Spicy Jackfruit Tacos (1-Pot Meal!)

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Platter of gluten-free vegan Jackfruit Tacos for an easy weeknight dinner

Friends, the time has come to share this STUNNER of a new recipe with you.

Say hello to these SPICY Jackfruit Tacos that come together in less than 45 minutes in 1 pan! Huzzah!

Making vegan Jackfruit Taco "Meat" in a pan

Origins of Tacos

Who exactly invented the taco? It’s still a bit of a mystery! But a professor who has spent much time researching the topic theorizes that tacos were invented by Mexican silver miners in the 18th century. (source)

Tacos became popular throughout Mexico and were introduced to the US by Mexican immigrants in the 19th century.

These jackfruit tacos are not traditional but are inspired by the concept of serving flavorful ingredients in a corn tortilla!

How to Make Jackfruit Tacos

The base for these tacos is jackfruit, which is rinsed, sorted, and chopped. The flavor comes in waves from onion, garlic, lime, chipotle peppers in adobo, and smoky spices.

The key to this recipe is infusing tons of flavor, adding enough moisture on the front end so the jackfruit “marinates” while cooking, and then turning up the heat near the end so you get a bit of a caramelized effect. Major swoon!

Once it’s cooked, it’s time to dig. We went with corn tortillas, refried black beans, pepitas, cilantro, cabbage, and hot sauce.

Grabbing a gluten-free vegan Jackfruit Taco from a platter

We hope you LOVE this dish! It’s:

Spicy
Smoky
Flavorful
Comforting
Easy to make
& SO delicious!

While we enjoyed the jackfruit as taco filling, it would also work well with things like Vegan Nachos, Burritos, Taco Salads, and more!

If you’re into this recipe, be sure to check out our Vegan Barbacoa, Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchiladas, and these 14 Mexican-Inspired vegan recipes!

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Dinner plate with a corn tortilla topped with jackfruit, cabbage, beans, cilantro, and pumpkin seeds for an amazing plant-based meal

Spicy Jackfruit Tacos (1-Pot Meal!)

Spicy Vegan Jackfruit Tacos made in 1 pan in about 30 minutes! A DELICIOUS, easy-to-make filling that's perfect for tacos, taco salads, burritos, nachos, and more!
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Platter filled with our Easy Jackfruit Tacos recipe for a delicious plant-based meal
4.92 from 71 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4
Course Entrée
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Mexican-Inspired, Vegan
Freezer Friendly 1 month
Does it keep? 4-5 Days

Ingredients

JACKFRUIT

  • 2 (20-ounce) cans jackfruit in water or brine (NOT in syrup)
  • 2 Tbsp avocado or coconut oil (if avoiding oil, sub water)
  • 1/2 large white or yellow onion (thinly sliced)
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 Tbsp ground smoked paprika
  • 1 Tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 Tbsp chili powder
  • 2-3 Tbsp coconut sugar (or maple syrup or organic brown sugar)
  • 1-2 small chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (from a can // roughly chopped)
  • 3 tsp adobo sauce (use more or less to preferred spice level)
  • 1/4 cup coconut aminos*
  • 2/3 cup water (plus more as needed)
  • 3 Tbsp lime juice

FOR SERVING optional

Instructions

  • Thoroughly rinse and drain jackfruit. Then begin sorting. The pieces come in chunks or triangle shapes. Cut off the center “core” portion of the jackfruit that’s tougher in texture and separate it from the rest of the fruit. Then chop into smaller pieces. For the remaining portion of the jackfruit that appears more stringy, use your hands to pull into small shredded pieces. You’re basically trying to get the jackfruit into small, shredded/chopped pieces. Rinse the jackfruit once more in a colander, drain, and thoroughly dry.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add oil of choice, onion, and garlic. Sauté for 4-5 minutes or until onions are golden brown and softened.
  • Add jackfruit, salt, paprika, cumin, chili powder, coconut sugar (starting with 2 Tbsp // or less if making a smaller batch), chipotle peppers and their adobo sauce (starting with 1 pepper and working your way up), coconut aminos, water, and lime juice. Stir to coat and reduce heat to low – medium. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • For finer texture, as your jackfruit is cooking, use your spoon to mash the jackfruit into smaller pieces, or use two forks to shred the jackfruit as it cooks down. This will create a more realistic “meat-like” texture.
  • Once the jackfruit has been properly simmered, taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more paprika or cumin for smokiness, chili powder for heat, chipotle pepper or adobo sauce for spice, coconut sugar or maple syrup for sweetness, coconut aminos for saltiness / depth of flavor, or lime for acidity.
  • Turn up heat to medium-high and cook for 2-3 more minutes to get a little extra color/texture. Then remove from heat.
  • Enjoy as is, on top of salads or nachos, or in enchiladas, burritos, taquitos, or tacos! We prefer corn tortillas, refried black beans, jackfruit, cabbage, cilantro, and hot sauce!
  • Store leftover jackfruit up to 4-5 days in the refrigerator or 1 month in the freezer. To reheat, heat on a skillet until hot and moisten with more water if it appears dry.

