Taco Tuesday will never be the same after you've had these mouth-watering vegan jackfruit lettuce wraps, carnitas style! They're just like tacos: quick & easy to make, super flavorful, and satisfying while still being healthy.
This recipe is vegan, gluten-free, and plant-based. Jackfruit acts as a perfect replacement for whatever meat you typically put in your tacos because of its meaty texture. It mostly resembles pulled pork, so we're making pulled jackfruit instead!!
Jump to:
Pair these bad boys with some tortilla chips, my homemade guac, and a margarita and you're good to go. Also, if you plan to do that, please invite me over!
Ingredients
- Jackfruit: the star of the show, the Lady Gaga of A Star is Born, if you will. You can find canned jackfruit at Trader Joes, Whole Foods, or Amazon (these are the 3 places I know of, anyway).
- Butterhead Lettuce: we'll use this as our lettuce wraps aka taco shells. They're the perfect shape to hold our fillings. Make sure you don't overstuff because they can sometimes rip easily!
- Brown Rice: I always put rice in my tacos or lettuce wraps! Apparently that's not a thing?! Well we're using here and it's perfect.
- Garlic: always.
- Vegetable Broth: not only is this going to add flavor, but it'll keep our jackfruit from drying out!
- Spices: we're using a homemade taco seasoning! It's a medley of chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper.
- Lime Juice: just a little to add a bit of zest!
- Toppings: ah, the best part. Feel free to use whatever toppings you like. Personally, I added red onion, avocado, jalapeno, cilantro, and vegan sour cream.
Instructions
Another thing I love about this recipe is how quick and easy it is to make!
- First, prepare the jackfruit by draining and running it under cold water for a few minutes. This will help rinse off any of the brine and any flavor it gave off. You'll notice that most of the jackfruit pieces have a hard core located on one end. Feel free to leave it or cut it off. I prefer to cut it off and discard it. You'll notice a few seeds as well, the same thing applies! Both the core and the seeds are edible, so it's totally up to you.
- Add the rinsed and cut jackfruit to a bowl and begin shredding it by placing two forks into a jackfruit piece and pulling them in opposite directions. Repeat until all the jackfruit is shredded. If you're finding it a bit difficult to pull apart, you could do this in the pan after the jackfruit has softened up a bit more.
- Cook the rice according to package instructions.
- While the rice is cooking, in a large pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute for a minute. Add shredded jackfruit, vegetable broth, lime juice, and all of the spices. Mix until all of the jackfruit is evenly coated.
- Next, reduce heat and let simmer until the jackfruit has softened slightly and most of the liquid is absorbed. It should only take 5-7 minutes. If it's still a bit too wet, let it cook longer; if too dry, add a splash of vegetable broth.
- Finally, assemble your lettuce wraps! Lay down a spoonful of brown rice, top it with the cooked jackfruit, and then your favorite toppings! Enjoy!
Recipe Substitutions & Variations
- Use romaine hearts or iceberg lettuce instead of butterhead lettuce. Romaine hearts or iceberg lettuce are also the perfect 'taco shell' for this recipe and have a bit more crunch. Totally your preference here!
- Make these an even lower carb meal by skipping the brown rice or replacing it with quinoa.
- Change up the flavor! Try cooking these in BBQ, buffalo or teriyaki sauce instead of all of the spices. It comes out so delicious either way.
- Swap the lettuce wraps for flour or corn tortillas to make these classic vegan jackfruit tacos!
Topping Suggestions
I mentioned that I used red onion, avocado, jalapeno, cilantro, and vegan sour cream. Some other toppings that would taste delicious are:
- Vegan cheddar shreds
- Red cabbage
- Pepper & onions
- Corn
- Tomatoes or salsa
Expert Tips
- Make sure you rinse and drain the jackfruit really well, especially if your jackfruit was stored in brine as opposed to water. This will remove any flavor the brine could've left (usually SUPER salty) and will allow the jackfruit to better absorb all the yummy flavors we're cooking it in.
