Shredded Jackfruit Burritos (Vegan)
This shredded jackfruit burrito is GREAT! The jackfruit is sautéed with lots of garlic and taco/chili seasoning to create a dynamic burrito filling that just about anyone can get behind.
I suspect the most notable aspect of these burritos is the use of jackfruit. My guess is it might be an ingredient you're either completely onboard with, or not at all. Either way, mark my word, shredded jackfruit is a fascinating ingredient. People trying to reduce or eliminate meat from their diet tend to love it for its texture, which uncannily mimics pulled pork or shredded chicken.
What's up with jackfruit?
Out of the can, jackfruit has a flavor that is quite mild and neutral, making it a lot of fun to play with on the culinary front - blank slate and all. And because of that, my approach is usually to blast it with an assault of spices and flavor. Here you see it sautéed with lots of garlic and taco/chili seasoning to create a dynamic burrito filling that just about anyone can get behind. When shopping for jackfruit, I buy it canned, in water (easy to find it at places like Trader Joe's) - just drain, and rinse before using.
Give this a try, and if you're into it, I'm happy to feature more jackfruit recipes in the future!
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Shredded Jackfruit Burritos (Vegan)
I tend to stockpile jackfruit when at Trader Joes (not sponsored), it's in a green can, hard to miss. You want it in a neutral water / brine situation.I typically use water here, but let's say you were going to add mushrooms as a topping, you could use a mushroom broth.
- a 20-ounce can of green jackfruit (in brine or water)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons taco seasoning (or chili powder)
- 1/2 cup water
- big squeeze of lemon or lime juice
- scant 1/2 teaspoon of salt, or to taste
- 4 - 6 to tortillas, preferably whole-grain
- Any / all of the following: black or pinto beans, brown rice, shredded cabbage, sliced avocado, a favorite salsa, cilantro, scallions or red onions
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I like to make the jackfruit ahead of time, it keeps for a few days in the refrigerator for quick, on-the-fly tacos, burritos, and tostadas. Drain, rinse, and slice jackfruit into thin, 1/4-inch thick strips, from core to edge. Use all the jackfruit, the core, shredded parts, and seeds.
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Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion and saute for a few minutes, until they soften a bit. Stir in the garlic, and then the paprika and taco seasoning. Quickly add the water, lemon juice, salt, and jackfruit. Cover and simmer for 5 - 10 minutes, until much (but not all) of the liquid is absorbed. Use a wooden spoon to smash the jackfruit, to get that shredded texture.
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Arrange your fillings just off-center on an open-faced tortilla. Fold in the sides and roll. Resist overstuffing, or you won't be able to do my favorite part - make them golden-crusted in a skillet. To do this, add a tiny bit of olive oil to a large pan or skillet over medium heat. Brown the top and bottom of each burrito in the skillet. So good!
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Comments
Thank you, thank you so much for this. And thanks for the pictures too. And the helpful tips. Where I’m from, we have lots of Jackfruit, but I’ve never tried green jackfruit before. I’ve heard that my forefathers made curry jackfruit and I’ve always been curious to try it.
For the lady who mentioned seeing a 40 lb jackfruit in her store, that would be a ripe jackfruit. I don’t know if ripe jackfruit is suitable for savoury dishes, but ripe ones make great dessert
Heidi, I’d love to see more jackfruit recipes from you! My default is to use it in Mexican-ish applications (like these burritos, or tacos, or burrito bowls) but I think it would lend itself well to an Indian or even Thai curryish situation… I know you could come up with something amazing! 🙂
This recipe is soo good. I make a lot of vegetarian meals for my chef boyfriend and he said this one is the best ever. He liked it so much he made a version himself a few weeks later. Big hit! Would love to see other uses of jackfruit.
Thanks Lia! So happy you enjoyed it! 🙂
Made this for my wife. First time making a vegan meal, and she absolutely loved it thank you.
Heidi,
The burrito looks scrumptious!
Jackfruit is indeed versatile…
Recently went to a vegan Deli @berkely and had fish and chips sandwich which was essentially battered and fried jack fruit and roasted red potatoes with cartelized onions…yum!
Jackfruit you were a hit for our family taco night. Have to be honest was a little sceptical with this dish being not one to like substitutions… its never really the same. The texture, flavour and heat were perfectly balanced so the tacos were delicious. We have one picky eater in our crew who gave it two thumbs up. Found canned jackfruit at the local Superstore here in Canada. Looking forward to more recipes with this unique ingredient.
Canned jackfruit is often found in Asian markets, so try there!
I bought 2 cans a few months ago, wanting to find a recipe to make something with it as I’ve heard it can mimic Bar-B-Que. I’ll have to try this tomorrow! Yes, please include some other recipes!
Looking forward to making this recipe. I’ve seen the cans but never tried jackfruit; thank you for the inspiration. Can you freeze leftovers or would it turn to mush?
HS: I haven’t tried, but I think it might be ok!
I have been shopping a Trader Joe’s for years and have never noticed the jackfruit before. On Sunday I went to a store to buy some. The bright green cans were easy to see! It would be fantastic if you could provide more ways to cook with this ingredient.
I’ve had jackfruit bbq and jackfruit tacos at restaurants and it’s pretty good, though kind of sweet, which can get to be a bit much. I’ve never seen it in a store (no TJ’s for me!). I think adding beans for protein is a great idea.
You are the first introduction to jackfruit. it sounds great – and weird as a meat substitute. I’ve never seen it in a market – can you get it at Whole Foods? Is it ever fresh in produce dept…
We love jackfruit–have been using the Annie’s packets in sauce, but I’ve been staring at those Trader Joe’s cans, uncertain what form it was in. Will make this, and would love to see more of your jackfruit ideas.
This looks delicious. I was hoping for an InstantPot fresh jackfruit method. Have you experimented?
My local grocery store (sadly, not Trader Joe’s) sells whole Jackfruit. We always want to buy one, but having never tasted it, I cannot justify buying a 40lb Jackfruit just for the fun of it. Next time I go to Trader Joe’s, I’ll grab a can. This sounds super interesting.
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