Happy Monday! It’s so nice to be easing back into our regularly scheduled programming. I’ve missed you and this little space of mine.
Before we went quiet, Grace cooked up these crispy jackfruit taquitos…a meatless twist on a family favorite inspired by Serving Up Simply. When Grace sent me to the grocery store with her list of ingredients, I had no idea what jackfruit was or even where it was in the grocery store.
For those who are unfamiliar, jackfruit is a large, green, tropical fruit that has an extremely mild, vaguely sweet, flavor. However, once shredded, it has the amazing ability to mimic the texture of shredded chicken or pulled pork. (My boys were completely duped and thought they were eating chicken.) While you can find whole jackfruits at grocery stores like Jewel, we opted to use the canned version. I have a hunch this saved a ton of time!
This recipe serves 6. I would say this recipe tends to be pretty spicy. If you prefer less heat, I’d hold back on the amount of chipotle peppers you use.
What You Need
Spice Blend:
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tap cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- a pinch of cinnamon
For the Taquitos:
- 1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for rubbing
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 (14 oz) cans of jackfruit, drained
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- Juice from 1/2 lime
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 cup red enchilada sauce
- 2–3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup water
- 16-20 corn tortillas
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
What to Do
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- In a small bowl assemble your spice blend: cumin, chili powder, cayenne, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, pepper, salt, and cinnamon and set aside.
- In a large pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add in your onion and cook until the onions start to look translucent (about 5 minutes). Next add in your spice blend and cook for an additional minute.
- Add jackfruit, maple syrup, soy sauce, and lime juice and stir occasionally to break up the jackfruit. Once the jackfruit has darkened and starts to look like shredded meat (about 5 minutes), stir in the enchilada sauce, adobo peppers, and water. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Warm the tortillas for 30 seconds in the microwave, until pliable (see note). On a large baking sheet, rub the tortillas with olive oil (only rub one side – the side that will be the “outside” of the taquito). Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the jackfruit down the middle of the tortilla. Sprinkle on cheese, then roll up and place seam-side down on the baking sheet. Bake for 10-13 minutes, then flip and cook an additional 10 minutes, or until the tortillas are crisp (see note).
- Serve taquitos with guacamole, salsa, or any other desired toppings.
A few notes:
- If you don’t like spicy food then omit the cayenne and either cut back on the adobo peppers or omit them completely.
- If the tortillas become more difficult to work with and start tearing as you’re assembling the taquitos, simply re-heat them to make them more pliable. I ended up heating and then assembling about three at a time.
- Baking time may vary depending on what brand of tortillas you use / how thick they are. Keep an eye on them and flip when they’re starting to look golden. Once flipped, continue cooking until they have reached the desired level of crispness.
- To make vegan, simply omit the cheese or switch it out for your favorite vegan cheese.
These were so darn good! We just served them with a green veggie on the side, as well as toppings like guacamole, pico de gallo, and sour cream. Enjoy!
xo,
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