Jackfruit Carnitas Tacos

Jackfruit carnitas tacos are a delicious vegetarian alternative to pork carnitas.  Jackfruit takes on all the spices and flavors to become a savory taco filling.  You may be fooled that it’s not meat you’re eating.  These vegan jackfruit tacos have the best flavor and are easy to make. If you are looking to reduce your meat intake and still want to enjoy taco Tuesday this is definitely something you’ll want to try.  

What is jackfruit?

Jackfruit is a tropical tree fruit grown in Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America.  While the outside of a jackfruit’s skin is green, thick, and bumpy the inside is a soft stringy flesh that can be eaten raw or cooked.  Jackfruit contains a high amount of vitamin C and antioxidants which helps boost your immune system and make it stronger when fighting an infection.  This unique fruit is a wonderful meat substitute that lives up to all the hype.  

Here’s what you need to make this jackfruit carnitas recipe:

The star of the dish is Jackfruit, which I described above.  I don’t use fresh jackfruit in this recipe, instead, I use canned jackfruit, packed in water or brine.  Be sure not to use jackfruit packed in syrup.  Luckily, this fruit is gone mainstream making it fairly easy to find.  Trader Joe’s carries it as well as my local grocery store, or Asian supermarkets.  

The rest of the ingredients are pretty common and you should be familiar with them.  You’ll need to dice half of an onion and mince two cloves of garlic.  To that, add the dried spices of oregano, cumin, and chili powder.  Lastly, you’ll need about 1/2 cup of orange juice or vegetable broth.  I prefer orange juice, but either one works.   

Here’s how to make jackfruit carnitas tacos:

First, drain, rinse and then pat dry the jackfruit.  I like to lay it out on my cutting board and then use a paper towel to pat the pieces dry.  Second, cut the jackfruit into pieces.  Starting at the core, (hard parts of the jackfruit) cut each piece at an angle like a small triangle.  

Next, warm a large frying pan over medium heat.  Once the pan is warm add the diced onion and cook until it’s soft and translucent.  This will take about 5 minutes.  After that, add the minced garlic and cook for only about 30 seconds.  To that, add jackfruit, spices, and orange juice.  Stir to combine and then let it cook for about 8 minutes.  After the jackfruit mixture has cooked for the allotted time, remove it from the heat and use a potato masher or the back of a fork to break up the jackfruit until it’s shredded and looks like pork or chicken.   Taste and adjust seasoning.  You might want to add some fresh lime juice, salt, or black pepper. 

Now it’s time to assemble our tacos!

Tortilla choice is up to you, but today I’m using corn tortillas.  I like to heat them up over the open flame on my gas stove.  I use medium-high heat and long tongs to carefully do this!  They get a little charred and taste perfect. Alternatively, you can warm tortillas in the microwave.   Wrap them lightly in a damp dish towel and heat them in the microwave for 30 seconds.  Now it’s time for your favorite toppings.  What you put inside your taco is personal, kind of like your favorite pizza topping.  If you want to keep it classic, like traditional pork tacos, go with diced red onion, fresh cilantro, and your favorite pico de gallo.  Or if you want to try something different consider topping it with my cilantro lime slaw or guacamole.  Serve these tacos with lime wedges on the side.  

Leftover jackfruit can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days.  Use the vegan carnitas to make burrito bowls and quesadillas, or try creating more jackfruit recipes.  To reheat the leftovers, use a large skillet and a bit of olive oil.  Warm over medium-high heat until heated through. 

Some other recipes you might enjoy are:

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Guacamole

Baked Zucchini Casserole