These BBQ Jackfruit Tacos with Mango Salsa are a delicious vegan and gluten-free recipe. They are filled with sweet and tangy flavors that the whole family will love.
In 5 years, these BBQ Jackfruit Tacos are only the second taco recipe on the blog, (my other being these raw vegan tacos).
Why, do I only have two taco recipes on the blog?
Because, of all the foods in the world, tacos are the hardest for me to photography. Food bloggers, I'm not alone in this, right? The lighting, the staging, the angling...I just can never seem to get a good shot. In fact, I have had several tacos recipes intended to go on this blog that never made it past the photo editing stage. And so, preferring to stick to the things I'm good at, I left well enough alone and My Darling Vegan became a taco-less blog.
And then came the jackfruit.
Recommended Ingredients & Equipment
Making a delicious vegan chicken salad means finding the perfect meat replacement. While there are many options: tempeh, tofu, and even chickpeas, I wanted to try something new.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Jackfruit. If you don’t like or can’t find jackfruit, feel free to use tempeh, tofu, or soy curls following these instructions.
- Oil - Any high heat oil will do. I recommend coconut or avocado.
- Onion
- BBQ Sauce – Feel free to use either homemade or store-bought.
- Tortillas – Either corn or flour will do.
- Mango Avocado Salsa – This is a combination of avocado, mango, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and salt.
- Cilantro Cashew Creme - This is a combination of cashews, lime, apple cider vinegar, salt, and fresh cilantro.
- Toppings - I like to top my jackfruit tacos with fresh cilantro and jalapeños, and
Recommended Equipment
For this recipe, you will need a colander, mixing bowls, a large skillet, and basic kitchen utensils. (<<affiliate links)
Check out the full list of my recommended kitchen tools and gadgets.
How To Make BBQ Jackfruit Tacos
Step One – Make the BBQ Jackfruit
Start by preparing our jackfruit.
When buying jackfruit in a can, it comes in small triangles. At the base of the triangle, you’ll find a thick core. To shred it, hold the core between your thumb and forefinger and gently press up while pressing into the fruit with your thumb. The tops will easily shred.
Heat up oil over medium heat in a large, nonstick skillet. Add the shredded jackfruit and gently sauté. Once it starts to brown slightly, add the BBQ sauce and continue to cook until most of the liquid has absorbed.
Step Two – Make the Avocado Mango Salsa
To make the salsa, cube the avocado and mango. Throw it in a bowl and add diced jalapeño, minced cilantro, fresh lime, and salt. Mix, taste, and adjust seasonings.
Step Three – Assemble the Vegan Tacos
Now it’s time to assemble our jackfruit tacos.
Place about ¼ cup vegan pulled pork on the bottom of the shell. Top with about 2 tablespoons Mango Avocado Salsa. Do this until all the BBQ jackfruit and salsa are used up. Top with cashew creme and extra cilantro,
Depending on the size of your shells, this makes between 4 and 6 tacos.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.
Serving And Storing
Serving - Serve these tacos immediately to prevent the buns from getting soggy. Serve as part of your summer potlucks or for your next party.
Storing – Store the components of this recipe separately. The jackfruit can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Gently reheat on the stove or in the microwave. The mango salsa should be used up within a day as the avocado and mango will start to brown.
Make in Advance – You can prepare the jackfruit pulled pork and avocado mango salsa several hours in advance. When ready to serve, gently reheat the pulled pork and assemble the tacos.
Frequently Asked Questions
For those of you who are unfamiliar, jackfruit is a large green tropical fruit that, when green, has very little flavor. The stringy texture, however, is similar to that of chicken or pulled pork, making it one of the most popular whole food vegan meat substitutes.
While some people buy jackfruit whole, I find getting it canned is the most convenient way to introduce jackfruit into your recipes.
If you can’t find or don’t like jackfruit, you can use tofu, tempeh, or soy curls.
Make sure to check the ingredients of your BBQ sauces. While most store-bought BBQ sauce is vegan, that is not always the case.
You can also, of course, make your own BBQ sauce which I prefer as it is cheaper and you have more control over how it tastes. Store homemade sauce in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
More Vegan Jackfruit Recipes
- Vegan Taquitos with Jackfruit
- Vegan Tortilla Soup with Jackfruit
- BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches with Avocado Slaw
- Vegan Classic Chicken Salad
- Jackfruit “Tuna” Melt
More Vegan Taco Recipes
- Crispy Coconut Lime Cauliflower Tacos
- Buffalo Jackfruit Tacos
- Balsamic Portobello Tacos with Spicy Red Pepper Sauce
- Teriyaki Tofu Tacos with Pineapple Slaw
- Orange Glaze Tempeh Tacos
BBQ Jackfruit Tacos with Mango Salsa
Ingredients
BBQ Jackfruit
- 1 can green jackfruit drained
- ½ cup BBQ sauce
- 1 small yellow onion sliced very thin
- 1 tablespoon oil
Mango Salsa
- 1 medium mango diced
- ½ red bell pepper diced
- ½ jalapeño pepper minced
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- a few springs of cilantro chopped
- pinch of salt
Cilantro Cashew Cream
- ½ cup cashews soaked for 30 minutes
- ½ cup warm water
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon fresh cilantro
Everything Else
- 6 corn or flour tortillas
- fresh cilantro
- jalapeño sliced thin
Instructions
- To make the BBQ Jackfruit: In a shallow dish, combine jackfruit with ½ cup BBQ sauce. Let marinade in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. When ready, heat the oil over medium heat in a cast-iron skillet. Add onions, reduce heat, and sauté until caramelized, about 10 - 12 minutes. Add jackfruit and heat through. Set aside.
- To make the Mango Salsa: Combine the ingredients in a small bowl. Transfer to the refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let flavors absorb.
- To make the Cilantro Cashew Cream: Drain and rinse the cashews. Place them in a high-speed blender or food processor with the remaining ingredients and process until completely smooth. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
- To assemble the tacos: Place a small amount of BBQ jackfruit on each taco. Top with mango salsa, cashew cream, cilantro, and jalapeños. Serve immediately.
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the
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