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This Slow Cooker Jackfruit Carnitas recipe is a must for Taco Tuesdays! Tender, ‘meaty’ jackfruit is deliciously spiced and seasoned, then simmered for hours in a crockpot until all the flavors meld and it melts beautifully in your mouth! The convenience of the slow cooker can’t be beat!
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Table of Contents
- What are Carnitas?
- Why You’ll Love this Vegan Carnitas Recipe
- Ingredients for Slow Cooker Jackfruit Tacos
- How to Make Jackfruit Carnitas
- Tips and Variations for Vegan Carnitas
- Serving Suggestions for Slow Cooker Jackfruit Tacos
- Storage Instructions for Vegan Carnitas
- FAQs for Slow Cooker Jackfruit Carnitas
- More Amazing Ways to Use Jackfruit
- Slow Cooker Jackfruit Carnitas Recipe
What are Carnitas?
Carnitas is a popular Mexican-inspired dish traditionally made of animal products that are cooked on the stovetop for hours. Once tender, they are coarsely chopped, thus the name of the dish. Nowadays, this can be done vegan using jackfruit and a pressure cooker if pressed for time, or in the slow cooker (which I prefer)! It is typically used as a filling for tortillas topped with tomatoes, onions, cilantro, guacamole, or salsa.
Why You’ll Love this Vegan Carnitas Recipe
I made this vegan carnitas recipe because I love my BBQ Pulled Jackfruit so much. I just had to see how jackfruit carnitas would turn out. It does NOT disappoint! The jackfruit becomes so tender and the savory and spicy seasoning marry so well with the meaty texture.
Plus, it is super easy to make too. All you have to do is dump all the ingredients in the slow cooker, set the timer, and go your merry way! It is the ideal no-fuss, stress-free recipe for busy weekdays and lazy weekends. These slow cooker jackfruit carnitas could also work as a topping for nachos or rolled up in a burrito. Don’t hesitate to throw it into the crockpot before work, and have a delicious dinner waiting for you when you get home!
Ingredients for Slow Cooker Jackfruit Tacos
- Spices: This recipe used chili powder, dried onion, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, and cayenne pepper. These spices are a mixture of warm, earthy, spicy, and savory flavors that give the vegan Carnitas a flavor depth.
- Cornstarch: A teaspoon is added to thicken the braising sauce.
- Canned Young Jackfruit in brine: It has a neutral taste that takes on the flavors or seasoning and spices it is cooked with, making it incredibly versatile. And with their fibrous texture, they make a great meat alternative.
- Salsa: Makes the braising sauce super rich and flavorful. Try using my 5-Minute Fresh Summer Salsa or Homemade Roasted ed Salsa.
- Lime Juice: Brighten up your jackfruit tacos with a dash of citrus flavor! It also helps in making the jackfruit more tender.
- Jalapenos: These mild peppers add another layer of heat to the vegan Carnitas.
- Tortillas: Want to make your own? Here’s how: Handmade Flour Tortillas.
- Garnishes: These ingredients are optional, but make your slow cooker jackfruit tacos so much better! Use taco sauce or hot sauce, diced onion, and diced tomatoes.
How to Make Jackfruit Carnitas
Step 1: Mix all spices. First, add all the spices to a small bowl. Then set aside.
Step 2: Next, prep the jackfruit. First, drain and rinse the canned jackfruit, using a strainer under running water. Then, squeeze out as much excess water as possible.
Step 3: Next, place the jackfruit in the slow cooker. Then add water and seasoning mixture. Cook for 8 hours under low settings.
Step 4: Once cooked, use a fork to shred the jackfruit like pulled pork. Finally, top tortillas with a generous amount of tender jackfruit shreds, taco sauce, sliced onions, and tomatoes. Enjoy!
Tips and Variations for Vegan Carnitas
- Simplify seasoning: If you don’t have all the spices, you can use a store-bought taco seasoning instead.
