Tacos aren’t just food—they’re a whole vibe. And these vegan jackfruit tacos bring all the smoky, savoury, and delicious goodness you crave—without the meat. This recipe is a true crowd-pleaser that will even convince carnivores!
If you’ve never cooked with jackfruit before, get ready to be amazed. This plant-powered wonder shreds like pulled pork, soaks up flavour like a dream, and makes for the most satisfying taco filling ever.
And that’s not even the best part yet! My recipes are always super adaptable, encouraging you to be in charge. Let’s say you want these tacos spicy—add extra chipotle. Craving crunch? Pile on some fresh slaw. Feeling indulgent? Go heavy on the guac.
These tacos are meant to be adaptable, so you can make them fit your mood, your cravings, and your kitchen staples. They’re designed to please everyone because, after all, you’re always building your own—every bite is exactly how you want it.
Contents
In this post, I’ll walk you through the ingredients, the step-by-step instructions, serving ideas and some meal prep tips!
So, let’s get cooking & create this mouthwatering deliciousness!
Ingredients
- tacos (store-bought or homemade)
For the Jackfruit Taco Filling
- tinned jackfruit
- tomatoes (tinned or fresh)
- red onion & garlic
- spices (smoked paprika, cumin, cajun (or chipotle or chilli), coriander, oregano)
- vegetable stock
- tomato paste
- freshly squeezed orange juice
Toppings
- avocados or guacamole
- lime wedges
- fresh cilantro (coriander)
- see ‘Serving Ideas’ for more!
(see recipe card for quantities)
Jackfruit
Jackfruit is a tropical tree fruit that is used as a vegetarian/vegan meat alternative due to its meat-like texture. It shreds like pulled pork and comes with a mild taste, which makes it a perfect flavour sponge.
In this recipe, I used tinned/canned jackfruit chunks because fresh jackfruit is not so easily available for most of us. You should get tinned jackfruit in your grocery shop—usually in the health food aisle.
To be honest, it took me a while to find the perfect brand that wouldn’t use citric acids or, even worse, preservatives. In my opinion, these can influence the taste and quality of the jackfruit immensely.
Read the label! I found a brand (“Honest to Goodness”, if you live in Australia) that only uses lime juice and salt to preserve, and it makes such a difference! It might also be a good idea to buy organic.
But no need to worry if you can’t find a brand like that. I’ll give you some tweaks and tips on how to balance the acidity that often comes with citric acid later on.
And if you like to discover more ideas of what you can make with jackfruit, how about you try out this Jackfruit Butter Chicken (vegan/vegetarian) next!
Tomatoes
I love and prefer using fresh, ripe tomatoes (that’s when they’re deep red and already soft). When I feel lazy, I use tinned tomatoes. So, the choice is yours. This recipe can be made with either.
Seasoning
Onions & Garlic: I love using red onions for these vegan jackfruit tacos—or for any Mexican dish. But you can make the filling with regular white onions, too. Always choose fresh garlic for best results and flavours!
Spices: The spices listed above are my favourites to put in. I love this smoky spice blend because it adds depth. If you love extra spice and heat, you can choose between Cajun, chipotle or plain chilli flakes (or powder). You will need to adapt the amount to your liking!
Tomato Paste: This ingredient amplifies the yummy tomato flavour in this recipe. Make sure to buy preservative-free tomato paste and, ideally, organic!
Vegetable Stock: For most savoury recipes, I use my homemade vegetable stock paste for seasoning. It’s a staple in my fridge, and I cook with it all the time! Alternatively, you may choose to use instant veggie broth or simply salt.
Orange Juice: This is my secret ingredient! The ultimate flavour boost, trust me! It enhances the taste of the other ingredients, adds sweetness to balance the acidic taste of the tomatoes (and possibly jackfruit), and adds that fruity freshness.
Tacos
Everything in this recipe is adaptable! That’s what makes these delicious vegan tacos so unique. I leave the decision of what kind of tacos to choose completely up to you. Here are some of my tips that may make it easier for you to make a choice:
Taco Shells are a great way to add that extra crunch to every bite! Also, if you buy them in the shops, they usually don’t have any preservatives in them and are made of fairly clean ingredients. For me, that’s always a plus!
Soft Tacos / Tortilla Wraps (store-bought) are the quickest solutions as they don’t need any heating up or preparing. However, they often come with a ton of “not-so-good” ingredients such as sugar (dextrose), food acids and preservatives.
Homemade Tortillas offer a clean, healthy alternative, and they’re usually my choice. There are a ton of different recipes out there for you to try. Making your own tortillas is easier than you think and often only requires 2-3 ingredients: corn flour, water and salt (like this recipe)!
The tortillas in my photos are, of course, homemade too, and you may have wondered what they are made of. I used Sheridan Joy’s gluten-free & vegan 4-ingredient Coconut Flour Wraps that I modified a little.
Toppings
Your options and choices to top your jackfruit tacos are endless here, and I will go more into detail later on. As you see in the pictures, I chose to keep it simple, only adding avocado, fresh coriander and a squeeze of lime juice.
Instructions
Step 1. This step can be done the night/day before you make the tacos so the jackfruit can marinate for longer, but it’s not necessary!
Drain and rinse the jackfruit chunks thoroughly through a sieve. Pull the pieces of jackfruit apart into shreds (similar to pulled pork) and place them into a mixing bowl or a container (to keep in the fridge to marinate overnight if you make this ahead).
In a small bowl, mix together the spices and add them to the pulled jackfruit. Rub the spices in and make sure that the shreds are entirely coated. If doing this a day ahead, also add some olive oil and place the container in the fridge so the jackfruit can marinate.
