Vegan Jackfruit Quesadillas

These Vegan Jackfruit Quesadillas are a flavor-packed, plant-based twist on a classic favorite! Filled with smoky, shredded jackfruit, Vegan Cashew Queso, and savory spices, they deliver all the comfort of traditional quesadillas-without the meat or dairy. Perfect for quick dinners, meal prep, or party appetizers.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• You can make this in under 30 minutes, so it's a great weeknight dinner.
• Kids love it, and it's a great way to incorporate more veggies into their diet.
• You'll be amazed at how jackfruit mimics the look and texture of pulled pork or chicken- it's a game-changer for meat-free munching.
• The Easy Vegan Cashew Queso is so creamy and decadent that you'll forget it's plant-based.

What is Jackfruit?

This meat impersonator of the plant world, pictured below, can mimic the texture of pulled pork or chicken and can be used in tacos, sandwiches, curries, and in this delicious vegan jackfruit quesadilla!

Jackfruit is native to Southwest India but has found its way into the tropical regions of Asia, Africa, and South America.

It's a tropical fruit that can grow to enormous sizes, weighing up to 80 pounds! Yes, you read that right. It's the largest fruit that grows on a tree, and in many cultures, it's celebrated as a miracle crop because one tree can produce up to 200 fruits in a year.

To read more about jackfruit, visit A Simple Guide to Jackfruit Plus 5 Delicious Recipes.

Does Jackfruit Taste Like Meat?

Short answer: No, but...

Jackfruit is basically the Elvis impersonator of the food world - nailing the look and vibe without actually being the King.

Its stringy, fibrous texture makes it a dead ringer for shredded chicken, especially when it's young and not fruity. Flavor-wise, it's pretty neutral with a slight hint of fruitiness, perfect for soaking up spices and seasonings.

Just don't expect it to bring the natural savoriness of chicken - it's more about playing the part than being the real deal.

Ripe jackfruit is a totally different story - it goes full-on sweet mode, ditching any chicken aspirations.

You'll see its best chicken impersonation when it's all cooked up and pretending to be chicken, like in this recipe. The color and texture can be pretty convincing. Let me know what you think in the comments.

Ingredients

Here's a picture of everything you'll need. For a full list of ingredients, see the recipe card.

• When buying canned jackfruit, make sure it's young green jackfruit in water or brine, not in syrup. It's so popular now that you can find cans at most well-stocked grocery stores like Trader Joe's, or you can buy them on Amazon.
• You can leave the black beans whole and season them with a teaspoon of garlic salt, but I like to use smashed black beans for these quesadillas. See the recipe card for instructions.
• A vegan, fat-free refried bean can work great if you don't want to smash beans. Tip: add about ¼ cup of your favorite salsa to soften them up and make them easier to spread.

How to Shred Jackfruit

First, rinse the jackfruit to get rid of that briny canned taste.

Once it's drained and rinsed, the easiest way to shred it is to use your hands, but a fork works, too. The texture of young jackfruit is naturally stringy, so take hold of a piece and squeeze, delicately separating the fibers - you'll notice it resembles pulled chicken or pork.

It's worth noting that all parts are edible, including the slightly tougher sections. Everything in the can is entirely edible and can be torn apart with your hands with a little pressure (or chop them up with a knife).

There's slightly more bite to those pieces, but they soften up nicely with cooking and add variety to the texture of this dish.

How To Make Vegan Jackfruit Quesadillas

Here are the simplified instructions with visuals for making the recipe. For the complete recipe, see the recipe card below.

Note that I'm showing you the preparation first in these pictures. But you can multitask, as suggested in the recipe card.

Step 1: For the smashed black beans, mix and heat your go-to salsa and a bit of garlic salt. Mash them up until you get a nice, chunky puree. If you prefer, leave the beans whole.

Step 2: Make a batch of the Easy Vegan Cashew Queso.

Step 3: Slice the vegetables.

Step 4: Drain, rinse, and shred the jackfruit. *See the notes above for how to shred jackfruit. Doesn't that look like shredded chicken?!

Step 5: In a large skillet, sauté onion and bell pepper in olive oil until softened. Then add the garlic.

Step 6: Add the shredded jackfruit and all the spices, mixing well to combine. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the jackfruit has absorbed the flavors.

Step 7: Heat oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the pan, spread vegan queso over it, and add beans to half. Top with jackfruit and spinach. Cook until the tortilla is browned underneath.

Step 8: Then, fold the tortilla over. Let the quesadillas cool down. Serve warm with optional vegan sour cream, sliced avocado, chopped scallions, cilantro, and salsa.

Serving Suggestions

• These quesadillas make a great appetizer when cut into wedges and served with salsa, Easy Guacamole, Easy Chipotle Aioli Sauce, or Vegan Jalapeno Sauce.
• You can also pair them as a main dish with a fresh salad or Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice or Simple Instant Pot Yellow Rice and a side of tortilla chips.

Recipe FAQS

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