Video

Notes

*Can sub 1-2 Tbsp (15-30 ml) tamari or soy sauce per 1/4 cup coconut aminos if not GF. Tamari tends to have a stronger flavor and is more salty, so we recommend starting low and working your way up.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
*Adapted from our BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches.

Nutrition (1 of 4 servings)

Serving: 1 serving Calories: 148 Carbohydrates: 19.4 g Protein: 1.2 g Fat: 7.6 g Saturated Fat: 0.9 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.14 g Monounsaturated Fat: 5.08 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 808.4 mg Potassium: 178 mg Fiber: 4.9 g Sugar: 10.2 g Vitamin A: 1293 IU Vitamin C: 5.38 mg Calcium: 51.36 mg Iron: 1.79 mg

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    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Naomi, we pat it dry with a clean kitchen towel, which should take only about 30 seconds.

  1. Cara Myers says

    Delicious and abundant in flavor…but a bit too salty for me! I followed the recipe as written. (I used sea salt and coconut aminos.) I suspect that the canned organic Sprouts brand young green jackfruit in brine may have already had its own salt already…so my advice is to add the sea salt and coconut aminos with caution and taste the existing flavor it first. A tweak to the recipe notes or the recipe itself may be helpful for others?

    As always, many thanks for these recipes. Discovering Minimalist Baker has been so life-changing for me and 99% of the food I make and eat is from this site!

  2. Cara Myers says

    This looks great! Can I sub liquid smoke for the smoked paprika? (Like the flavor better.) If so, how would you recommend doing this?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Cara, we’re not sure the flavor would be complementary in this recipe, but if you want to try it, we’d suggest starting with ~1/2 teaspoon. Let us know if you try it!

  3. IL says

    Thank you for this recipe and your website. I have a question. What is the rationale of thoroughly drying the jackfruit if the recipe calls for adding water with the jackfruit? Thank you.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi, good catch – you could add less water if not fully drying the jackfruit! We have it that way to create a recipe that’s reproducible from person to person.

  4. Mary E says

    Wow!!!! “Dressed” mine with sautéed red cabbage and guacamole. No going back – this recipe is the taco “meat” of choice from this day forward!

  5. Katie Condon says

    I couldn’t find jackfruit in my local supermarket so I made this with heart of palm and it worked really well! So delicious and my housemates loved it. Will be making it again for sure!

  6. Camille says

    This looks great! But one brand I tried a couple of years ago resulted in an inedible mess–full of seeds, weird texture, weirder taste. It didn’t look anything like yours. What brand did you use? Thanks.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Oh no – how odd! Is it possible it was ripe instead of young green jackfruit? Trader Joe’s is our favorite, but we’ve also used Native Forest with success. Hope that helps!

  7. Brittany Block says

    A friend of ours who was returning back to the States (we are in Germany) had two cans of jackfruit that she couldn’t take with her and didn’t want to waste. This was the recipe that popped up when I started doing some digging. This was so much better than I anticipated and I am so excited to try it again. Quick week night meal that was full of flavor and lasted in the fridge for a few days. Thank you for the introduction to jackfruit! This will be on repeat for a weeknight meal!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Brittany. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo

  8. Angelique says

    Hi. I have Stage 3 Kidney disease, and need to be able to reduce my sodium and potassium intake. Jackfruit seems like a great alternative for someone who wants to go vegan. Since TraderJoe’s sells jackfruit, but brined and in a can, is there a way in which is I could SIGNIFICANTLY reduce it’s sodium content?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Angelique, Rinsing the jackfruit will reduce the sodium, but we aren’t sure by how much. Another option would be to maybe use fresh or frozen GREEN/YOUNG jackfruit, but that may be difficult to find depending on your location.

