These vegan tacos with jackfruit and black beans make for a delicious, quick, and easy one-pot meal. Simply prepare the filling and then load up soft tortillas with the toppings of your choice.
I go with a magical combination of pico de gallo, guacamole, vegan mayo, and fresh coriander, but the options are almost endless when it comes to tacos. The filling also keeps well in the fridge or freezer, so make up a big batch and enjoy it in future meals.
If you're on the lookout for more jackfruit recipes, check out this smoky jackfruit chilli and creamy jackfruit curry.
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What is jackfruit?
Jackfruit is a large tropical fruit that has various uses depending on its ripeness. When very ripe, it can be eaten fresh and has a sweet taste similar to mango and pineapple.
When young, however, the taste is fairly neutral and the jackfruit takes on other flavours that you add to it. Since young jackfruit also has a meaty, stringy consistency, it's become trendy as a meat alternative in vegan and vegetarian cooking (like in this vegan 'beef' stew).
Where does jackfruit grow?
Originally from South Asia, jackfruit can now be found growing in tropical and subtropical regions across the globe.
I was in Brazil when I first came across jackfruit (or jaca). I remember seeing trees full of these enormous spiky fruits, which I now know can weigh up to 40 kg each. Madness.
Photo: Karl Groendal
Where can I buy jackfruit?
Here in the UK, I've noticed that many of the larger supermarket stores have started to sell tinned jackfruit. It also tends to be available in my local international supermarket, smaller specialist shops, and of course online.
When buying tinned jackfruit, be sure to get a young or 'green' variety. You'll also want it in brine or water rather than syrup.
Are black bean and jackfruit tacos healthy?
These vegan tacos with jackfruit and black beans make for a healthy meal, with each filled taco providing an array of fibre, vitamins, minerals, and plant-based protein. If you're anything like me, the problem will be limiting the number you consume.
Are tacos vegan?
Almost all flour tortillas, corn tortillas, and hard taco shells are vegan, although it's always best to double-check the ingredients for animal products. When it comes to the fillings and toppings, it's easy to swap out traditional ingredients for plant-based alternatives.
Are tacos gluten-free?
Many tortillas and taco shells are wheat-based, meaning they are often not gluten-free. Even products labelled as 'corn' tortillas will often contain wheat.
The good news is that gluten-free tortillas are on the rise in supermarkets, at least here in the UK. You may just want to double-check the ingredients to ensure they don't contain any dairy, egg, or honey – unfortunately gluten-free doesn't always mean vegan, especially when it comes to bread.
How to make easy vegan tacos with jackfruit and black beans
Heat the oil in a large pan on medium heat. Add the sliced onion and soften for 5-6 minutes, before adding the garlic, chilli, and green pepper. Stir well and cook for 2-3 minutes until the peppers start to soften.
Next, add the chopped jackfruit, black beans, tomato puree, vegan stock, cumin, smoked paprika, sage, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper. Stir everything well and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat and simmer for around 6-8 minutes.
After 6-8 minutes, remove the lid. Using a wooden spoon or potato masher, gently break apart the jackfruit pieces so that there's a mix of small tender chunks and stringy pieces. Do this until you have a texture you're happy with, and don't worry if some black beans get mashed up in the process.
Next, stir in the lime juice and half of the chopped coriander. Continue to cook for another few minutes until the liquid has evaporated and you have a fairly thick mix. If the mix looks a little too dry, you can add more water or stock to loosen it up. Adjust the seasoning then turn off the heat and set aside.
Warm the tortillas according to package instructions. Once ready, add a heaped spoonful of the jackfruit filling to the centre and any other toppings you like.
What to serve with vegan tacos
When it comes to taco toppings, the list is almost endless. Some of my favourites include:
- Guacamole with chunky tomatoes
- Vegan mayo
- Pico de gallo
- Chopped coriander
- Sliced avocado
- Hot sauce
- Sliced spring onions
- Vegan cheese
Recipe FAQ
When eating out, the standard serving size tends to be around three tacos per person. This usually leaves me wanting one or two more, but then again I can be quite greedy. You'll be able to feed at least two people with this recipe, and can easily stretch it to four servings if you divide the filling between more tortillas.
