This jackfruit tuna salad recipe is so delicious! Jackfruit has leapt into the vegan culinary spotlight thanks to its versatility. Though indeed a fruit, its cooked texture resembles shredded meat. Jackfruit takes on the flavors in the pot, transforming itself into a vegan stand-in for pulled pork or taco meat or, in this case, a plant-based version of tuna salad.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time15 minutesmins
Total Time25 minutesmins
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Calories: 280kcal
Author: Carmella Lanni
Ingredients
Jackfruit
120-ounce canyoung green jackfruit in brine
1tablespoonolive oil
1mediumonionchopped
2clovesgarlicchopped
juice of 1 lemon
¼teaspoonsalt
¼teaspoonblack pepper
¼cupwater or low-sodium vegetable broth
Salad
½cupshredded carrot
½cupchopped celery
1scallionchopped
1cupvegan mayonnaise
2tablespoonsspicy brown or stone ground mustard
½teaspoondried dill or 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh dill
¼teaspoondried oregano
¼teaspoondried thyme
¼teaspoonpaprika
salt and black pepperto taste
Instructions
To prepare the jackfruit
Open the can of jackfruit and drain the brine. Give the fruit a couple of good rinses to wash off as much of the brininess as possible. Put the jackfruit in a bowl and shred it with a fork.
In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until slightly translucent. Add the shredded jackfruit, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and stir. Add the water, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
To prepare the salad
In a large bowl, toss together the cooked jackfruit, carrot, celery, and scallion. Fold in the vegan mayonnaise, mustard, and seasonings until well combined. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
Notes
Not sure where to find jackfruit? Many Asian and Caribbean markets carry fresh and canned jackfruit. As it becomes more common in vegan cooking, it’s popping up next to other canned fruits in the grocery store, sometimes in the international or Asian aisle. The spindly fruit can be found in the produce section of some grocery stores and Asian markets but home cooks, beware: it can be a messy challenge to prepare. Keep in mind that young green jackfruit is usually for savory preparations; if you see yellow jackfruit in a can, it’s most likely packed in syrup and not what you want for a dish like this.