Looking for a tasty summer meal that won’t require turning on the oven or standing over a scorching coals? Look no further! With the heatwave currently present in Montreal I’ve been looking for easy meals that require minimal cooking, and appliances that exude minimal amounts of heat. These jackfruit sandwiches make for a perfect summer meal and come together in under 30 minutes. The jackfruit is smoky and sweet to contrast against the creamy purple slaw. You won’t miss the meat with this one.
If you’ve never bought jackfruit, you can find cans of it in most Asian supermarkets. Just make sure to look for jackfruit in brine, not in syrup. For the best texture and flavor, break it up with your hands and give it a proper rinse to remove the brine. Most canned jackfruit is cut into wedges which sometimes have the core present at the point of each wedge. If the core is too tough to break apart with your fingers, remove only the tender part of the jackfruit and discard the core. Once thoroughly rinsed allow the jackfruit to drain and pat dry.
I add a base of onions and tofu to my jackfruit. The help balance out the textures and consistency. Not to mention the tofu adds protein. Jackfruit, while a good substitute for meat, had next to no calories and even less protein. Be sure to use a block of extra firm tofu and run it against the largest side of a box grater to shred it.
For the sake of convenience I use store bought BBQ spice rub and BBQ sauce in this recipe. If you’re in the habit of making your own blends, go for it. If not, use whatever you’ve got on hand or pick up a bottle of your favorite sauce at the supermarket.
Serve the jackfruit over you’re favorite gluten-free buns (if you have a gluten sensitivity) and top with some of that creamy purple slaw. Serve with sweet potato fries and leftover slaw for a quick summer time meal.
- 1 20 ounce can jackfruit in brine
- ½ 16 ounce block extra firm tofu
- 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 ½ teaspoons BBQ spice mix or BBQ rub of your choice
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ cup BBQ sauce of your choice, plus more for serving
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup vegan mayo
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 small purple cabbage, shredded, about 5 cups
- 1 medium carrot, julienned, about 1 ½ cups
- Gluten-free buns for serving
- To make the jackfruit: drain the jackfruit in a large colander. Using you hands bread apart the wedges, discarding any tough bits. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry.
- Using the largest side of a box grater, shred the tofu.
- Heat the coconut oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once hot and the oil begins to ripple, add the sliced onion. Saute until translucent and just beginning to brown.
- Add the jackfruit, tofu, salt, spice mix, and maple syrup. Cook 5 minutes more until just beginning to sear.
- Stir in the BBQ sauce and water. Cook an additional 5-10 minutes until the mixture begins to caramelize.
- While the jackfruit is cooking prepare the purple slaw. In a large bowl whisk together the vegan mayo, salt, mustard, maple syrup, and apple cider vinegar. Add the cabbage and carrot, and toss to combine.
- Top each bun with some of the jackfruit mixture followed by the slaw. Serve warm along side with the leftover slaw and sweet potato fries. *See notes.
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