BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches with Homemade Avocado Slaw (vegan, gluten-free)
To all you meat lovers who think that vegans or vegetarians are missing out, doubt no more and try these BBQ jackfruit sandwiches! Jackfruit, fresh or canned, can be found at pretty much any Asian store and I’ve seen them everywhere in Taiwan. They are an awesome meat alternative because of the texture and how well it absorbs flavors. You can also buy it on Amazon too! Just make sure you get the jackfruit that is in water or brine, not syrup. I got this recipe inspiration from Minimalist Baker and gave it a try. It is seriously SO SO good! My husband loves it…maybe because he loves BBQ sauce and chips? If you are looking for a good summer BBQ dinner idea, you HAVE to try this! It’s so easy to make too! Also, let’s not forget about this yummy avocado slaw. I love anything avocado and this just adds to the sandwiches perfectly. I can literally eat the whole bowl of slaw by itself. It’s so tasty. Oh yeah, the BBQ jackfruit and avocado slaw are great inside tacos as well! If you need a quick meal and want to impress those meat lover friends of yours, BBQ jackfruit is a winner!
BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches with Homemade Avocado Slaw
Ingredients
BBQ JACKFRUIT
- 2 20-ounce cans young green jackfruit in water or brine (NOT in syrup)
- 1/4 cup BBQ seasoning (2 Tbsp brown sugar + 1 tsp paprika + 1 tsp garlic powder + 1/2 tsp salt + 1/2 tsp pepper + 1/2 tsp chili powder)
- 3/4 cup favorite BBQ sauce (ensure it’s vegan) + more for topping
AVOCADO SLAW
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1.5-2 tbsps pure maple syrup (or sweetener of choice)
- 1 lemon or lime, juiced
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- Salt + Pepper to taste
- water to thin
FOR SERVING
- 4-6 whole grain vegan buns (GF for gluten free eaters)
Instructions
- Rinse, drain and thoroughly dry jackfruit. Chop off the firm center “core” portion of the fruit and discard. Roughly chop the jackfruit. Place in a mixing bowl and set aside. (I personally don’t cut off too much of the core, or any at all, because I don’t want to waste all that jackfruit! If you thinly slice the core up, it softens as you cook it and you won’t even notice it.)
- Mix together BBQ seasoning and add to jackfruit. Toss to coat.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add 1-2 Tbsp oil of choice and seasoned jackfruit. Toss to coat and cook for 2-3 minutes to achieve some color.
- Add BBQ sauce and thin with enough water to make a sauce. I put in about 1/4 cup of water. Stir, cover, and reduce heat to low- medium and cook for about 20 minutes (up to 35 minutes on low for a deeper flavor).
- Remove lid and stir occasionally. For finer texture, use two forks to shred the jackfruit as it cooks down.
- In the meantime, make slaw by adding all ingredients except vegetables (avocado through salt and pepper) to a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Thin with water until a thick sauce is made, then add veggies and toss to coat. Set in the refrigerator until serving.
- Once the jackfruit has been properly simmered, turn up heat to medium-high and cook for 2-3 more minutes to get a little extra color/texture. Then remove from heat.
- Toast buns and place generous portions of slaw on the bottom buns, top with generous serving of BBQ jackfruit. Serve with extra BBQ sauce if your heart desires! Or serve in tortillas as tacos! Store leftover jackfruit and slaw in the fridge.
(Recipe adapted from the Minimalist Baker)