  9. Natalie says

    So good!!!! Added cilantro lime rice and sliced avocado for some amazing and large tacos. Marinated on the counter for two hours. My favorite jackfruit recipe so far!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Randi, we haven’t tried using fresh jackfruit, but if it is ripe, it will be too sweet. If green/unripe, it might work. Hope that helps!

  10. Erin B says

    Oh my gosh soo delish!!! I made this last night and it was a hit. I didn’t need to make any adjustments. I used my mandolin to slice the onion really thin and it worked perfectly! Topped the tacos with some salsa and avocados, and it was amazing. Your recipes never disappoint 👏🏼

  11. Erin says

    WOW. This was so good. Definitely going to become a weekday staple! We didn’t have much food in the house so the toppings were a little strange: added some leftover Minimalist Baker almond ricotta that we had made earlier in the week, pickled banana peppers, raw red onion, and guac, served on homemade tortillas. The flavors were perfect. Thank you!

  12. Katrine Iversen says

    Hi!
    Love this recipe 😀 flavors are amazing!
    Just letting you know there is another site selling vegan “low-carb” “taco meat” using the picture from this recipe.

    All the best!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Katrine, we’re so glad you enjoy it! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for letting us know about that. We’re on it =)

  13. Aimee says

    We loved it! This was the first time I’ve ever prepared jackfruit, but it wasn’t difficult. We liked it so much I’m making my husband post a pic on Instagram and tag you. The flavor is smoky, savory and crazily reminiscent of pulled pork or chicken. This will go into our regular rotation.
    We LOVE Minimalist Baker!!

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Hi Karen, in our experience, jackfruit isn’t great in the Instant Pot. It benefits from the caramelization of sautéing versus the more mushy texture of pressure cooking. It would be okay if that’s your only option, but stovetop is the preferred method here.

          • Karen says

            Hola! Ok, many thanks! I’ve made this recipe A LOT of times now (with a few twitches… i.e. i don’t ever have chipotle peppers LOL). It’s an absolute hit!! Highly recommended for vegan and non-vegan eaters. Btw… I absolutely LOVE the recipes on this website!!

          • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

            Aw, love that, Karen! Thanks so much your kind words and lovely review! xo

  14. Esther says

    This was absolutely delicious and so simple. Other than the jackfruit and chipotle/adobo, I always have the rest of the ingredients in my pantry. Substituted barbecue sauce for the chipotle. I’m not vegan/vegetarian but I prefer this as a taco filling, to the meat variety!

    Thank You

  15. Stacey says

    This was my 1st time making Jack fruit & it was delicious! My 14yr old loved it! We served with some refried black beans , lettuce & guacamole. Mine were in lettuce wraps as well. So glad I tried this, can’t wait to share with family skeptical of plant based way of living.

  16. Emma says

    Loved this recipe! I ate it with some sour cream and avocado to help balance out the spiciness of the adobo peppers. It was super easy to make too and easy to clean with only one pot!

  17. Charles E. Reutter IV says

    I will be preparing this for a birthday party this weekend have just one question, as it not clear from the description: how many tacos per serving? The images and video make it look like it’s fiver per serving, on average. Is that close?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hmm, good question! We’d estimate it’s closer to enough jackfruit for ~3 tacos per serving. So the whole recipe probably makes ~12 tacos. Hope that helps!

  18. Malika says

    Hold the press people! Flavour and jackfruit made a baby and it’s called this recipe. Thanks MT Team for putting this one together. Bold and balanced, this dish pleased every type of eater in my family. It’s good on it’s own but when piled on with fresh taco style toppings? You’ll never go back to anything else. 10/10!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it, Malika! Thanks so much for your kind words and lovely review!

  19. Fiona O'Brien says

    These are AMAZING! Have such a smokey, spicey flavor and the texture is spot-on. Definitely recommend topping with shredded red cabbage, cilantro, fresh tomato, and avocado.

  20. Roshni says

    AMAZING FLAVOR! I’ve always been intimidated to make a recipe with jackfruit, but this was so easy. I only used 1 can of jackfruit so I cut the seasoning to 1 tsp. Didn’t have onion so I added diced mushroom instead. Made the tacos on Siete chickpea tortillas. Blown away by this recipe! Thank you!

