Our fresh Jackfruit Tacos are a delicious plant-based dinner option that would be great for your next Taco Tuesday! Served with a homemade poblano sauce that is creamy, cool, and packed with flavor. The whole family is going to love these plant based tacos!
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The Best Jackfruit Tacos
Meatless Monday here we come! If you have not tried jackfruit before – here is your excuse to try it! Prepared almost like pulled pork in this recipe, these pulled jackfruit tacos are flavorful and delicious. The “taco meat” is seasoned to perfection and made crispy on the stove top. Top each taco with the creamy sauce, fresh cilantro, red onion, and avocado – every bite is seriously better than the next!
Looking for another vegetarian taco recipe? You have to try our Sweet Potato Tacos!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Meatless: we are always looking for a fun new meatless meal to enjoy and incorporate into our meal planning throughout the week – this recipe is perfect!
- That Poblano Sauce: The cashew-based poblano sauce is just amazing. So rich and creamy – not spicy – but there is just that nice hint of pepper running through it. So good!
- Quick: perfect for busy weeknights – between the quick blending of the sauce and the quick sauté of the jackfruit … you will have dinner ready in no time at all!
What You Will Need
- raw cashews – give them a quick soak in hot water to soften them up before blending.
- unsweetened almond milk – blended with the soft cashews for a super creamy texture to that homemade sauce.
- poblano pepper – a wonderful fresh pepper that has a mild heat to its taste – not spicy.
- fresh garlic – everything is always better with some garlic in the mix.
- lime juice – a little bit of fresh lime juice added to the sauce helps to lighten & brighten.
- plant-based butter – melted in the large skillet to help sauté the garlic, onion, and jackfruit. Option to sub olive oil.
- canned jackfruit – a meat substitute that you are going to love!
- yellow onion – this mild onion brings a classic flavor that is always so good.
- lemon pepper, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper – simple seasonings that bring all the best flavor!
- taco shells – pick-up your favorite variety of tortilla from the local grocery store – corn tortillas, flour tortillas, grain-free tortilla, etc.
- optional toppings: avocado, fresh cilantro and red onion
How To Make Jackfruit Tacos
The first steps to making this easy recipe are to place all of the creamy poblano sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend on high until it reaches a smooth consistency.
Now bring a large nonstick skillet to a medium heat and add the plant-based butter to melt. Cook the garlic until fragrant and then add the onion to soften. Next, toss in the shredded jackfruit and continue cooking for about 3-5 minutes. Stir in all the spices and continue cooking the jackfruit mixture until warmed through and slightly crisp.
Then transfer the vegan taco meat to your tortillas of choice, add your favorite toppings, and drizzle some of that creamy poblano sauce on top.
Best Way To Serve Jackfruit Tacos
There are so many great ways to serve this delicious jackfruit taco recipe! In the recipe card we noted some optional topping suggestions, like avocado, cilantro, and red onion. You could also add some pico de gallo, vegan cheese, black beans, or some hot sauce for a little kick of heat. And if you need a side dish, we highly recommend some homemade guacamole and tortilla chips!
Recipe FAQ
Jackfruit is a fruit that grows in the tropical areas of Southeast Asia, Brazil and Africa. Read more about it and its benefits here!
In this simple recipe we are using jackfruit from a can (you can learn more about preparing a raw jackfruit here, commonly found in asian grocery stores) and it is very quick and easy. Just drain the can of jackfruit, take it out of the can, and give it a big squeeze in a paper towel or cheesecloth to remove as much liquid as possible.
When using young green jackfruit (which is used when canning this fruit), yes, it has a texture and flavor very similar to a shredded meat. A more mature fruit would have a slightly sweet flavor and, therefore, not as similar to a meat texture or flavor.
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Other Taco Recipes You Might Like
Easy Jackfruit Tacos
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 street tacos 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove Top + Blender
- Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired
Description
Our Jackfruit Tacos recipe is a delicious plant-based dinner option! Flavorful jackfruit covered in a vegan poblano cashew-based sauce!
Ingredients
Creamy Poblano Sauce
- 1 cup raw cashews (prep: place in bowl; cover with boiling water. Let sit 15–30 minutes. Drain before use)
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 medium poblano pepper, cut into chunks
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Jackfruit Tacos
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter
- 1 (14oz) can jackfruit, drained
- 1/2 cup sweet yellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- tortillas of choice
- optional toppings: avocado, red onion, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges for a squeeze of lime juice
Instructions
Creamy Poblano Sauce
- Place ingredients in high powered blender.
- Blend on High until you reach smooth consistency – about 3-5 minutes.
- Taste and add additional salt, lime juice, or garlic – as desired.
- If you want the consistency a little thinner – add additional almond milk 2 tablespoon at a time.
Jackfruit Tacos
- Try and dry out the jackfruit as much a possible. Squeeze out liquid with hands or place in a cheesecloth and squeeze. You want the jackfruit dry, so it will crisp up nicely in the pan.
- Bring a large cast iron skillet to a medium-high heat. Add vegan butter and let melt.
- Add garlic and sauté until it becomes fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add in onion and sauté for 3-5 minutes.
- Add jackfruit to the hot skillet and use a spatula to break apart. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, stirring to combine with the onion mixture.
- Mix in the lemon pepper, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Let cook, moving around fairly constantly, as the jackfruit continues to cook and heat through.
- Optional: place under broiler for 3-4 minutes to crisp up the jackfruit further.
- Serve jackfruit filling on grain-free tortillas or street taco tortillas and top with fresh cilantro, red onion and the Creamy Poblano Sauce.
Notes
- Cashews: You can also let them sit overnight in tepid water. Drain before use.
- Storage: leftover jackfruit taco meat and poblano sauce can each be stored in a separate airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco
- Calories: 194
- Sugar: 7.6 g
- Sodium: 158.7 mg
- Fat: 12.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 18.1 g
- Protein: 5.3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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