You could easily swap out the black beans for another type of bean, or other legumes such as chickpeas or lentils. You could also soak and/or pre-cook your own dried beans – see my Beginner’s Guide to Pulses to find out more.
If you need to ensure that this recipe is 100% gluten-free, be sure to use tortillas that are certified or labelled as such (and that don't also include egg or dairy ingredients). You'll want to do the same for the vegan stock, as well as any additional toppings or sides.
Variations and tips
- Tortillas: The number of tacos you can make will depend on the size of the tortillas and how much you put in them. For me, this was enough to fill roughly 10-12 small flour tortillas. You can also use soft corn tortillas, hard taco shells, or gluten-free tortillas if necessary.
- Chopping the jackfruit: I like to roughly chop the jackfruit in a few different ways for a variety of textures. I cut the tougher core parts into smaller pieces, then slice up the rest more liberally.
- Heat: I like to include the chilli seeds, but you can remove these if you don’t like the heat.
How to store jackfruit taco filling
Refrigerate: You can store the jackfruit filling in the fridge for up to four days.
Freeze: You can store the jackfruit filling in the freezer in sealed containers or resealable bags for several months. Defrost before reheating thoroughly in the microwave or in a pan with a splash of water.
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More vegan recipe ideas
If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy:
- Vegan Haggis Quesadilla
- Smoky Jackfruit Chilli
- Creamy Jackfruit Curry with Coconut & Lime
- Easy Vegan Chilli
- Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chilli
- Black Bean Curry with Cashew Cream
- Vietnamese-Style Rice Paper Rolls
- Jackfruit 'Beef' Stew
You can also check out my full list of vegan mains.
Full recipe
Easy Vegan Tacos with Jackfruit and Black Beans
Ingredients
- 10 small flour or corn tortillas (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, finely sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 chilli, finely chopped
- 1 green pepper, deseeded and diced
- 2x 14 oz (400 g) tins young jackfruit, drained and each piece roughly chopped
- 1x 14 oz (400 g) tin black beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 tablespoons tomato puree
- ¾ cup (200 ml) vegan stock or water
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Juice of 1 lime
- Small bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pan on medium heat. Add the sliced onion and soften for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Once the onions are soft, add the garlic, chilli, and green pepper. Stir well and cook for 2-3 minutes until the peppers start to soften.
- Next, add the chopped jackfruit, black beans, tomato puree, vegan stock, cumin, smoked paprika, sage, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper. Stir everything well and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat and simmer for around 6-8 minutes.
- After 6-8 minutes, remove the lid. Using a wooden spoon or potato masher, gently break apart the jackfruit pieces so that there's a mix of small tender chunks and stringy pieces. Do this until you have a texture you're happy with, and don't worry if some black beans get mashed up in the process.
- Next, stir in the lime juice and half of the chopped coriander. Continue to cook for another few minutes until the liquid has evaporated and you have a fairly thick mix. If the mix looks a little too dry, you can add more water or stock to loosen it up. Adjust the seasoning then turn off the heat and set aside.
- Warm the tortillas according to package instructions. Once ready, add a heaped spoonful of the jackfruit filling to the centre and any other toppings you like (pico de gallo, guacamole etc. – see recipe notes). Sprinkle over some fresh coriander and serve.
Notes
- Smoky Jackfruit Chilli
- Creamy Jackfruit Curry
- Hearty Black Bean Soup
- Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chilli
- Black Bean Curry with Cashew Cream
- Vietnamese-Style Rice Paper Rolls
- Grilled Teriyaki Tofu Steaks
- Ultimate Vegan Haggis
Nutrition
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Christina Lublin
This was a winner! I didn’t have tomato purée so I used tomato paste and it was delicious. Definitely making this again! Thanks for the recipe.
The Pesky Vegan
Glad you enjoyed! There's some confusion between tomato puree and paste in different parts of the world (at least as I understand it). In the UK, the very concentrated version is often called 'puree' in the supermarkets, so it sounds like you had the right ingredient after all! Maybe I should start referring to it as 'concentrate' to minimise confusion. Cheers for the review!
Vicky
I loved this and so did my non-vegan friend - she hadn't tried jackfruit before and said that she loved this version just as much as meat! Thanks Pesky 🙂
The Pesky Vegan
Non-vegan approved is always a good thing - glad to hear it and thanks for the feedback!