  21. Karen says

    Okay, so I made this today. I didn’t have enough jackfruit, so I added steamed diced potatoes. Probably not the best choice, if I had to do it again, I’d probably go with chickpeas. Honestly it doesn’t matter. This sauce is so amazing. I doubled it because I made too many potatoes. OMG. Every single person in this house licked their forks looking for more. I served it with corn tortillas and rice, refried beans and shaved red cabbage and carrots. Amazing!

  22. Karen says

    I am so excited about this recipe. The plan is to make it tonight… but I have a question. I am feeding 5 people and only have 1 can of jack fruit. I’m looking for suggestions to replace the 2nd can of jack fruit. My thoughts so far are cubed potatoes, riced cauliflower, or chick peas. Do you have any suggestions? I have tons of dried beans I can make, but fresh and frozen veggies are at a premium. Thanks In Advance.

  23. Rhiannon says

    Wow! This dish was absolutely incredible. I served the jackfruit with hard corn taco shells, shredded lettuce, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, hot sauce, tomatoes, and cilantro. Seriously delicious. I would not change a thing. Thank you for another amazing recipe.

  24. Dave Big Chief says

    I can’t easily get “1-2 small chipotle peppers in adobo sauce” — however, I did have chipotle chilli powder and tomato puree… then added a touch garlic and seasoning. I also skipped the aminos (not a fan) and used 200g thin-cut shitake mushrooms for natural umami.

  25. Manuel Arteaga says

    1st time for me. I’m going to make some for superbowl Sunday. I made a batch and loved the taste. I forgot to add salt, but with all the other flavors it was still good. Very spicy. I’ll make some adjustments. Thank you for the recipe.

  26. Lori Sheppard says

    My son and I are doing the Daniel fast. We are so new to this clean eating. We are totally Carnivores. All I know is this recipe is a total life changer. I’ve never had jackfruit before didn’t tell anyone in my family what I was cooking. And the taco were a hit!!! They thought it was tender chicken. I just giggled inside. Keep up the good work. Thanks again

  27. Evelyn Herrera says

    I did not add chili powder and used the chipotle sauce I had on hand. Jack-fruit still came out spicy and delicious. Good tips on how to use jack-fruit. This was my second time using this ingredient from a can. The result was much better than previous use because I cut the coarser part of the segments and chopped it up before cooking. Makes great texture. I am cooking with out oil. This recipe worked out well because the pan frying does have liquids in the form of water, aminos (did not have the coconut one – used Bragg’s), and chipotle sauce. Decided to use tortillas for soft tacos instead of hard shells. Was still great over rice for lunch the next day. It all worked out great and made my husband happy.

  28. Roxanne says

    This was my first time making jackfruit as meat substitute at home and this recipe was delicious! Loved the flavour of the chipotle peppers and added some hot sauce on my tacos for extra heat. I’m having it today cold in a taco salad for lunch and it’s still very good! Will definitely make again.

    • Sadye says

      This was also my first time making jackfruit at home (and honestly only my second time eating it) — the instructions made perfect sense and we LOVED the flavor. We have a small kitchen so sometimes it’s easier for me to do everything solo, but for whatever reason, this was very easy to tag-team and so we were also thrilled with how quickly it came together. Here’s to more jackfruit experimentation!

  29. Anna says

    My first time ever using jackfruit! Super easy and tasty recipe. Just the right level of spiciness. I cooked it for longer, since I wanted it even more tender. I’ve already shared a link on Facebook.

  30. Sue says

    I use sweet and spicy bbq sauce instead of chipotle which I find too spicy. This is one of my favorite go to recipes when we have vegans for dinner.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Sarah, we haven’t tried this in a slow cooker and aren’t sure whether it would work. The jackfruit may loose it’s texture. If you give it a try, let us know how it goes!

      • Amber says

        Not on this recipe, but I tried jackfruit in the slow cooker. Totally loses the shredded texture that makes it such a good replacement for shredded meat. Stick with the quicker sautee.

    • Vawn P says

      I have made pulled ‘pork’ type BBQ Jackfruit in my slow cooker and it is Ahhmazing! I cook it in a skillet with diced onion to crisp the Jackfruit up and then slow cook it all day in BBQ sauce to deepen the flavor and tenderize it.
      I am going to make THIS taco recipe the same way- can’t wait!

