans green jackfruit in water or brine
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Juice of 2 limes
- 1/2 cup water or vegetable broth
- 12 whole grain corn tortillas
Other Mexican recipes you might like:
- Easy Mexican Street Corn
- Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchilada Bake
- Tofu Scramble Breakfast Burritos
- Soy Chorizo Vegan Egg Breakfast Tacos
- Simple Summer Corn Chowder
Jackfruit Street Tacos Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 20 ounce cans green jackfruit in water or brine
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 limes, juiced
- 1/2 cup water or vegetable broth
- 12 whole grain corn tortillas
Topping Ideas
- shredded cabbage
- chopped cilantro
- chopped red onions
- avocado
- salsa
- chopped green onions
Instructions
- Rinse and drain the jackfruit. Set on a cutting board and shred with your hands. Chop the harder pieces with a knife.
- Add chopped onion & minced garlic to a large pan over medium heat and broth saute for about 5 minutes until soft. Add the jackfruit, spices, tomato paste, lime juice, and water/broth and stir to combine. Continue cooking for 5-7 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed. If too dry, add more water or broth.
- Wrap tortillas in a paper towel and heat in microwave for 20-30 seconds to warm. This will help them be softer so they don't crack at the bottom.
- Assemble tacos by filling with the jackfruit and your favorite toppings!
While opening a jackfruit is tough, it is a rather entertaining process and very rewarding. Once I process mine (i.e. harvest the good parts), I use a machine to chop the fruit and freeze it. Then I use it in jackfruit enchiladas or just eat it straight, yum…A jackfruit party would be fun so friends could help with the process (kids get bored because it takes and hour or two). Make sure you watch some videos online first and oil up your hands, counters, and equipment before cutting. Cutting transverse slices 2-3 inches thick is the easiest method to get into the fruit.
Where in the store do you find jackfruit? With the canned fruit? I didn’t find it in my usual store
It would be in the produce aisle.