Air Fryer Jackfruit Carnitas

So smoky, so good. You’re going to love how easy it is to make these vegan jackfruit carnitas. It’s the perfect mock-meat to tuck into soft tortillas, sprinkle on nachos, or spoon into burrito bowls.

I have never been a huge jackfruit fan but somehow I ended up with five cans in the pantry and no idea what to do with them. I think they were tucked away for a recipe development project for a client that got scraped for another idea so they sat, and sat some more, until a few weeks ago when I was determined to oust them from the pantry.

I was also craving tacos. Naturally.

I started off with a simple marinade reminiscent of what you’d use in a typical batch of carnitas with spices, liquid smoke, orange juice, oil, and sugar. While this can marinate overnight, 30 minutes also does the trick. After that, a quick go in the air fryer was all that was needed to crisp them up on the edges.

Now, there are a million ways you could serve the carnitas but I like my tacos simple with just chopped white onion, cilantro, a pinch of salt, and a squeeze of fresh lime.

You could also toss on some pico de gallo, guacamole, or a dairy-free queso fresco. Get ready to crave jackfruit… ridiculous, I know 😉

Air Fryer Jackfruit Carnitas

Gluten-FreeNut-FreeSoy-Free

You’re going to love how easy it is to make these vegan jackfruit carnitas. It’s the perfect mock-meat to tuck into soft tortillas, sprinkle on nachos, or spoon into burrito bowls.

5 from 2 votes

Rate this recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 2 14-ounce cans jackfruit, drained
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon liquid smoke

Method

 

1. Using two forks or your hands, shred the jackfruit to resemble shredded pork.
   2 14-ounce cans jackfruit, drained
2. Place the shredded jackfruit in a sealable container along with the remaining ingredients. Close and shake well to combine. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.
   2 tablespoons avocado oil, 2 tablespoons orange juice, 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
3. Preheat the air fryer to 400° F and spray your basket with oil. Place the jackfruit in the basket in a thin layer and air fry for 12-15 minutes, stirring once or twice until crispy on the edges. Serve immediately.

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in thee refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 400° F for 3-5 minutes.

Nutrition Per serving

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate only and may vary depending on brands, substitutions, preparation methods, and portion sizes.

Nutrition Facts

Air Fryer Jackfruit Carnitas

Amount per Serving

Calories

265

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

7

g

11

%

Saturated Fat

 

1

g

6

%

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

1

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

5

g

Sodium

 

33

mg

1

%

Potassium

 

235

mg

7

%

Carbohydrates

 

53

g

18

%

Fiber

 

2

g

8

%

Sugar

 

4

g

4

%

Protein

 

1

g

2

%

Vitamin A

 

169

IU

3

%

Vitamin C

 

5

mg

6

%

Calcium

 

95

mg

10

%

Iron

 

1

mg

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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