Sheet pan barbecue jackfruit nachos

Barbecue jackfruit tacos with vegan cheese, avocado, and cilantro on a sheet pan by serving plates.

5 from 2 votes

Sheet pan barbecue jackfruit nachos

These mouthwatering nachos are smothered in saucy barbecue jackfruit, corn, bell pepper, creamy avocado, and melty vegan cheese. They're a guaranteed crowdpleaser every time!

Serves 4 to 6 people

Recipe featured in Living Vegan For Dummies, 2nd Edition, by Cadry Nelson, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2024.

Get your copy of Living Vegan For Dummies here!

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Sandwich

Cuisine: American, Vegan

Keyword: barbecue food, comfort food, jackfruit recipe

Servings: people

Calories: 379kcal

Author: Cadry Nelson

Ingredients

1 (20-ounce) can green jackfruit canned in water or brine
2 teaspoons avocado oil or your preferred oil, divided
½ cup chopped onions
1 clove garlic minced
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon ancho chili powder
½ teaspoon coriander
¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
2 teaspoons tahini
½ cup barbecue sauce divided
8 to 10 ounces tortilla chips
½ cup corn thawed from frozen or drained from a can
1 cup shredded vegan cheddar cheese
¼ cup sliced scallions
¼ cup chopped bell peppers red, orange, or yellow
1 avocado diced in chunks
Drizzles of vegan ranch dressing optional but recommended

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Drain the canned green or young jackfruit in a colander. Rinse well with water.
Place the rinsed jackfruit on a clean, dry kitchen towel. Dry the jackfruit with the towel, and then wrap it like a Tootsie Roll and wring it dry until all of the water or brine comes out.
Move the dried-off jackfruit to a food processor. Pulse several times until it's fully broken up and shredded.
(All parts of the canned jackfruit are edible - including any pods or firmer pieces. The food processor completely breaks those up, so that they're easy and pleasant to chew. If you don't have a food processor, just chop the jackfruit with a knife. See the note below.)
Put one teaspoon of oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Spread the jackfruit across the skillet. Allow it to brown for 4 to 5 minutes. Flip it once it has browned on one side.
Move the jackfruit to one side of the skillet. Then put the remaining teaspoon of oil on the empty side of the skillet. Add the chopped onions and minced garlic. Saute for a minute or two, until fragrant. Then incorporate it with the jackfruit using a spatula.
Season the jackfruit with the cumin, ancho chili powder, coriander, and salt. Fully incorporate the seasonings with the jackfruit, and cook for about a minute. Then add the tahini. It makes the jackfruit stickier (like pulled pork), and adds protein and fat.
Add 6 Tablespoons of the barbecue sauce to the jackfruit mixture, and fully incorporate it. Cook about a minute longer, until the barbecue sauce is warmed.
Line a baking sheet with tortilla chips. Top with spoonfuls of barbecue jackfruit and corn. Sprinkle on the vegan cheddar cheese. Drizzle the 2 remaining Tablespoons of barbecue sauce over the chips.
Place the nachos in the oven and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. (Be careful not to overbake and burn the chips.)
Remove from the oven. Finish with sliced scallions, bell pepper, avocado, and a few drizzles of vegan ranch dressing, if you like. Pass around plates and serve the warm nachos from the baking sheet.

Notes

Note

Don't use fresh ripe jackfruit or canned jackfruit packed in syrup. They are much too sweet for this recipe.

How to make jackfruit without a food processor

If you don't have a food processor, that's not an issue. After you wring out the jackfruit in a towel, you can either give it a rough chop or break it up with your fingers and put it into the warm oiled skillet. As you cook the jackfruit, break it up further with your spatula.

Variation ideas

If you like, add one shredded carrot to the jackfruit mixture in the skillet right after adding the spices. You'll likely need to add more barbecue sauce. Continue cooking until the carrot has reached your preferred level of softness.
If you like a spicier filling, add a dash of hot sauce along with the barbecue sauce.
You can also add pickled jalapenos to the finished nachos.
If you can find frozen fire roasted corn, it's especially delicious on these nachos.
The nachos are also tasty topped with a sprinkling of cilantro.
For an even more filling platter, consider making a double batch of the barbecued jackfruit.

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