  31. megan says

    these were THE BOMB! Cooked it for non vegetarians and they loved it! Was hesitant to make it but it was very easy. Didn’t have any chipolte peppers in adobo sauce but just added some hot sauce and more spices, turned out great!
    Thanks again Dana, every recipe ive made off minimalist baker is always so good!

  32. Erica says

    These were amazing! Whole Foods didn’t have canned jackfruit so I bought their smoked jackfruit that comes in the refrigerated section and then just added all of the above spice and ingredients. Such an amazing lunch and will definitely be making again! Thank you, as always!!

  33. Susan Basterfield says

    I’d had jackfruit out before and I never really liked it, but when I saw it in my local shop in tins I wanted to try it. This recipe was fantastic! Served up with a simple guac and my own recipe Mexican Baked Cauliflower rice it will definitely be one of my new go-to’s for Sunday lunch.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Seetha. We are so glad you enjoyed them! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo

  34. Elizabeth Hyatt says

    I love a ton of your recipes, but for me personally, this one is the absolute best so far. I always go for more spices and the combination of it all is lovely!

  35. Diane says

    This was great! I found jackfruit in water at whole foods although they were 16 oz cans instead of 20 oz so got 3 cans.
    I only used 1 chipotle and 1 tbsp of the chipotles and adobo sauce as husband doesn’t like thing too spicy as I noted in the other comments. I might use a little less lime next time too.
    Next day I made the taco a little differently and oh my goodness.. now extra good!
    Filled the corn taco with jackfruit meat, topped with peppicino’s and then your roasted jalapeño queso then shredded cabbage! Now it’s really awesome! Thanks

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Diane. Your tacos sound amazing! We are so glad you enjoyed them! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo

  36. Judy rivera says

    Holy moly this was fantastic! I doubled it to have leftovers, and I have seriously had it four days in a row and cant wait to make it again.
    Thank you for doing Mexican, my blood and soul food.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Lisa, we haven’t tried that and aren’t sure whether it would work. The jackfruit may loose it’s texture. If you give it a try, let us know how it goes!

  37. Jeanette says

    I’ve made this exactly according to recipe several times and it’s very delicious. However this time I did not have any chipotle in adobó available so my substitutes were Penzy’s spicy chipotle dry seasoning and some Pico Pica mild taco sauce for the moisture. The combination of the two was perfectly delicious. We like good ole fat free refried beans with a bit of Trader Joe’s salsa verde stirred in as our side dish which we layer under the “carnitas”. Then top it with shredded lettuce and Pico de Gallo.

    • Merve says

      Tried cooking jackfruit for the first time this evening with this recipe and it was delicious! The initial tips about how to prepare the jackfruit were very helpful for a novice here! Will certainly be making this again. I can’t find chipotles en adobo in supermarkets in the UK so I used chipotle paste instead, also swapped chili powder for chili flakes and it turned out nicely.

  38. Stephanie says

    DELICIOUS!! I’m in France so it’s a bit harder to find chipotles en adobo so I used some gochujang instead and it was so good! Smoky, tangy, sweet, spicy goodness. I’m gonna serve this on some Savoy cabbage to make ‘tacos’.

  39. Rachel says

    Just made these for dinner. This was my first real attempt at intentional vegan cooking — and it came out delicious! I’m not vegan, but I am trying to be more conscious about my meat and dairy consumption, especially when I’m cooking and have complete control. I made a few substitutions b/c I couldn’t find adobo peppers at my local trader joes. So I swapped a spicy (vegan) taco sauce and some green chile peppers, as well as throwing some additional dried peppers in. I also didn’t have regular chile powder, so I used cayenne and added some adobo spice blend in. I also used maple syrup instead of coconut sugar. I used a combo corn/flour tortilla (purchased by accident. not great, not horrible), with some low-fat refried beans, the frozen grilled corn from trader joes, taco sauce, salsa, and a red/green cabbage and carrot mix. I loved this and could have eaten the whole pan in one sitting but instead I split it up into burrito bowls and taco salads for lunch for the week. All in all, quite pleased with my foray into vegan cooking!

  40. Sam says

    This was surprising amazing! Smelled just like taco meat. It was a touch spicier than I’d prefer but was great with cheese and sprouts and sour cream. Made a half batch since i only had one can of jackfruit

  41. Teresa Goethe says

    wow! I was skeptical that any vegan taco could satisfy my husband but this one did the job. Next time though, we are only going to use one chipotle pepper and one tablespoon adobo sauce. We rarely think any food is too spicy, but this was!

