Description
A crowd-pleasing, budget-friendly vegan main dish that mimics pulled pork using young jackfruit. This easy recipe is ready in 30 minutes and satisfies both meat-eaters and vegans alike.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cans (20 oz each) young green jackfruit in brine or water
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1.5 cups barbecue sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bag (12 oz) coleslaw mix
- 1/2 cup vegan mayo
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar
- 6–8 brioche buns or potato rolls
- Optional toppings: pickles, jalapeños, extra BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the jackfruit thoroughly under cold water to remove the canned taste. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly until fragrant but not browned.
- Add the jackfruit to the skillet and break it up with a wooden spoon into shred-like pieces. Cook for 5 minutes until edges start to crisp.
- Stir in barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Mix to coat evenly.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes until the sauce thickens and clings to the jackfruit. Add a splash of water if too dry.
- While jackfruit simmers, toss coleslaw mix with vegan mayo, Dijon mustard, agave nectar, salt, and pepper. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Toast buns lightly if desired. Scoop warm jackfruit onto buns and top generously with the slaw. Serve immediately with optional toppings.
Notes
Rinsing the jackfruit thoroughly is crucial to remove the metallic canned taste. For a crispy texture, ensure the jackfruit gets some edges browned before adding the sauce. The recipe can be made in a slow cooker (low for 6-8 hours) or Instant Pot (high pressure for 10 minutes). Leftovers store well in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich with slaw
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 680
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 52
- Fiber: 8
- Protein: 6
Keywords: vegan, jackfruit, BBQ, pulled pork, sandwich, easy dinner, family meal, gluten-free option, budget-friendly