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Overhead photo of a plate of jackfruit carnitas garnished with two lime slices and fresh herbs.

Shredded Jackfruit Carnitas

Brittany Roche
These jackfruit carnitas are a great vegan and vegetarian dinner idea that’s easy to make and delicious to eat! Packed with a spicy flavor and a citrusy zip, you’re sure to love these vegan carnitas in a variety of ways from taquitos to tacos. Oh, and they’re a great addition to vegan nachos.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Additional Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours
Course Jackfruit
Cuisine Mexican-Inspired
Servings 6 servings
Calories 230 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the carnitas:

For the Avocado Lime Sauce:

Instructions
 

How to Marinate Jackfruit

  • Drain the jackfruit and add it to a zip-lock bag or shallow dish.
  • Then, add the lime juice, orange juice, soy sauce, agave, hot sauce, and taco seasoning.
  • Make sure the marinade is coating the jackfruit well and marinate for about 2 hours or overnight in the fridge.

Saute the vegetables.

  • Heat the refined coconut oil in a large high-walled non-stick skillet on medium heat.
  • When hot, add the minced onions and garlic.
  • Add a pinch of salt and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the onions are translucent.

Simmer the jackfruit.

  • Add the jackfruit along with the marinade. Cover and bring to a simmer.
  • Once simmering, turn the heat to medium low and continue to cook (covered) for another 10 minutes.

How to Shred Jackfruit

  • Remove the pot from heat and use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer the jackfruit pieces from the pot to a large mixing bowl (leave the marinade in the pot for now).
  • Now, it’s time to shred the jackfruit using a potato masher and/or two forks. I like to use a combination of both!
  • Shred the jackfruit until it takes on the texture of a pulled pork.

Finish the jackfruit carnitas.

  • Add the shredded jackfruit back to the non-stick skillet with the marinade and sitr to make sure everything is well-coated.
  • Turn the heat to medium-low and cook for another 10 minutes, covered.
  • Then, remove the cover, turn the heat to high, and cook for another 5-10, stopping to stir the jackfruit around every 2-3 minutes (and not more often). The timing on this last step may depend on what kind of cooking surface you’re using. It’s ready when it has a nice char in places!

How to Make Avocado Lime Crema

  • While you're cooking the jackfruit, make the avocado lime sauce by adding all the ingredients to a small food processor and blending until smooth and creamy.
  • Taste and adjust salt and pepper as desired.
  • Cover and refrigerate until ready to use!

Notes

To Serve / Store Vegan Carnitas

Serve these jackfruit carnitas in tacos, burritos, nachos, salads, and bowls topped with the avocado crema! Store leftover jackfruit carnitas in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to a week or the freezer for up to 8 weeks. See notes for more storage tips.

Souper Cubes Tip

We love to freeze leftover jackfruit in our 1/2 cup Souper Cubes to make individual servings. That way, you can pop out as many servings as you need at a time and avoid having to defrost one giant block.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/6 the recipeCalories: 230kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 5gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 803mgFiber: 5gSugar: 15g
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