  42. Kerstin says

    This was the first time I cooked with jackfruit and definitely not the last! This dish was easy to make and everybody loved it. I left out the chipotle peppers and adobo sauce as my 2 and 4-year-olds were eating this too. The adults just added sriracha to their tacos. We had this with avocado and your grilled corn salsa and really loved it! We had some leftovers and ate them two days later with tahini and pita together with an israeli salad and it was just as amazing!

  43. Carrie says

    This turned out great. I’d never used jackfruit before and was a little hesitant but I will be making this again. To increase the protein content I subbed one package of tempeh for one of the cans of jackfruit and am happy with how the texture turned out. To make up for the moisture absorbed by the tempeh I added 1/2cup of water and cooked it down until I reached the right consistency. With the spices I used the juice of two limes and also added a tsp of turmeric and some fresh ground black pepper.

  44. Fran says

    Jackfruit was always one of those ingredients that intimidated me so making this for the first time, for 5 non-vegan guests, was a bit of a gamble. Pleased to say it paid off! It was so easy and delicious and everyone loved it. I can see this becoming a staple in our house. Thank you so much!

  45. Heather says

    Spicy deliciousness! We loved these so much. I try to eat plant-based as much as possible, but my husband and son do not, and these pleased us all! We had them on the first night in hard taco shells with shredded cabbage/seasoned rice vinegar and some mashed avocado. The second night we had them as tostadas on toasted corn tortillas with more mashed avocado, shredded cabbage and some baby spinach/arugula mix lightly olive oiled and lime juiced, piled high! This will definitely be a regular dinner here!

  46. Tori says

    Great recipe, loved the spice. I added a half cup of canned diced tomatoes at the end because it was a little dry (maybe my fault), and it was great. We used it on nachos, and will definitely be adding it to the archives. Thanks for another great recipe!

  47. Rachel says

    This recipe is a winner, especially with all the toppings. I used tamari instead of coconut aminos and blended chipotles in adobo, and it was excellent. The only downside of jackfruit as a taco base is that doesn’t have the protein or calories that meat does, so I served these with a generous portion of refried black beans to make them filling enough for dinner.

  48. Lorrie Barth says

    This was just outstanding!
    I have been easing into veganism for the year or so and dragging my husband ( Professional French trained chef) reluctantly along with me. What he eats outside the home is his business but at home he follows whatever I’m into. This was my first forte into Jackfruit. And we were both impressed, great texture and with all the flavours you’d never know it wasn’t meat of some kind. I only made a half batch but wasn’t really paying attention and put the full amount of chipolte! So needless to say it was smokin! But still very very enjoyable. I didn’t have any coconut aminos so just used a splash of Bragg sauce instead and it worked fine. I also didn’t have any black beans ( refried or not) so I just friend up some red beans and squished them with a potato masher. And then I also only had tortillas and not tacos, so we went burrido style. All that to say, this jackfruit filling is subpurb! Easy to make and hugely versitile! Thank you so much.

  49. Eva says

    OMG! my first time cooking with jackfruit as I have been a little bit scared of it. Finally picked up a can from trader Joe’s and wanted to try this recipe. So so so good and tasty. made one change because I forgot to pick up two cans of jackfruit, so I mixed one can of black beans with the one can of jackfruit. Saving the recipe and will definitely make it again! Thank you so much :-)

  50. Vi says

    I substitute the chipotle in adobo with chipotle powder and chipotle hot sauce (adding too much chipotle powder). It has an intense smoky favourbut it was really yummy!

  51. Ana says

    Thanks for this recipe! I LOVED it!!! Made it and both my son and I really enjoyed it, super flavorful!
    We had it with corn tortillas, lettuce and cabbage, salsa and homemade refried pinto beans! Yum!!!
    Ana :)

  52. Rena T says

    I liked the jackfruit tortilla soup even better but this is also a very good recipe! It is extremely similar to Dana’s lentil Barbacoa in flavor (lots of similar ingredients).
    Definitely go for the smear of refried beans- this helps the jackfruits texture become even more convincing. My boyfriend had no idea this was meatless- “so where is the fruit in this?”. ?

