Jackfruit BBQ Sandwich Recipe

If you want a meat-free sandwich, what comes to mind? Vegetarians have a number of options including grilled cheese and egg salad, but vegans, for the most part, have had to make do with mock meats such as Impossible this and Beyond that or else with grilled mushrooms. Mushrooms are nice and meaty, true, but the sandwich-loving vegan might want to change things up occasionally. How about a sandwich made from fruit? Yes, fruit — jackfruit, to be specific.

According to recipe developer Hayley MacLean, the fact that jackfruit doesn't have much flavor to it, paired with its stringy texture, makes it a perfect substitute for pulled meat. "It easily takes on the flavor of any sauce and has a firm, meaty texture," she explains. This particular jackfruit BBQ sandwich, she says, is "sweet and savory ... bright and fresh" and has a texture "almost exactly like pulled pork!" In fact, she assures us, "It is almost hard to tell this is not a pulled pork sandwich from the local BBQ joint!" Whether you're vegan or not, anyone will enjoy this tasty sandwich.

This sandwich requires a number of different ingredients, some of which you may have on hand, but others which will likely require a trip to the store. You'll need olive oil for cooking, an onion, barbecue sauce, paprika, garlic powder, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, coleslaw mix, and hamburger buns — MacLean favors the potato kind, although any hamburger buns will work. You'll also need mayonnaise, although if you use vegan mayo instead, you'll have an entirely vegan sandwich.

The most important ingredient, of course, is the jackfruit. Although conventional cooking wisdom seems to hold that fresh is always better than canned, there are some cases where that just doesn't hold true, and this is one of them. As MacLean tells us, fresh jackfruit is "often too ripe and sweet to be used as 'meat,'" and warns that "it also can have quite the aroma." So, canned jackfruit it is — this also makes the cooking process a whole lot easier!

Heat the oil over medium heat, then sauté the jackfruit along with the sliced onion. After about five to eight minutes, the jackfruit should be warm and soft enough to mash. Use the back of a spoon to press down on it until it falls into shreds, much like pulled pork. At this point, scoop out and discard the jackfruit seeds and casings.

Pour the barbecue sauce into the pan along with the paprika, garlic, 1 teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Stir it all up and cook for another three to four minutes, then remove the pan from the heat, cover it, and set it aside.

Mix the mayonnaise (or the vegan mayo) with the vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Empty the coleslaw mix into a large bowl and drizzle the dressing over the top. Toss the coleslaw with the dressing until well-combined.

As MacLean describes the coleslaw you've just created, it's "crunchy and tangy with a hint of sweetness to match the pulled jackfruit perfectly." In fact, if you're a coleslaw fan, you might even want to make extra to serve on the side.

Toast the hamburger buns under the broiler for just a minute or so, then spread them with the remaining mayonnaise. Divide the jackfruit mixture between the buns, then top it off with the coleslaw. Serve the sandwiches right away, otherwise, they are likely to get soggy.

MacLean suggests that "this sandwich would be great served with a big pile of sweet potato fries and spicy aioli for dipping," but adds that "really any side you would normally have with a big, hearty sandwich would go great with this." If you love pulled pork, then you're sure to love this jackfruit BBQ sandwich!