BBQ Jackfruit Tacos

If there is something we don't get tired of eating at home, it's hands-down, vegan tacos. So tonight, we are making a big batch of mouthwatering jackfruit tacos. I've included a delicious, finger-licking bbq sauce and a handful of colourful veggies to the recipe so you can make a whole meal out of them. 

I love making meat-free tacos that can deceive the meat-eaters in my life. And jackfruit is the perfect ingredient to do so. This meat alternative is really similar to pulled pork. The beauty of jackfruit is that it has a very mild or neutral flavour. This makes it really versatile and its taste will depend on whatever seasonings you use. 

Nowadays, is much more common to find jackfruit at your local supermarket. I usually find it canned or in a package in the fridge section. You can always get the fresh stuff, but having a couple of cans in the pantry makes life so much easier. 

Also, when you buy fresh jackfruit for savoury dishes like these vegan tacos it is important to buy young jackfruit. This is what you'll find inside the cans. Otherwise, when jackfruit ripens it gets a sweet taste and aroma. We want to avoid that as much as possible. 

To season these jackfruit tacos I made an incredibly flavourful bbq sauce. I used to simply add the stuff from the bottle but I figured that with a little bit of effort I can get a completely different, more potent and sophisticated taste in this dish. 

So now, aside from the bbq sauce, I also mix smoked paprika, maple syrup, mustard, tomato sauce and a little bit of sea salt. These are all pantry staples at home, so I don't even have to buy anything extra, which is always a good thing. 

I usually mix the sauce ingredients and the jackfruit first thing. Then I go ahead and prepare the rest of the veggies. This way, the jackfruit simmers in the sauce for a bit before I cook it. This will add to the overall flavour of these delicious tacos. I let the jackfruit cook for about 20 minutes and while it's in the pan I use a fork to shred it, so it looks like pulled meat. 

Then, of course, we need colour, and nutrients, different textures, more delicious flavours and veggies. So, I went all-in with these meat-free tacos. I added sweet corn kernels, some thin slices of red raw onion, and a bit of shredded red cabbage. I included a few toasted cashew nuts as well for a bit of a crunch. 

And, we can't have vegan tacos without my all-time favourite ingredient, avocado. So, to finish off these beauties, I sliced a couple of avocados and put them on the table so everyone can add as much or little as they like. 

These vegan tacos are an absolute feast and so incredibly easy to make. Vegans and non-vegans will be equally delighted!