These Easy Jackfruit Tacos with Green Apple Salsa are award winning tacos! Taste of Home hosted a recipe contest called "Healthy Your Way Recipe Contest" and we entered this very exact recipe. We are beyond thrilled and honored that this recipe has won the title of being the "Most Innovative" recipe.
Easy Jackfruit Tacos with Fresh Green Apple Salsa
If you are not sure what jackfruit is, let me introduce you to this vegan meat alternative. Learn all about jackfruit at wikipedia. I first discovered it a few years ago and have been experimenting with various recipes. You can jackfruit in a can, frozen, plastic pouches or fresh. I usually buy canned jackfruit. These jackfruit tacos with fresh green apple salsa are spicy and refreshing. The green salsa is made with all green vegetables. If it's not green, it is not in there. I will call it the original Emerald Salsa and you heard it here first!
How to Prepare Jackfruit
Jackfruit is a blank slate, which means that you have an abundant of opportunity to create a unique flavor that will please your taste and palate. Similar to chicken, chicken cooked alone without seasoning is not very good. You make it tasty with seasonings, cooking methods, for example grilling to get the charred flavor, side dishes and so forth.
Jackfruit is very similar but is it a plant and its vegan. It really is an amazing alternative to meats such as pulled pork or chicken. Technically, canned jackfruit is fully cooked is ready to eat. However, I like to sauté it in a hot pan to give it extra flavor and browning.
Green Apple Salsa aka Emerald Salsa
I just created it, as I am writing this post. As mentioned before, the emerald salsa contains only green ingredients. Baby cucumbers, green bell pepper, green granny smith apples, avocado, scallions, (green onion-green part only), jalapeno, fresh squeezed lime juice, chopped cilantro seasoned with salt and pepper make up this vibrant emerald-green salsa.
It can be served alone with chips as a snack too. But it makes a fabulous topping for tacos or fajitas.
This recipe, as created is not vegan due to the dairy in the sour cream sauce. However, it can easily be omitted or substituted with a vegan sour cream alternative.
Ingredients for Tacos with Jackfruit
Seasoned Jackfruit
jackfruit rinsed and diced – in a can or bag. Usually, these are fully cooked.
taco seasoning – your favorite brand, mild, medium or spicy. Seasoning flavor and heat is up to your preference.
light olive oil – or other vegetable oil is fine.
Fresh Green Apple Salsa
baby cucumbers – I prefer baby cucumbers, but regular cucumbers can be used.
green apple – green apple five this salsa a tart flavor, other apples can be used but keep in mind that it will change the flavor. For example, a sweeter apple will obviously sweeten the salsa.
green bell pepper – or any other green pepper that is not spicy
avocados - – ripe avocados work best. Avocados are ripe when they feel firm but yield or give when light pressure is applied.
jalapeno – for a little spice
green onion – also known as scallions, however white onion can be substituted.
lime juice - fresh lime juice works best.
fresh cilantro – fresh cilantro, do not use dried cilantro. Cilantro has a very deep, distinct flavor and aroma that some people do not like. It can be eliminated from the recipe if you really do not like cilantro.
sea salt – your preference
Sour Cream Sauce
sour cream – can use low or fat free for less calories, alternatively, use non-dairy plant-based sour cream to make this dish vegan.
milk – can use low or fat free for less calories, alternatively, use non-dairy plant-based milk to make this dish vegan.
Tortillas
flour or corn tortillas
Optional
Extra limes optional
Corn chips optional
How to Make Veggie Jackfruit Tacos
Seasoned Jackfruit
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet pan and add rinsed and diced jackfruit. Cook for about 8-10 minutes until the fruit becomes caramelized. Mix in the taco seasoning and remaining tablespoon olive oil and mix well. Remove from heat.
Fresh Green Apple Salsa
Prepare and mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and transfer into a serving dish.
Sour Cream Sauce
Mix sour cream and milk together to create a smooth creamy sauce.
Tortillas
Warm tortillas either wrapped in wet paper towel in the microwave or on hot stovetop to create charred marks and flavor.
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Jackfruit Tacos
Seasoned jackfruit tacos topped with fresh emerald green salsa and sour cream sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 can jackfruit rinsed and diced
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup baby cucumbers diced
- 1 cup green apple diced
- ½ cup green bell pepper diced
- 2 small avocados or 1 large diced
- 1 medium jalapeno diced or less
- ¼ cup green onion sliced
- 3 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 3 tablespoon milk
- Tortillas - 6 flour or corn tortillas
- Extra limes - optional
- Corn chips - optional
Instructions
Seasoned Jackfruit
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet pan and add rinsed and diced jackfruit. Cook for about 8-10 minutes until the fruit becomes caramelized. Mix in the taco seasoning and remaining tablespoon olive oil and mix well. Remove from heat.
Fresh Green Apple Salsa
Prepare and mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and transfer into a serving dish.
Sour Cream Sauce
Mix sour cream and milk together to create a smooth creamy sauce.
Tortillas
Warm tortillas either wrapped in wet paper towel in the microwave or on hot stovetop to create charred marks and flavor.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 600Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 25gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 489mgCarbohydrates: 1149gFiber: 10gSugar: 11gProtein: 18g
Calories are estimated and may vary.
