Jackfruit Tacos

Recipe from Aimee Nezhukumatathil

Adapted by Ligaya Mishan

Updated May 1, 2024

Jackfruit Tacos — Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food stylist: Sue Li. Prop stylist: Sophia Eleni Pappas.

Total Time: 1¾ hours
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes, plus 1 hour marinating
Rating: 4(34)
Notes: Read community notes

When ripe, jackfruit is sweet and golden. But unripe, it’s almost a blank canvas, game to take on whatever seasonings you throw its way. Sturdy enough to hold up in the heat of a pan, it has a satisfying chew that makes it an excellent filling for tacos. In this recipe from the poet and essayist Aimee Nezhukumatathil, skinny strips of young jackfruit soak up an earthy marinade before a turn in the skillet — keep a close eye on the stove, to be sure it doesn’t dry out; you want it saucy — then get folded, still dripping, into warm tortillas. A heaping of raw carrots and cucumber gives you a little crunch, and a spoonful of sour cream brings a rich finish. (If using fresh unripe jackfruit instead of canned, wear gloves and rub your knife with oil before chopping, because the sap is very sticky, and boil the flesh until tender. Note that the sap contains latex, so those allergic to it would do best to avoid eating the fruit.) —Ligaya Mishan

Featured in: Make a Great Taco Even Better With Jackfruit

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

1lime, juiced
1large orange, juiced
½onion, diced
2tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus leaves and tender stems for serving
1tablespoon garam masala
1tablespoon ground cumin
2teaspoons garlic powder
½teaspoon paprika
½teaspoon crushed red pepper, or more to taste
1tablespoon hoisin sauce (optional)
2(14-ounce) cans young green jackfruit
Salt and pepper
¼cup canola or grapeseed oil
Warmed tortillas or naan, or lettuce leaves, for wrapping
2carrots, peeled and shredded
1cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced into ¼-inch pieces
Vegan or regular sour cream or yogurt (optional), for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
In a large bowl, combine the lime juice, orange juice, onion, chopped cilantro, garam masala, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, crushed red pepper and hoisin (if using).
Step 2
Drain the jackfruit, rinse under cold water and drain again. Slice the jackfruit into thin strips and add to the marinade. Season with salt and pepper, and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 3 hours.
Step 3
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high. Cook the jackfruit with its marinade, stirring occasionally, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. (There should still be sauce; if the jackfruit starts to dry out, add water to the pan.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Step 4
Divide the jackfruit among the wrappers, and top with the carrots, cucumber, sour cream (if using) and cilantro.

Ratings

4 out of 5

34 user ratings

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Jess3 weeks ago

Made mostly as directed and paired with Mark Bittman's Almost-From-Scratch Corn Tortillas. Teenager approved! I only used 1 can of jackfruit and a medium orange but kept the other portions the same. It was very good and I will make it again. The jackfruit broke up really well. It was my first time using it and it was easy. It fed 3 of us with a bit left over.

Juan Jose1 month ago

I’m looking forward to making this. My husband is Indonesian and jack fruit is used in so many different ways there. I’ve also tried it as a substitute in salad. such a versatile plant-based alternative!

Sue1 month ago

Jackfruit is an acquired taste I think. I've tried it in tacos and didn't care for it. The law of seven might apply here: try it seven times before rejecting it completely. When my kids were young this is how I introduced them to new flavors. After 7 tries I shelved it

MyRagTimeDoll1 month ago

I made this with the spices as in the recipe, including the hoisin sauce, but per another recipe, pulsed the jackfruit in the food processor just a bit to get a great texture. Served with soft tacos, small, but again another change - shredded the carrots and mixed with lime juice, a bit of honey and a bit of red pepper flakes, per another web recipe. Used cuke as in the recipe. Topped with some mexican queso fresco, and my honey had no idea this was not meat!

Laura1 month ago

Adding beans or tofu and maybe avocado would make it better. Needs something to cut the acidity.

jenw1 month ago

I’d add in tofu crumbles w the canned young jackfruit. Just be sure you are not getting sweetened jackfruit. You can find it at most supermarkets these days. Or Chinese grocers.

MRyan1 month ago

Asian markets (at least in Berlin) have plenty of fresh (huge whole ones, or in pieces) of jackfruit, and they also sell canned young jackfruit. Some of the ordinary grocery stores also have the cans. We learned recently that the fresh ones are challenging to "fillet" for eating and super sticky! Looking forward to trying this out with the canned variety.

JennyH1 month ago

I mix jackfruit with tofu in any dish to get the protein and the nice textures.

Crips1 month ago

I was so excited to read this recipe because I have an exceedingly abundant jackfruit tree and have yet to figure out how to make the most of the fruit. I have never heard of canned jackfruit. I’m hoping one day someone will teach me how to process the jackfruit in a palatable way.

cheerful1 month ago

Yummmm looks good! Can't wait for the comments from the esteemed chefs here and follow their helpful suggestions!

Nick1 month ago

They don't seem to have it at the bodega

Bella1 month ago

Just keep in mind that jackfruit is not a source of protein. Cans of 14-15 ounces of jackfruit contain between 0 and 5 grams total, so this recipe would provide between 0 and 2.5 grams of protein per serving, a negligible amount.

Luvtoroam1 month ago

For some people, this is a huge benefit. My grandson cannot eat more than 4 grams of protein per day because of a genetic condition (PKU), and jackfruit is a fantastic resource for him. It can be adapted into "tuna" and "egg" salad and replaces meat in many soups and other recipes. In these protein obsessed times, everything seems to have protein crammed into it, so for us no protein is a bonus. There is a silver lining to every cloud, I guess - in his world, low protein jackfruit tacos rule

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