Description

These BBQ Pulled Jackfruit Sandwiches are made meatless by way of jackfruit and creamy chickpeas, coated in a sugar and spice mixture, cooked until charred, and topped with a quick slaw. Dinner is ready in under 30 minutes and made with pantry staples.

Ingredients

Scale

Quick Slaw

2 tbsp. high-quality mayo
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. brown sugar, packed
pinch of salt and crack of pepper
2 c. broccoli slaw, loosely packed*

Pulled Jackfruit

4–5 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 can (14 oz) Organic Young Jackfruit in brine,* drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 c. BBQ sauce
2 tbsp. water

Everything Else

4 buns
thinly slice jalapeños
pickles

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Instructions

Make the Quick Slaw. In a bowl, whisk together the mayo, vinegar, brown sugar, and salt and pepper. Stir in the slaw mixture to evenly coat. Set aside. This can be made the day before and stored covered in the fridge. Before serving, taste, adding more salt and pepper as needed.
Make the Pulled Jackfruit. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add about 2 tablespoons of the oil. Then add in the drained and rinsed jackfruit and chickpeas. Smash to break apart the jackfruit hunks and expose the creamy centers of the chickpeas. Pan fry for about 5 minutes to cook off the extra moisture, stirring occasionally.
Coat with the sugar, spices, salt, and garlic. Allow to char for another 8 minutes or so, adding more oil as needed, about 2 tablespoons. Stir occasionally. (Note: continually stirring prohibits charring. Let it be.) Remove from heat and stir in your favorite BBQ sauce plus a couple of tablespoons of water. (This is my favorite.) Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Meanwhile, toast the buns, either in a toaster, on a cast iron surface, or under the broiler. Spray with a bit of oil for flavor.
To serve, divide the pulled jackfruit evenly among the buns. Top with the prepared slaw, jalapenos, and pickles.

Notes

*I typically make everything the long way, shredding my own slaw. But life with a baby has me taking some shortcuts. You can shred your own, using a mix of hardy vegetables like cabbage, carrots, broccoli stems, and this tool. For an extra quick prep, grab freshly cut slaw from the store, adding in any desired extras, like kale or herbs. Speaking of, check out this quick kale slaw that would also be delicious on this sandwich.

**Most canned Jackfruit readily available in stores sit in some sort of brine (a salty acidic, often limey) solution. If you are able to find Jackfruit in water, you may need to add a squeeze of lime (or vinegar) and extra pinch of salt to balance the flavors in this recipe.

Prep Time: 10 min.
Cook Time: 15 min.