- Rinse and dry jackfruit: Makes sure to rinse and dry your jackfruit to remove the brine. There is no need to remove the hard part of the jackfruit as it will soften in the slow cooker.
- Pan sear for crispiness: If you like your vegan Carnitas to be a little crispy, you can sear or pan-fry them before eating.
- Reduce heat, as needed: If you are making a kid-friendly version, you can skip the jalapenos and omit the chili powder and cayenne pepper. It should still taste good!
- Adjust seasoning: Add more herbs. You can use thyme, bay leaves, or dill to make your plant-based Carnitas even more flavorful.
- Waste not!: Repurpose your jackfruit carnitas leftovers into a variety of wonderful recipes. Carnitas are so adaptable you can use them as a filling for any burrito, taco, quesadilla, as well as topping for nachos!
- Add salsa: Level up your tacos with a fabulous and fresh Mango Pico de Gallo.
Serving Suggestions for Slow Cooker Jackfruit Tacos
- Salads: Carnitas tacos go great with vegan elote salad, edamame salad, slaw, cucumber and bell pepper salad, and Texas caviar. Or even serve the vegan carnitas atop a taco salad.
- Rice: Such as Mexican rice, Mexican cauliflower rice (for a lower carb option), or the simple but savory garlic rice. You can even omit the tortillas and create a roasted veggie taco ‘bowl’ with rice.
- Beans: Make some Instant Pot beans, refried beans, or even a black bean soup.
- Chips & Dip: Serve classic tortilla chips with a yummy dip like pinto bean dip, chipotle white bean dip, creamy avocado salsa, and/or mango or peach salsa.
- Dessert: Finish off the meal with Mexican fruit salad, vegan churros, and/or Mexican hot chocolate.
- Leftovers: Slow cooker jackfruit carnitas is too yummy to go to waste! Use leftovers as a filling for burritos, more tacos, quesadillas, or loaded nachos with this vegan nacho sauce.
Storage Instructions for Vegan Carnitas
Serve your vegan Carnitas warm straight off the slow cooker!
Fridge: If you have leftovers, let them cool and then place them in a airtight container and keep it refrigerated for 4 to 5 days.
Freezer: This recipe is freezer-friendly for longer shelf life. Make sure to let the jackfruit carnitas cool completely before transferring to an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. It’s best to use your leftovers jackfruit carnitas within 2-3 months.
FAQs for Slow Cooker Jackfruit Carnitas
Sure, you can. It might take you longer to prep, though, because you will need to peel and slice. Jackfruit skin has a tough and spiky skin, so be careful!
It is a great meat substitute, primarily for its texture. It soaks up flavors from accompanying ingredients, so the taste will depend on what you cook it with.
Switch the setting to high and you can reduce the cooking time can be reduced to 3 to 4 hours only. The recommended time for keeping it on low for 8 hours is for a more flavorful and more tender result.
No, ripe jackfruits have a sweet, tropical taste and soft and mushy texture that is inappropriate for cooking.
More Amazing Ways to Use Jackfruit
Vegan Dinners
Vegan BBQ Jackfruit
Vegan Dinners
Vegan Jackfruit Chicken Noodle Soup
Vegan Dinners
20-Minute BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches
Vegan Dinners
Jackfruit Lettuce Cups
If you tried this slow cooker jackfruit carnitas 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!
Photos by Alfonso Revilla
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Slow Cooker Jackfruit Carnitas
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Ingredients
- 3 teaspoons of chili powder
- 4 teaspoons of minced dried onion
- 1 teaspoon of cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon of cumin
- ½ teaspoon of oregano
- ½ teaspoon of paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
- 2 cans of young jackfruit in brine 14-ounce
- ¾ cups of water
- ¼ cup of salsa
- 2 Tablespoons of lime juice
- 1 can of diced jalapenos small
- small corn or flour tortillas
- Taco sauce or hot sauce optional for garnish
- 1 medium onion diced for garnish
- 1 medium tomato diced for garnish
- cilantro chopped for garnish
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Mix chili powder, minced onion, corn starch, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, and cayenne pepper in a bowl and set aside.