- Shred the jackfruit first! I like doing this as opposed to shredding it while it's cooking in the pan for 2 reasons. 1. you won't burn yourself and 2. I just feel like all of the jackfruit gets coated and cooked in the spices for the same amount of time. Whereas if I shred it while it's in the pan, the exterior of the jackfruit is soaking up the vegetable broth and spices first. This might make 0 sense BUT WHATEVER.
FAQ
It's a tropical fruit from Southeast Asia! It looks like a giant prickly green monster and I totally wouldn't have the guts to buy it as is in the grocery store. Canned or packaged jackfruit where it's already been taken apart for me ALL THE WAY. It has a meaty, fibrous texture and is packed with nutrition.
You can totally use it outside these wraps and use it in chili, stews, regular tacos, burrito bowls, and more.
Jackfruit is has a similar texture to pulled pork or chicken. On its own, it is pretty tasteless but it absorbs (and ends up tasting like) whatever you marinate it in. It is a good meat substitute because of its texture and ability to use it like you would some meats. However, it's not a great meat substitute when it comes to its protein content (it's a fruit after all)!
You can store your leftover cooked jackfruit in the refrigerator for up to 7 days in an airtight container. You can eat it cold or reheat it on the stovetop with a little vegetable broth to get a bit of moisture back in or in the microwave!
Yes, you can freeze jackfruit whether it's cooked or raw! Store leftovers for up to 2 months in the freezer in a freezer-friendly bag. There's no need to defrost the jackfruit if you're using it for a recipe like this (where you'll be cooking it).
If you make these vegan lettuce wraps, be sure to snap a pic and tag me on Instagram. If you have any questions or feedback at all, send me an e-mail or leave a comment below! I hope you love them as much as we do!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Jackfruit Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
For the Jackfruit:
- 1 tablespoon oil I used avocado
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cans (20 oz) young jackfruit drained, rinsed, and shredded
- ¾ cup vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- pinch of red pepper flakes optional
For the Tacos:
- 1 head butterhead lettuce
- ¾ cup dry brown rice
Topping Suggestions:
- red onions
- red cabbage
- avocado
- vegan sour cream
- vegan cheddar shreds
- jalapenos
- peppers & onions
Instructions
- Prepare the jackfruit by draining and rinsing it under cold water for a few minutes. You'll notice that most of the jackfruit pieces have a hard core located on one end. Feel free to leave it of cut it off. I prefer to cut it off and discard it. You'll notice a few seeds as well, same thing applies! Both the core and the seeds are edible, so it's up to you.2 cans young jackfruit
- Add the rinsed and cut jackfruit to a bowl and begin shredding it by placing two forks into a jackfruit piece and pulling them in opposite directions. Repeat until all the jackfruit is shredded. If you're finding it bit difficult to pull apart, you could do this in the pan after the jackfruit has softened up a bit more.
- Cook the rice according to package instructions.¾ cup dry brown rice
- While the rice is cooking, in a large pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute for a minute. Add shredded jackfruit, vegetable broth, lime juice, and all of the spices. Stir to combine until jackfruit is evenly coated in the spices.1 tablespoon oil, 4 cloves garlic, 2 cans young jackfruit, ¾ cup vegetable broth, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 tablespoon chili powder, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon paprika, 1 ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, pinch of red pepper flakes
- Reduce heat and let simmer until the jackfruit has softened slightly and most of the liquid is absorbed. It should only take 5-7 minutes. If it's still a bit too wet, let it cook longer; if too dry, add a splash of vegetable broth.
- Assemble your lettuce wraps! Cut the butterhead lettuce leaves at the base. Lay down a spoonful of brown rice, top it with the cooked jackfruit, and then your favorite toppings! Enjoy!1 head butterhead lettuce
Lauren
I've never tried jackfruit before this recipe and now I'm obsessed!