This simple vegan BBQ Jackfruit pizza is easy and quick, especially if using store-bought pizza dough and jarred BBQ sauce. Includes canned jackfruit and pineapple and is garnished with the BEST garlic tahini sauce for an extra creamy texture without adding any vegan cheese. Makes for a great plant-based and dairy-free weeknight dinner for the whole family!
This BBQ jackfruit pizza was such a big hit for us! Even our kids adored it, we all licked our plates clean!
And this is a yummy different kind of pizza that's perfect for the summer or any time of the year, plus it is made completely vegan and is loaded with good-for-you nutrients. It does not have any regular tomato or pizza sauce and it's made without cheese (no vegan cheese either). And oh boy, the fusion of flavors are simply amazing.
I am actually not sure what we preferred the most: maybe the sweet and tangy BBQ sauce filling in every little empty pockets from the pulled jackfruit? Or the 5-minute garlicky tahini sauce drizzle that gives this pizza the BEST creamy final touch? But, I bet my kids would say it's the juicy sweet chunks of pineapple that find their way into every bite and that really pops with amazing flavors. This pizza is AMAZING.
Similarly to my jackfruit wraps, it looks and feels like BBQ pulled chicken pizza, only it is meat-free with the jackfruit replacing the texture of shredded chicken so well. You, and even your meat-loving friends, will love it!
I also speed up the process a little bit to be able to make this meal super quickly during the week: I used an already made store-bought whole wheat pizza dough and even a store-bought jar of BBQ sauce. You can look around to find a healthier BBQ sauce with less sugar added or feel-free to make your own vegan BBQ sauce, it is not that hard!
Then, all you have to do is shape the pizza dough, combine the jackfruit with BBQ sauce, garnish and bake. The tahini sauce takes 5 minutes to prepare and is all done by the time the pizza is ready. A must-try!
Hope you like it! ❤️
Highlights of this recipe
- Simple and easy recipe
- Kid and family friendly
- Similar to a BBQ chicken pizza with a nice meaty texture, but made without meat or cheese!
- Healthy and filled with fruits and veggies
- Perfect for the smoky BBQ food lover
- Use my favorite short cuts below to make this recipe ultra speedy!
- Vegan, dairy-free, plant-based and made without vegan cheese.
What is jackfruit and where to buy it
Jackfruit is a very large fruit that grows in tropical climates, such as in India or Australia. The ripe fruit is sweet and yellow-ish with flavors similar to mango or banana while the unripe fruit is greener and mostly flavor-free.
You will need the unripe jackfruit that's usually canned and used to make savory recipes. And even though the flavor really isn't the same, it shreds nicely to resemble the texture of pulled pork or shredded chicken.
You can find jackfruit in many large grocery stores in the Asian section (I get mine at Whole Foods Market). If you cannot find it in your regular grocery store, then check out in a local Asian store or you can also buy it online too.
Ingredients you'll need
- Pizza dough: make it yourself or use store-bought, whatever is easier. I used a whole wheat pizza dough from our local small market, but most larger supermarket will also sell pizza dough ready to shape and bake (check in the frozen section too).
- BBQ sauce: I used the BBQ sauce from the brand Beast Feast Maine that I found at Hannaford, but use any vegan BBQ sauce brand that you like. If you can, try to avoid a BBQ sauce that contains high-fructose syrup!
- Canned green jackfruit: this recipe requires canned green jackfruit and NOT fresh jackfruit. Also, be sure to use canned jackfruit in brine and NOT in syrup.
- Green pepper: I love green pepper on pizza, but you could swap for red or yellow pepper too.
- Red onion: yellow or sweet onion work too.
- Pineapple: I used canned pineapple for its convenience and also I think canned pineapple works better for baking or over pizza. Look for pineapple rings or bits in juice and not in syrup (check for no added sugar).
- Tahini sauce: simply make the garlic tahini sauce from this pasta recipe. It is done within 5 minutes and adds such an amazing creaminess to the pizza without having to used processed vegan cheese.
How to make vegan BBQ jackfruit pizza
Pre-heat the oven to 425º and line a pizza pan or a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Take the rings of pineapple out of the can and pat them dry using paper towels. Then, roughly chop them in large chunks.
Also, slice the red onion and chop the green pepper in cubes.
Make the BBQ pulled jackfruit
Start by draining and rinsing very well the chunks of jackfruit with plenty of cold water. This helps to remove the brine flavor.
Then, transfer over a clean towel. Use you hands to pat dry the jackfruit as much as you can so there is not tons of moisture left.
Transfer the jackfruit into a medium bowl and then, use your fingers to break the pieces to a pulled texture. You will have to press harder on the core so its breaks. My video shows you how I do this!
Once this is done, then add ½ cup of the BBQ sauce over the jackfruit and stir to combine.
Garnish the pizza and bake
Shape the pizza dough as you wish and place over the prepared baking pan.
Drizzle ⅓ cup of BBQ sauce over and spread all over its surface and then, scatter the BBQ jackfruit over.
Top with the chopped green pepper, red onion and pineapple. Then, bake for 18-20 minutes or until the crust is done to your liking.
