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

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.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 2

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 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
• 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke

Method

 

1. Using two forks or your hands, shred the jackfruit to resemble shredded pork.
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.
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.

Notes

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.