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Make quick, hearty BBQ jackfruit sandwiches with smoky-sweet BBQ jackfruit ‘pulled pork’ and shredded cabbage. It’s a satisfying, budget-friendly, vegan meal perfect for lunch or dinner!

Completed 20-Minute BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches on a white surface.

Why You’ll Love this Jackfruit BBQ Sandwiches Recipe!

Toni Okamoto smiling and holding a slice of watermelon.

If you’ve never tried jackfruit, now’s the perfect time. Canned young jackfruit is easier than ever to find and incredibly versatile. With a tender texture and neutral flavor, it soaks up whatever seasonings you cook it with. When paired with BBQ sauce, onion, and peppers, it transforms into a deliciously smoky, hearty vegan pulled pork, perfect with cabbage or vegan coleslaw in BBQ jackfruit sandwiches.

Not only is it easy to work with, jackfruit is packed with nutrients. It contains some of almost every essential vitamin and mineral, 3 grams of protein per cup, and a healthy dose of antioxidants. Combine it with just a handful of inexpensive pantry ingredients to whip up hearty BBQ jackfruit pulled pork sandwiches that are big on flavor but easy on the wallet!

Looking for more vegan jackfruit recipes? You might enjoy slow cooker jackfruit carnitas, vegan jackfruit chicken noodle soup, and/or jackfruit lettuce cups.

Ingredients for Jackfruit Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients, substitutes, and quantities.

Ingredients for 20-Minute BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches on a white surface.

Recipe Variations

  • Extra spices: Want extra savory depth? Try adding a couple dashes of garlic and onion powder, paprika, and optional chili powder – like in my vegan BBQ jackfruit recipe.
  • Liquid smoke: Bump up the smokiness further with just a few drops.
  • Spice: Add some chili powder, cayenne pepper, or hot sauce.
  • Protein: Add chickpeas/white beans (slightly mashed) or shredded tofu.

How To Make Jackfruit BBQ Sandwiches

Keep scrolling to the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and recipe instructions.

Shredded jackfruit in a bowl.
Barbecue sauce being added to jackfruit and vegetables in a pan.

Step 1: First, drain and shred the jackfruit using your fingers or a fork, removing any tough core bits. Also, finely dice the bell pepper and onion.

Step 2: Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, sauté the onion and bell pepper until tender (3-4 minutes). Then add jackfruit and sauté for 8-10 minutes, adding the BBQ sauce after 4 minutes.

Toasted sandwich buns beside jackfruit filling and shredded purple cabbage.

Step 3: Finally, to assemble jackfruit BBQ sandwiches, use ¼ of the BBQ jackfruit ‘pulled pork’ per sandwich, topping it with shredded cabbage. Enjoy!

 Enjoy vegan pulled pork sandwiches alone, with oven-baked sesame fries, vegan cornbread in iron skilled , and/or a summer pasta salad.

Toni’s Recipe Tips

  • Use the right jackfruit: Use young green jackfruit in water (or brine if rinsed thoroughly) for the correct flavor/texture. Ripe jackfruit or jackfruit in syrup will be too sweet.  
  • For crispier jackfruit: Let it cook undisturbed for a while to sear. Alternatively, spread the cooked BBQ jackfruit across a pan and bake at 400F/200C for 15-20 minutes.
  • Make it in advance: This vegan pulled pork will taste even better on day two once the flavors have a chance to meld.

FAQs for Jackfruit Pulled Pork Sandwich

Do I have to remove jackfruit cores?

Technically, no. Although tough, they become somewhat tender when cooked – just not as much as the rest of the fruit. They don’t ‘shred’ in the same way, either, so fine slicing is required if using.

What else can I use BBQ jackfruit for?

Aside from a tasty jackfruit BBQ sandwich, you can use it in place of shredded chicken/pork for BBQ jackfruit tacos/burritos, over this cheesy vegan mac n’ cheese or a baked potato, across a vegan BBQ pizza, etc.

Does jackfruit taste like meat?

Young green jackfruit is a great meat substitute because, like tofu, it has a mild flavor that picks up flavors well. That, combined with its stringy, tender texture, makes it a tasty pulled chicken/pork alternative despite the fact it doesn’t taste exactly the same.

Completed 20-Minute BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches on a white surface.

Vegan Pulled Pork Sandwich Toppings

Storage Instructions

Leave the BBQ jackfruit to cool and store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days OR in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Reheat it in a skillet over medium-low, in the oven at 350F/177C, or, for the softest results, microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between.

Completed 20-Minute BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches in a storage container.

More Vegan BBQ Recipes

If you tried this 20-minute BBQ jackfruit sandwiches recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!

Cookbooks

If you’re loving my recipes and would like a more comprehensive resource, check out my cookbooks!

20-Minute BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches

5 from 34 votes
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Completed 20-Minute BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches on a white surface.
Make quick, hearty BBQ jackfruit sandwiches with smoky-sweet BBQ jackfruit ‘pulled pork’ and shredded cabbage. It's a satisfying, budget-friendly, vegan meal perfect for lunch or dinner!

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email & get this sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!

Ingredients 

  • 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil
  • ½ small yellow onion diced
  • ½ small green bell pepper diced
  • 15 ounces of canned jackfruit drained
  • ¼ to ½ cup of BBQ sauce (depending on your sauce preference)
  • 4 buns or 8 slices of bread
  • Shredded red cabbage

Instructions 

  • Using your fingers, shred the jackfruit and remove any tough pieces.
    Jackfruit being chopped on a wooden cutting board.
  • In a large pan over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Once heated, add the onion and bell pepper and saute until they become tender, about 3 to 4 minutes.
    Chopped onion and green bell pepper being added to oil in a pan.
  • Add in the jackfruit and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, adding the BBQ sauce halfway through.
    Barbecue sauce being poured over jackfruit and vegetables in a pan.
  • Serve ¼ of the prepared jackfruit onto each bun half or bread slice topped with the red cabbage and another slice of bread or bun.
    Barbecue jackfruit sandwich topped with shredded purple cabbage.

Notes

    • Use the right jackfruit: Use young green jackfruit in water (or brine if rinsed thoroughly) for the correct flavor/texture. Ripe jackfruit or jackfruit in syrup will be too sweet.  
    • For crispier jackfruit: Let it cook undisturbed for a while to sear. Alternatively, spread the cooked BBQ jackfruit across a pan and bake at 400F/200C for 15-20 minutes.
    • Make it in advance: This vegan pulled pork will taste even better on day two once the flavors have a chance to meld.

Nutrition

Calories: 492kcalCarbohydrates: 107gProtein: 16gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.02gSodium: 631mgPotassium: 1781mgFiber: 17gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 7100IUVitamin C: 368mgCalcium: 409mgIron: 8mg

Additional Info

Author: Terrence Paschal
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: American
Method: Stovetop
Diet: Vegan
Tried this recipe?Please tag us at @PlantBasedOnABudget! 🙂

About

Terrence Paschal

Plant based food, micro brews, punk rock, and running are what I am about.

More about Terrence Paschal
5 from 34 votes (24 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Heavenly!! I can’t get over how close the texture is to the traditional dish and the taste is amazing. Such a favorite!

  2. 5 stars
    I often make pulled jackfruit. Next time I’m going to try your twice cooked method. I like the idea of crispy bits.