Palled Jackfruit Recipe

Prepare jackfruit

Drain and rinse the canned young jackfruit. Use your hands or two forks to pull apart the jackfruit pieces into shreds and discard any large hard cores. Pat dry with paper towels to remove excess liquid.

Make marinade

In a medium bowl whisk together olive oil, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, smoked paprika, ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt until evenly combined.

Combine jackfruit with marinade, tossing to coat thoroughly. Let marinate at room temperature for 15–30 minutes, or refrigerate up to 2 hours for deeper flavor.

Sauté aromatics

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil (from pantry), then add the sliced onion and cook 4–5 minutes until softened and beginning to brown. Add the sliced red bell pepper and continue to cook 3–4 minutes more until peppers are tender-crisp.

Add garlic and tomato paste

Push the vegetables to the side of the pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil if needed, then add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute to remove the raw edge.

Create sauce

Stir in the vegetable broth (or water), chipotle in adobo (if using), and liquid smoke (if using). Scrape up any browned bits from the pan and mix until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened, about 1–2 minutes.

Cook marinated jackfruit

Add the marinated jackfruit to the skillet and stir to combine with the vegetables and sauce. Use the back of a spoon or spatula to press and shred the jackfruit further as it cooks. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 12–15 minutes until the jackfruit is heated through, slightly caramelized at the edges, and the sauce is reduced to coat the pieces.

Adjust seasoning

Taste and add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. If you want more tang, add a squeeze of lime. For more heat, stir in additional chipotle or hot sauce.

Finish and serve

Fold in chopped cilantro (reserve a little for garnish). Transfer the palled jackfruit to buns, tacos, or over rice. Serve with lime wedges and optional vegan mayo or hot sauce on the side.