  53. Mims says

    Hi Dana,

    I just stumbled on a great way to use jackfruit and thought I would share. I was making these tacos with a can of TJ’s jackfruit, but since only making for 2, I held back half the can. Not sure what to do with the remainders..I spied a newly finished jar of pepperoncini peppers with just the brine sitting on the countertop. I plopped the drained jackfruit into the brine and put in the fridge. Well, fast forward several weeks when I pulled out that jar expecting pepperoncini and finding delicious pepperoncini flavored jackfruit instead. I added it to our tossed salad and it was fantastic.

  54. Gail Anderson says

    Having a bit of a vegan week … tonight cooked this for my husband and mum and although i tuned down the spice a little (for mum) and swapped out some of the ingredients for what I had in, it was still really tasty and simple to make.

  55. Monica says

    This was great! This was my first time cooking jackfruit. I rinsed and dried the jackfruit before I shredded it and since it tasted salty I omitted the salt. I also added a tablespoon of tomato paste. Thanks!

  56. Jen says

    Couldn’t find jackfruit at the nearby market so I used two 14 oz cans of artichoke hearts and used the lesser amount of ingredients that you suggested annnnd holy wow I’m so obsessed! This was so delicious and will definitely be a weekly staple for me! Thank you thank you thank you for sharing your genius recipes with the world :)

  57. Cassie Autumn Tran says

    I am normally not a big fan of jackfruit, but these look FIRE! To me, the spicier, the better!

  58. Elena Bennardo says

    First time trying jackfruit, my husband and I really liked it! We spent the entire meal planning on serving it to our meat eater friends/family and wondering whether head know the difference!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yay! We have had similar experiences to this with our friends and oftentimes they couldn’t taste the difference! I am so glad that you both enjoyed these tacos, Elena!

  59. Kristin Baker says

    Excellent combination of spices and embellishments. I added avocado too- yum! Thank you Dana!

  60. Danielle says

    Delicious!! First time trying jackfruit and I am so glad I did. Was even able to clean the kitchen while the jackfruit cooked, so I didn’t have a mess to clean up after dinner. Can’t wait to make it again!

  61. Allison Miera says

    Hi Dana! Wow! As always an amazing recipe. I loved this so much. I’ve made your bbq jackfruit sandwiches before and I these ones were just as amazing and easy. I made mine with Tamari instead of coconut aminos and it was perfect.

  62. Mary Slokar says

    Made this today & it’s delicious. We will be using it as a topper for our veggie dogs & veggie burgers! Happy Independence Day!

  63. Mary Slokar says

    I just removed the jackfruit taco filling from the stove. It’s delicious & we will be using it in our veggie dogs and veggie burgers today! Happy Independence Day!

  64. Franziska says

    Hi,
    we do not really have these chili peppers and adobo sauce in Germany, can you substitute it? Maybe with harissa or sambal oelek?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi! While we haven’t tried using either of those substitutions, I think they could work! Let us know how it goes!

  65. Elaina says

    Skipped the adobo because I didn’t have any and subbed in some enchilada sauce instead. Amazing! Texture isn’t identical to meat, but similar. Used the jackfruit in enchiladas. Will definitely make again!

  66. Sal says

    Delicious! Wasn’t spicy like I was scared it was gona be, perfect in spice! Flavorful and was a masterpiece with some salsa! Thanks!

  67. Brittany says

    Ahhhh this was SO good! I might have been a little heavy handed with the chipotle peppers, but it really come out delicious. I actually left out the onion because I realized I didn’t have one, but I certainly didn’t miss it. I think this same recipe would be perfect on a burger bun with a side of pickles too!

  68. Kelly says

    Made this recipe last night and it was delicious! However- I think I overdid it with the adobo sauce as it was very hot in the spice department. I recommend adding it in small amount and tasting it as you go!

  69. Zgrrl says

    This dish was absolutely delicious, however the amount of chipotle and adobo made it extremely hot! I decided to use 2 cans of chipotle peppers in adobo since the recipe called for 2-3. I did not add any additional adobo and I didn’t have chili powder. Even with the spiciness it was delicious. I usually follow recipes as instructed the first time, and make adjustments on the next go round for my personal taste. I would use 1/2 – 1 can of chipotle in adobo, and that’s the only change I would make. Now I need help on how to turn the fire down…HELP!!!

    • Faith Ralphs says

      It’s a common mistake to use a CAN of chipotle peppers instead of individual peppers within a can– did that the first time I used them, and it sounds like you did, too! The recipe calls for 2-3 peppers, so you’ll have lots left over from one can. I usually freeze the rest so I can pull out one pepper at a time for recipes.

