Jackfruit Al Pastor Tacos with Cilantro Lime Crema

Ya’ll…. today is a big news kind of day.

Big News #1: These tacos! Jackfruit. Mango salsa. Cilantro lime crema. Need I say more?! I think not. But I will. Because these tacos are A-MA-ZING! Just look at these beauties, they are begging to be devoured (and I happily complied :D).

Big News #2: As you can probably tell from the above photo, I got a fancy new DSLR camera!!!! (Disclaimer: please excuse the exorbitant amount of photos included in this post, I was just too excited about my camera and how amazing the photos of these tacos turned out!)

Ok, let’s start with these tacos. I’m pretty familiar with jackfruit: I grew up eating ripe jackfruit, which is kind of like a cross between a mango and a really fibrous peach. After we ate the fruit, my mom and I would boil the seeds and sprinkle them with some salt for a savory snack. But I have to confess, green jackfruit is not very common in Jamaica. However, recently I have been seeing a ton of recipes that use green jackfruit as a substitute for a variety of meats.

I finally decided to check it out for myself after a friend told me she had used green jackfruit to make some sloppy joe’s. Since I’m not a huge fan of sloppy joe’s, I spent some time researching other ways I could use green jackfruit. One of the most common uses was to pair jackfruit with tacos. And I love me some tacos! Why you ask? Well, in my mind tacos are the perfect summer food – they are portable, flavorful, and easily adapt to whatever ingredients you have on hand. For these tacos, I decided to take things in a Latin/Caribbean direction. Since green jackfruit does not have much flavor, it pairs very well with bold Spanish flavors like peppers in adobo sauce,  paprika, and chili powder.

As the jackfruit cooks, it absorbs the flavors of the ingredients and softens until it begins to resemble pulled pork.

The peppers and spices that I add to the jackfruit make it a little spicy, so to cool things off, I made a quick mango salsa and an even quicker cilantro-lime crema. This crema is EVERYTHING! It has a ton of flavor, but consists of only 5 ingredients and takes seconds to whip up. Put everything together and you have one fabulous, hearty dish that also happens to be good for you. P.S. Did I mention these tacos are vegan? It’s a win win for everyone!

So what are you waiting on?! Go try these tacos!

Now excuse me as I post yet another photo of these beauties. I’m silly like that.

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If you make this recipe, be sure to let me know by rating it and leaving a comment below. I would love to hear from you. And don’t forget to tag #sweetandsorrel on Instagram!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (20 oz) can green jackfruit in brine (approx. 2 cups)
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo + 1 tsp adobo juices
• 1 jalapeno, diced (remove the seeds)
• 1/4 large sweet onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp cacao powder
• 1 tbsp honey (or agave)
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/3 cup vegetable stock (plus more as needed)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt + pepper, to taste
• corn tortillas
• avocado, for serving (optional)
• lime wedges, for serving (optional)

CILANTRO LIME CREMA

• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped and stems removed
• 1/2 0% Greek yogurt (sub with dairy-free yogurt to make vegan)
• zest of one lime
• juice of one lime
• salt + pepper, to taste

MANGO SALSA

• 1 medium mango, peeled and cubed
• 1/4 medium purple onion, finely chopped
• bunch cilantro, chopped
• juice of half a lime
• salt + pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Drain and thinly slice the jackfruit. (Note: you can pull the jackfruit apart now, but I like to pull them apart after they cook, to avoid making the jackfruit too mushy).
2. In a large skillet, Heat olive oil over medium heat and saute onions until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the chili powder, paprika, cumin, thyme, and cacao powder. Cook until the spices become fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Add sliced jackfruit to the skillet, along with vegetable stock and honey (if desired). Turn stove to medium-high heat and cook until stock begins to boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 25-30 minutes, until jackfruit becomes soft, at which part you can use a fork to pull the jackfruit apart. If the jackfruit appears dry, add more stock.
4.  Meanwhile, make the mango salsa and crema. For the salsa, combine mango, onion, cilantro, salt, pepper, and lime in a small bowl. Set aside in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. For the cilantro-lime crema, mix together yogurt, finely chopped cilantro, lime zest, lime juice, salt and pepper. Also set aside in fridge for at least 30 minutes.
5. Once the jackfruit is cooked, remove from heat and assemble the tacos. If desired, mash up fresh avocado and add to the tortillas. Add jackfruit, top with mango salsa and crema. Enjoy!