Jackfruit is such a versatile ingredient. You can prepare it in a number of ways for barbecue, tacos and even fried. This recipe for Jackfruit salad is a vegan spin on the classic chicken or tuna salad with punch of dill and a little bit of crunch!
In the last couple of years, jackfruit has become my favorite food. I cannot get enough of it. We currently have 5 cans of it and 4 packs of amazing Upton’s Naturals jackfruit products (review to come) in our cabinets.
You may be wondering…“What is Jackfruit?”
Jackfruit is…well…a fruit! Native to Southeast Asia, it looks like a large prickly green melon on the outside, but it has a connection to the fig. It’s similar to the breadfruit, if you’re familiar, but can endure cold temperatures.
Jackfruit’s not some cute-looking handheld fruit. This is one big bag monster of deliciousness, some getting as large as 100 lbs!! In fact, we’ve held some 30-40lb ones in the past and that was pretty major!
In the U.S. jackfruit is becoming more and more used in vegan dishes as a meat substitute. A lot of restaurants are offering it on their menus. Many Asian markets carry it both fresh and in cans. Our friends over at Upton’s Naturals also makes 2 delicious varieties, barbecue and chili & lime carnitas, that you MUST try!
We just LOVE jackfruit in its many forms. Because it’s becoming more accessible, we enjoy finding new ways of cooking with it. One way, I’ve always wanted to try was in a classic warm “chicken-like” salad. I’ve had it a couple of times and was surprised how it flaked and shredded so well.
I use canned young green jackfruit in brine, which is what you want for savory dishes. The brand we get has the jackfruit in chunks, which makes it easy to rinse off a lot of the brine. Next, I shred the jackfruit before cooking it with some onions, garlic and veggie broth. It actually helps release some of the brine but also adds some flavor. Then, it’s time to toss it into a salad with vegan mayo, mustard herbs and spices. It’s soooo good!
One of Carlo’s all-time favorite comfort eats growing up was a Chicken Salad Melt Sandwich. Of course, we had to re-create that for him with my new recipe. He prefers it open-faced with cheese melted under a broiler. However, you can also make this like grilled cheese, and it will be just as delicious!
Give our recipe a try. Let us know how you like cooking with jackfruit. If you have a recipe to share, please do!
- 1 can of young green jackfruit in brine
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 1/4 c. water of low-sodium veggie broth
- 1/2 c. carrots, grated or shredded
- 1/2 c. celery, chopped
- 1 scallion, chopped
- 1 c. vegan mayonaise (Just Mayo or Follow Your Heart are great)
- 2 Tbsp. spicy brown or stoneground mustard
- 1/2 tsp. dried dill or 2 Tbsp. fresh dill
- 1/4 tsp. oregano
- 1/4 tsp. thyme
- 1/4 tsp. paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Open the can of jackfruit and drain the brine. Give the fruit a good rinse a couple of time to wash off as much of brininess as possible
- Set jackfruit in a bowl and shred using a fork
- In a skillet, heat olive oil before adding garlic and onions. Saute until slightly translucent
- Add the shredded jackfruit, lemon juice, salt and pepper and stir
- Add 1/4 of water, cover with lid and simmer for about 15 minutes
- Set aside to cool
- In a large bowl, mix together cooked jackfruit, carrots, celery, scallion
- Fold in the mayonaise, mustard and spices until well-combined
- Give it a taste and season with salt & pepper as needed
- Toast 2 slices of bread, then scoop salad onto each slice. Spread evenly. Top each with a slice of vegan cheese. Set in oven on low broil for 5-7 minutes
- Build a sandwich with 2 slices of bread, 2 slices of cheese and the jackfruit salad. Heat a skillet with olive oil or vegan butter. Grill your sandwich on both sides until cheese is melted