  70. Carrie Keller says

    We made this for dinner last night and it is yet another home run from the Minimalist Baker! The only substitution we made was tamari sauce for the coconut aminos. It made enough for two meals for my husband and me.

  71. Susan Johnston says

    Hi Dana –
    I read all your posts in email. Great recipes! I also have your book and love it.
    Todays taco recipe using Jack Fruit. It is in season and I was wondering if I bought it fresh whether I could use it in your recipe?
    Susan

  72. chloë says

    I also have a bunch of dehydrated jack fruit and wondered the same! Let me know if you try it and whether it was a success :)

  73. Jay Red says

    Like it has been said, perhaps reduce the adobo sauce (or at least add it slowly, near the end) to avoid a too spicy dish.

    Also I didn’t add any water and found that to work to keep everything at the right hydration.

    Not bad overall, but the jackfruit definitely needs to be paired with a few extras to satisfy.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks for sharing Jay. I’ll try to make it more clear to gradually add the adobo sauce!

  74. Celia says

    I don’t see the appeal of jackfruit. As a meat replacement it is singularly lacking in the protein department. But then I’m not keen on most meat substitutes anyway. I would probably substitute legumes.

  75. Dolores says

    I have dehydrated jack fruit will this work if it is reconstituted with water? Can’t wait to try this & was hoping to avoid a trip to Trader Joe’s & use what I have in my pantry.

    • Alicia says

      Do you have an Asian market in your area? They typically carry several brands of jackfruit in water or brine. I wouldn’t use the jackfruit in syrup; it’s “matured” or sweet jackfruit. The green jackfruit in water is picked before it ripens. Totally different flavor.

    • dave s says

      @Georgina – I used a completely different brand named, Cha’s Organics (in brine). It is my favourite Jackfruit out of a can! You can usually find it in the organic section of most grocery stores.
      hope this helps

      the jackfruit in syrup is for deserts

  76. Alex says

    The recipe was EPIC!!! I made it last night for dinner & I’m eating the leftovers today for lunch! I was so pleased that I already had all of the ingredients for the jackfruit in my pantry.

    The flavors were incredible and the “meat” cooked perfectly. I’m used to using jackfruit for BBQ – so this was a nice twist. Although I am a spicy food addict, I will definitely use less chipotle peppers next time. My mouth was on fire, which I enjoy, but my husband (who is highly sensitive to spice level) was not able to eat it!

    For reference, I used the Trader Joe’s brand jackfruit in a can. I served it in a TJ’s handmade flour tortilla with chopped cilantro, chopped romaine, and some avocado slices.

  77. Brittany says

    Do you buy adobo sauce separately, or do you just use it from the chipotle peppers? I’ve seen this in a couple of your recipes, and it seems like there wasn’t nearly enough adobo sauce in the can with the peppers. I have not seen just adobo sauce in the store. If you purchase it separately, can you share the brand?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      I buy Embasa brand. I think there’s plenty of sauce in with the peppers considering you don’t need much since it’s very spicy. Hope that helps!

      • Krystal says

        I wasn’t expecting this to come out as spicy as it did, for some reason I thought the adobo sauce made the peppers more mild. Any suggestions on toning down the heat for day two leftovers?? :) Thanks!

        • Shawn McLaughlin says

          adding any of these toppings – vegan sour cream avocado, extra cabbage diced fresh tomatoes, beans, potatoes, rice, a cashew cheese sauce, vegan cheese would offset the heat or drinking a glass of soy milk (milk was the best remedy before i went vegan) with the tacos- changes the flavor but minimizes the heat – sometimes my husband makes a glorious dinner – but he says it’s not spicy and I am in pain!

  78. Alyssa says

    I purchased a huge piece of jackfruit earlier this weekend and was clueless in terms of preparing it. This recipe is perfect for beginners and it’s so flavorful! (I ommitted the coconut sugar since the jackfruit I purchased was already sweet.) I served this with refried beans, pico de gallo, and avocado.

    • DJ says

      For cooking purposes, the jack fruit has to be green and not the ripened ones in which the pods are yellow in color. FYI, jack fruit is also used in Indian cooking. We even dry the seeds (when buying the non-canned version) and remove the outer layer and use it in dishes like Sambar.