These SPICY Jackfruit Tacos are ready in under 45 minutes on one pan. Huzzah!
Tacos: Their Origins
Who invented the taco exactly? There’s still some mystery surrounding the taco! A professor who has done extensive research on the subject believes that Mexican silver miners may have invented tacos in the 18th Century.
Tacos were popular in Mexico, and Mexican immigrants introduced them to the US during the 19th century.
These jackfruit tortilla tacos may not be traditional, but they are inspired by the idea of combining flavorful ingredients with a corn-based tortilla.
How to Make Jackfruit Tacos
These tacos are made with jackfruit that has been washed, sorted, and chopped. Onion, garlic, lime juice, chipotle in adobo, and smoky spice flavors are all present in the tacos.
This recipe’s secret is to add tons of flavor. Add enough moisture at the beginning so that the jackfruit “marinates,” and then turn up the heat towards the end for a little caramelized effect. This is a major swoon.
Dig in! We chose corn tortillas with refried beans, pepitas, and cilantro.
The jackfruit would be great in Vegan Nachos, Burritos, Taco Salads, and many other dishes!
Check out these other recipes if you like this one: Vegan Barbacoa, Black Bean and Sweet Potato Enchiladas, and 14 Mexican-inspired vegan recipes.
Ingredients
US Customary – Metric
JACKFRUIT
- Cans of jackfruit (20 ounces) in brine or water (NOT syrup).
- If you don’t want to use oil, substitute water.
- Half a large yellow or white onion, thinly sliced
- Four cloves of garlic (minced).
- Half a teaspoon of sea salt
- Use 1 Tbsp of ground smoked paprika
- Ground cumin, 1 tbsp
- 1 Tbsp Chili powder
- Use about 2-3 tablespoons of Coconut Sugar or maple syrup (or organic brown sugar).
- 1-2 small chipsotle peppers (from a jar // roughly chopped).
- Use more or less adobo to suit your preferred level of spice.
- 1/4 cup coconut aminos*
- Water: 2/3 cup plus more as required
- 3 Tbsp of lime juice
- Corn tortillas or flour tortillas
- Red cabbage shreds
- Cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Can of refried black or pinto beans (15 ounces)
- Salsa
- Chimichurri
- Extra Hot Habanero Sauce
Instructions
- Drain and rinse jackfruit thoroughly. Then begin sorting. The pieces are in a triangle or chunk shapes. Separate the “core” of the jackfruit, which is the tougher part of the fruit. Chop into smaller pieces. Use your hands to shred the remainder of the jackfruit. The jackfruit should be shredded/chopped into small pieces. Then, rinse the jackfruit again in a colander. Drain and dry it thoroughly.
- Heat a large pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic. Sautee for 4-5 minutes or until the onions are golden brown.
- Add the jackfruit along with salt, paprika, and cumin. Also, add coconut sugar (2 Tbsp or less for a smaller batch). Stir to coat, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes while stirring every so often.
- Use a spoon to break up the jackfruit while it is cooking. Or shred your jackfruit with two forks as the jackfruit cooks. This will give the jackfruit a “meaty” texture.
- After the jackfruit is properly simmered and cooled, you can taste it to adjust the flavor. You may add more paprika, cumin, chili powder, adobo, or chipotle sauce for spice. Add maple syrup, coconut sugar, or coconut aminos for sweetness.
- Increase heat to medium-high and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes. This will give you a little more color/texture. Remove from heat.
- Enjoy it as-is, in salads, nachos, tacos, enchiladas, or burritos. We like corn tortillas with refried beans, jackfruits, cabbage, cilantro, and hot sauce.
- Jackfruit can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for one month. Heat the jackfruit in a skillet on high heat and add more water to moisten it if you find that it is too dry.