- Rinse jackfruit in a strainer and squeeze out as much water as possible.
- Place jackfruit in a slow cooker. Add water, and stir in seasonings.
- Add salsa, lime juice, and jalapenos.
- Cook on low for 8 hours.
- Shred jackfruit with a fork.
- Scoop the cooked jackfruit onto tortillas and top with taco sauce, diced onions, and tomatoes. (Sprinkle some cilantro and squeeze some lime (optional))
Notes
- Simplify seasoning: If you don’t have all the spices, you can use a store-bought taco seasoning instead.
- Rinse and dry jackfruit: Makes sure to rinse and dry your jackfruit to remove the brine. There is no need to remove the hard part of the jackfruit as it will soften in the slow cooker.
- Pan sear for crispiness: If you like your vegan Carnitas to be a little crispy, you can sear or pan-fry them before eating.
- Reduce heat, as needed: If you are making a kid-friendly version, you can skip the jalapenos and omit the chili powder and cayenne pepper. It should still taste good!
- Adjust seasoning: Add more herbs. You can use thyme, bay leaves, or dill to make your plant-based Carnitas even more flavorful.
- Waste not!: Repurpose your jackfruit carnitas leftovers into a variety of wonderful recipes. Carnitas are so adaptable you can use them as a filling for any burrito, taco, quesadilla, as well as topping for nachos!
- Add salsa: Level up your tacos with a fabulous and fresh Mango Pico de Gallo.
About how many cups is a serving? Even as a vegan, Whole Foods and no oil, I still gain weight easily. I have to measure everything! We’ve never eaten jackfruit before. I just put this in the crockpot this morning and cannot wait to try it this evening! Thank you for your recipes by the way!
Hope you enjoyed the recipe 🙂 Jackfruit has such a great texture!
Is it necessary to do 8 hours? Can I do 4 hours?
Hi! You can switch the setting to high and you can reduce the cooking time can be reduced to 3 to 4 hours. The recommended time for keeping it on low for 8 hours is for a more flavorful and more tender result. 🙂 Hope you enjoy it!
Any hints for making in an instant pot?
Hi! We haven’t tried this recipe out yet in an Instant Pot so can’t guarantee the results. Please let us know how it turns out for you if you end up giving it a try 🙂
Hello! I am interested in making this recipe, and I am counting (estimating) calories. Do the calories listed include the tortillas or not? The ones I bought are 100 cals per tortilla, so I am guessing they are not; however, I just want to be sure. Thank you!
The calories do calculate in 4 small tortillas 🙂 Hope that helps and hope you enjoy the recipe when you give it a try 🙂
hi, I’m in the UK and want to try this, our jalapenos come in largish jars. how many slices would you reccomend or an approx weight please
Hi! Roughly about 12 ounces should do the trick! Feel free to adjust as needed to your taste buds. Enjoy! 🙂
Starting vegan new
Love it! Hope you enjoy this recipe! 🙂
gonna try this today in my Instant Pot. You know im not gonna be the only one!! be back to tell you how it went!!
I made this and set the Instant pot for 25 minutes with quick release. Should have done 35 or 40. Was ok but not as good as it should have been, as I added half cup more water with instant pot needing more liquid to be safe and not burn. I added a whole jalapeno which again, I shouldn’t have! Was really spicy and didnt need it after all!! Still a good recipe im sure if you follow the directions. Ahem.
Let us know how it turned out! 🙂
I have never tried jackfruit before. I couldn’t find it at my local store and was wondering if you’d share what brand you recommend using? I’m really excited to try this for your vegan tamale recipe!
Trader Joe’s has an awesome canned jackfruit! Hope you enjoy it 🙂
5/29/25
Slow Cooked Jackfruit Carnitas.
Hello, the nutritional information, is that per serving or for the whole recipe?
How many serving does this recipe make?
Thank you much.