Make the tahini sauce and finish up
While the pizza is baking, make the tahini sauce. I simply whisked the ingredients in bowl instead of using a blender this time. Taste and adjust flavor to your taste.
Once the pizza is done baking, take it out of the oven and let it rest for 5-7 minutes. Then, drizzle the tahini sauce over (you might have some extra left, just use in another recipe or simply over cooked pasta!), slice and enjoy!
Helpful tips
- It is important to rinse and pat dry very well both the pineapple rings and canned jackfruit or the pizza can end up being too moist.
- While shredding the jackfruit, you can also remove and discard the large seeds, although I usually don't bother doing this as I don't mind their texture.
- If you prefer to use pre-shape and pre-baked pizza dough, then you will have less cooking time (read packaging instructions). In that case, you might want to cook the vegetables (onion and peppers) before topping the pizza so they are not undercooked.
Serving suggestions
Let the pizza rest for a few minutes when just done baking, but then, serve it while still warm. I like to slice in 8 pieces for a circular shape pizza, but slice as you wish if making on a baking sheet in a different shape.
Keep the extra tahini sauce on the side when serving so people can add more over their slice if desired. This pizza also goes great with hot sauce or red pepper flakes for some extra heat!
Also, this BBQ pizza is perfect served with a light side salad, such as this kale crunch apple salad or a fresh vegan Waldorf grape salad. Or try pairing with a zesty summer salad!
Variations
You can garnish the pizza with any of your favorite vegetables! Simply try adding or swapping for ingredients that would pair well with a smoky, sweet and savory BBQ sauce, such as:
- Cauliflower
- Jalapeño
- Kale or spinach
- Broccoli
- Fresh herbs, such as parsley (add when the pizza is done)
- Mango (swap for the pineapple)
- Roasted garlic
- Artichokes
- Zucchini
The pizza bakes in the oven for 15-20 minutes, so just chop your veggies small to ensure they cook enough.
Storage tips
This pizza is best when just done and freshly baked. But, it also makes for great leftovers!
Just keep them in an air-tight container for up to 3 days and reheat using a toaster oven if you can for best texture. You could also reheat in the microwave for a quicker way, but the texture of the crust will change.
FAQ's
No. Fresh jackfruit is sweeter and not really shred-able like the green unripe fruit, meaning it would not be a good choice for this recipe.
Most BBQ sauces are naturally vegan, but just double check by reading the ingredient list! I recommend to also look for a sauce lower in added sugar and avoid any high-fructose syrup.
To make it GF, then look for a GF pizza dough at your grocery stores or make a homemade GF pizza dough. I have a buckwheat pizza dough on my website that's GF and that would work well for this recipe. Also, make sure that the BBQ sauce you are using is GF as well or make your own vegan BBQ sauce to ensure it is GF.
If you don't want to use tahini, then feel free to use store-bought vegan cheese. In that case, add it right over the BBQ jackfruit before baking the pizza so it can melt. We are not huge fans of vegan cheese, but when we do use it, we generally opt for the vegan mozzarella cheese from the brand Violife. We prefer topping our pizzas using all sort of vegan sauces for a creamy rich component. Other ideas include: a drizzle of this vegan avocado ranch, dollop some vegan ricotta cheese, top with a warm vegan white queso sauce or simply crumble some vegan feta cheese over your pizza once done baking.
Similar recipes to try
- Buckwheat pizza crust
- Vegan white mushroom pizza
- Vegan pesto flatbread
- Vegan mini bagel pizza
- Jackfruit curry
- Jackfruit burger patties
- Vegan calzones
- Jackfruit chili
- Jackfruit nuggets
I hope you like this BBQ jackfruit pizza recipe as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!
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Vegan BBQ Jackfruit Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 pizza dough - I used whole wheat dough
- ¾-1 cup jarred BBQ sauce - or homemade BBQ sauce, divided
- 15 oz canned jackfruit in brine (NOT syrup) - drained and well rinsed
- 5 rings canned pineapple (about 1 cup) - patted dry very well and chopped
- ½ red onion - diced or sliced
- 1 green pepper - sliced or sliced
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 425º. Stretch and prepare the pizza dough to your liking, then place on a pizza baking pan (or parchment paper covered baking sheet).
- In a medium bowl, add the jackfruit and use your fingers to break the chunks slightly (you are looking for a "pulled" and shredded look). Then, add ½ cup of the BBQ sauce and stir to combine.
- Add about ¼-⅓ cup (or as much as you want) of the BBQ sauce on the prepared pizza dough and spread it out. Then, scatter the BBQ jackfruit over and garnish with red onion, green pepper and the pineapple chunks.
- Bake for 15-20 min or until the crust is done to your liking.
- While the pizza is cooking, then make the 5-min tahini sauce. You can combine in a bowl or use the blender, both work.
- Once the pizza is done baking, let it rest for 5-7 minutes and then, drizzle the garlic tahini sauce over, slice and enjoy!
Notes
- This pizza is best when freshly baked. Store any leftovers in an air-tight container for up to 2-3 days and use the oven or mini-oven to reheat.
- This vegan avocado ranch dressing or store-bought vegan cheese (add the cheese before baking) could be used instead of the tahini sauce.
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