Step 2. Cut the onion into quarters or in half and slice. Mince the garlic cloves. Juice the orange. If using fresh tomatoes, chop them into small cubes.
Step 3. Heat some oil in a medium to large pot over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add onion and garlic and fry for a couple of minutes.
If using fresh tomatoes, add them at the same time and cook everything for 5-10 minutes until tomatoes are soft and tender.
Step 4. Add seasoned jackfruit, tinned tomatoes, vegetable stock (or salt), tomato paste and orange juice. Stir and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes with the lid off so any excess fluid can evaporate.
Since the jackfruit is already cooked, we don’t necessarily need to cook anything here, however, it still has a purpose: it brings up the spices and flavours and reduces the liquids!
Step 5. While the jackfruit taco filling is cooking, prepare the tacos—whichever version you choose—and the toppings. This can also be done the day before to save you some time!
Step 6. Bring everything together and build your very own vegan jackfruit tacos! There are no right or wrong ways; make them yours. If you are cooking for a crowd, I’d put the filling and each topping in different serving bowls or dishes.
Adapt & Make It Yours
- Make it smoky & spicy: Add chipotle or extra smoked paprika.
- Make it kid-friendly: Reduce spices (especially, don’t add cajun/chipotle/chilli), and add a bit of maple syrup for sweetness.
- Gluten-free version: Make sure to use corn tortillas or taco shells, or make the coconut flour wraps you see in the pictures!
- Protein boost: Add black beans or fry some tofu.
- Mix and Match: This recipe also works for mushroom tacos, cauliflower tacos, with vegan mince, tofu or even tempeh!
Serving Ideas
Taco Tuesday Night
Serve these vegan jackfruit tacos with multiple toppings and let everyone customise their own. That’s when the magic of taco nights happens: People need to interact to pass the serving bowls! Also, who doesn’t love to compile their own tacos?
Deconstructed Taco Bowl
The filling and toppings can also be assembled in a bowl! And instead of using tacos, you add some tortilla/corn chips.
Topping Ideas
- creamy avocado dip or guacamole
- fresh tomato salsa
- crunchy slaw
- protein boost: black beans or tofu
- (vegan) crema, sour cream or even some (plant-based) yoghurt
- refried beans (frijoles)
- grated cheese, vegan if needed
- fresh cilantro, mint or parsley
Storage
The jackfruit taco filling can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I recommend keeping each topping in a separate container.
If you made anything fresh, it’ll probably need to be used within 3-5 days. Just remember that avocado will turn a little brown over time.
You may freeze the taco filling in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Meal Prep Tips
The amount of this recipe usually lasts me for 5 days. This always depends on how many other toppings you have and how much you eat, of course!
As just mentioned, keep everything in different containers so they don’t mix their flavours until you actually want them to—right before you take a bite!
The great thing about the filling is that it’s very tasty even when it’s cold! So, you choose if you want to reheat it or simply skip that step and have a cold lunch. Another great option is to make a deconstructed taco bowl! This works great for work or uni!
Recap
Build, Bite, Enjoy! And there you have it—flavour-packed, completely adaptable, and irresistibly delicious vegan jackfruit tacos! Whether you keep it classic or get creative with toppings, these tacos are all about making them your way.
So gather your favourite fillings, build your perfect taco, and enjoy every single bite. Once you taste how easy and satisfying homemade tacos can be, there’s no turning back! Even when it may be a bit time-consuming, at the end of the meal, you know how worth it was!
Craving more taco inspiration? Stay tuned for my upcoming Taco Blueprint, where I’ll guide you through endless ways to mix, match, and create taco magic every time!
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
For the Jackfruit Taco Filling
- 2 tins jackfruit
- 1 tin tomatoes crushed or diced, or 4 fresh tomatoes
- 1 red onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- ½ tablespoon cajun see notes!
- ½ tablespoon coriander
- ½ tablespoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon vegetable stock paste or a heaped teaspoon instant veggie stock, or salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- juice of 1 orange
Other Ingredients
- tacos store-bought or homemade
- toppings avocados, lime juice, fresh coriander, etc.
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the jackfruit chunks thoroughly through a sieve. Pull the pieces of jackfruit apart into shreds and place them into a mixing bowl.In a small bowl, mix together the spices and add them to the pulled jackfruit. Rub the spices in and make sure that the shreds are entirely coated.
- Cut the onion into quarters or in half and slice. Mince the garlic cloves. Juice the orange. If using fresh tomatoes, chop them into small cubes.
- Heat some oil in a medium to large pot over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add onion and garlic and fry for a couple of minutes.If using fresh tomatoes, add them at the same time and cook everything for 5-10 minutes until tomatoes are soft and tender.
- Add seasoned jackfruit, tinned tomatoes, vegetable stock (or salt), tomato paste and orange juice. Stir and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes with the lid off so any excess fluid can evaporate.
- While the jackfruit taco filling is cooking, prepare the tacos and the toppings. This can also be done the day before to save you some time! For more topping ideas, check the blog post!
- Bring everything together and build your very own jackfruit tacos! If you are cooking for a crowd, I’d put the filling and each topping in different serving bowls or dishes.
Notes
- Make it smoky & spicy: Add chipotle or extra smoked paprika.
- Make it kid-friendly: Reduce spices (especially, don’t add cajun/chipotle/chilli), and add a bit of maple syrup for sweetness.
- Gluten-free version: Make sure to use corn tortillas or taco shells, or make the coconut flour wraps you see in the pictures!
- Protein boost: Add black beans or fry some tofu.
- Mix and Match: This recipe also works for mushroom tacos, cauliflower tacos, with vegan mince, tofu or even tempeh!
