BBQ Jackfruit Bowls
Posted: 03/13/20
Updated: 04/11/23
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These BBQ jackfruit bowls are about to become your new favorite meatless dinner! Saucy BBQ jackfruit tastes just like pulled BBQ, and it’s all spooned over roasted sweet potato, topped with a quick coleslaw. Vegetarian and vegan!
Why These Bowls Are So Good
- BBQ jackfruit is an amazingly tasty meat substitute that perfectly complements roasted sweet potatoes, tangy coleslaw, and easy homemade pickles.
- There’s no missing BBQ sandwiches with meat with tender jackfruit and BBQ sauce, and I’m from Memphis, so I know my BBQ.
- They are the perfect meal for vegans and meat-eaters alike. (True story: I fed them to my husband, and after I mentioned they were vegan, his response was, “They’re vegan?! How?! They have chicken in them!”
How To Make Them
- Preheat the oven to 425º F.
- On a baking sheet, toss all the sweet potato ingredients and roast for about 20 minutes. Then stir well and return to the oven. Bake another 10-15 minutes or until browning on edges. They shouldn’t be too crunchy or crispy.
- Break apart pieces of the jackfruit by hand until it’s completely shredded. Combine with BBQ rub (we used Primal Palate BBQ rub), salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Heat 2 tablespoons of avocado oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering. Add the jackfruit pulled pork and cook until spices are fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Toss occasionally. Add the BBQ sauce to skillet and stir, then cover. Reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, or about 5 minutes.
- While the sweet potatoes are roasting, mix all the pickle ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
- Combine the all the coleslaw ingredients, using yours hands if desired. Cover with some plastic wrap and stick in the fridge until ready to serve.
- To assemble the bowls, divide the sweet potatoes, BBQ jackfruit, and coleslaw evenly among 4 bowls. Top with a couple pickle slices. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and BBQ rub if you’d like.
What Is Jackfruit?
- Jackfruit is similar to breadfruit but has a consistency like chicken or pork.
- It has a fairly neutral flavor on its own which makes it perfect for soaking up delicious sauces, especially BBQ sauce.
- Low in calories and cholesterol, jackfruit is incredibly nutritious.
Chef’s Tips
- If on a strictly vegan diet, make sure to use vegan mayonnaise in your coleslaw.
- We recommend buying jackfruit packed in brine for this recipe.
More Delicious Vegan Recipes
- Vegan Chili
- Best Vegan Queso (Ever)
- Bean and Cheese Taquitos (4 Ingredients)
- Vegan Nutella (Paleo)
- Roasted Herbed Potato Salad (Paleo, Whole30, Vegan)
- Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes
- Quick Creamy Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry
BBQ Jackfruit Bowls
The perfect vegan BBQ with tender jackfruit, sweet potatoes, tangy coleslaw, and homemade pickles.
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Ingredients
BBQ Jackfruit
- 2 20 ounce cans jackfruit in brine, rinsed and patted dry
- 1 tablespoon BBQ rub
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar optional
Sweet Potatoes
- 2 sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- dash of cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon avocado or refined coconut oil
Quick Dill Pickles:
- Sprig fresh dill
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ¼ English cucumber sliced thin
- Pinch yellow mustard seeds
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup white or white wine vinegar
- ½ tablespoon salt
- OR 1/4 cup sliced cold dill pickles See Note
Coleslaw:
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 ½ tablespoon white apple cider, or white wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons coconut aminos
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 1 14- oz bag shredded coleslaw mix See Note
Garnish:
- fresh chopped parsley
- dry BBQ seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425º F.
- Make sweet potatoes: On baking sheet, toss all sweet potato ingredients and roast for 20 minutes. Then stir well. Return to oven. Bake another 10-15 minutes or until browning on edges, but not too crunchy or crisp.
- Make BBQ jackfruit: Drain jackfruit and break apart pieces by hand until completely shredded. Combine jackfruit with BBQ rub, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Heat 2 tablespoons avocado oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until oil shimmers. Add jackfruit and cook, tossing occasionally, until spices are fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add BBQ sauce to skillet and stir. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, or about 5 minutes.
- Make the pickles: While sweet potatoes roast, mix pickle ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Make coleslaw: Combine coleslaw mix, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and several grinds of black pepper in medium bowl, using hands if desired. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Assemble bowls: Divide sweet potatoes, BBQ jackfruit, and coleslaw evenly among 4 bowls. Top with a couple pickle slices. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and BBQ rub if desired.
Notes
- Vegan: Use vegan mayo in coleslaw.
- Whole30: Use Whole30-compliant BBQ sauce.
- Using store-bought pickles instead of homemade: Use high-quality cold pickles, not the bright yellow sort.
- To save extra coleslaw: Drain excess liquid and save for another use in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 518kcal, Protein: 4g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 12mg, Sodium: 2260mg, Potassium: 638mg, Total Carbs: 61g, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 37g, Net Carbs: 55g, Vitamin A: 9918IU, Vitamin C: 42mg, Calcium: 134mg, Iron: 3mg
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
This was amazing! I have never eaten jack fruit and am absolutely in love with it now!!
I’m glad you enjoyed it! This was one of my first times with jackfruit, too, and I was surprised how good it was!