Great for lunch and meal prep, these vegan jackfruit wraps feature a smoky BBQ jackfruit and black bean mixture with tons of crunchy fresh veggies and spicy chipotle mayo, although you can use any sauce you prefer. They are easy and simple, but SO delicious!
I love when I come up with a recipe perfect for quick lunches that can be done in under 20 minutes. Or that I can make ahead for easy grab-and-go meals. We are all busy, so having a few speedy lunch recipes in mind that are actually delicious and satisfying can be so helpful when trying to stick with a healthy plant-based diet.
And these amazing vegan jackfruit wraps are one of those fast recipes that everyone can make, plus it is PACKED with so much flavor, any meat eater will love them!
The key part of this vegan sandwich wrap is the amazing texture provided by the canned jackfruit: it has a "shredded" consistency and although it tastes completely different, it has a similar texture to pulled pork. This can be a game changer if you are transitioning to a more plant-based diet and struggling with textures in general.
This vegan wrap also includes black beans to make it more substantial (jackfruit is healthy, but pretty low in protein) and the pulled jackfruit mixture is made with BBQ sauce, giving it that bold smoky and sweet flavor.
You can serve the vegan BBQ jackfruit the way you want, such as over bowls, tacos and enchiladas, but here I served it in a tortilla wrap alongside my homemade vegan chipotle mayo, crunchy romaine, tomatoes and creamy avocado. It was absolutely amazing!
Let me know if you gave it a try! ❤️
Why you should try this recipe
- Easy and fast to make, perfect for quick meatless lunches
- GREAT texture that might remind you of pulled pork meat
- Filled with amazing flavors that combine BBQ sauce with chipotle mayo
- Family-friendly and you can make a large batch to feed a crowd!
- Versatile: you can add all your favorite tortilla wrap filling ingredients!
- Healthy and loaded with whole food yummy ingredients
- Makes for a nutritious meal rich in fiber and vitamins
- Great for meal-prep: make the BBQ pulled jackfruit filling ahead of time
- Fits many diets: vegan, dairy-free and easy-to-make gluten-free
What is jackfruit and where to find it
Jackfruit is a large tropical fruit growing in southeast Asia and warmer parts of the world, such as India or Australia. Once fully ripe, jackfruit becomes sweet + aromatic and tastes somehow in between mango and banana. You can find ripe yellow jackfruit sometimes in grocery stores in the fridge section.
BUT, you will need UNRIPE green jackfruit (also called young jackfruit) and NOT ripe jackfruit to make this recipe. Green jackfruit is kept in cans in the pantry section of the grocery store. Look for jackfruit kept in brine or water and not syrup.
Green young jackfruit has that shreddable texture we are looking for when making meaty recipes, plus when young, jackfruit is mostly taste-free and not sweet, meaning that it will take on the flavors of the savory seasonings you are using.
If you struggle to find it in your local grocery store, then check out your local Asian supermarket or you can also buy green jackfruit online.
Ingredients you will need
- Canned green jackfruit: or also called young jackfruit. DO NOT use fresh sweet ripe jackfruit to make this savory recipe!
- Black beans: also use canned black beans for convenience and you can swap for pinto beans, kidney beans or even white beans.
- BBQ sauce: use your favorite store-bought BBQ sauce for convenience, but also because you will only need a small amount for this recipe and store-bought jars store well, so you can keep the extra from the jar for another recipe such as this BBQ jackfruit pizza! It is also easy to make your own BBQ sauce from scratch!
- Spices: I used a mix of smoked paprika, chili powder and cumin powder to season the jackfruit.
- Garlic and Red onion: helps flavor the jackfruit filling mixture, add more garlic if you want and yellow onion works too.
- Lime juice: adds a nice zesty flavor and brings all the jackfruit filling ingredients together. Use lemon juice if that's all you have.
- Vegan chipotle mayo: I used my homemade sauce for this recipe, which is an all-time favorite for us. BUT, you can use a store-bought vegan chipotle sauce (such as the mayo from Sir Kensington) if you can find it or if in a pinch, then simply use vegan mayo (this is what I did for my kids to make their wrap not spicy).
- Wrap filling ingredients: avocado, tomato, romaine lettuce and red onion are all great in this wrap. I like to add lots of fresh and crunchy veggies. Check out below for more ideas!
- Tortilla wraps: I prefer whole wheat tortillas, but I couldn’t find them this time, so I used regular tortillas. Make sure you use LARGE burrito-size tortillas. Also, feel free to use either corn tortillas or wheat tortillas. You can even make your own tortillas using whole wheat flour!
How to make vegan BBQ jackfruit wraps
This is an easy and quick recipe, especially if you make the vegan chipotle mayo ahead of time. This not only will make mealtime easier but also, chilling the mayo for a few hours helps build up more flavors.
1- Make the chipotle mayo
You can find the vegan chipotle mayo recipe here. As mentioned above, if looking for a quicker and non-spicy version, then you can simply use store-bought regular vegan mayo or for a healthier wrap, then you can also make your own vegan cashew mayo. This store-bought vegan chipotle mayo also is a good option.
Keep the sauce in the fridge until ready to serve.
2- Prepare the jackfruit
Drain the can of jackfruit and then, rinse very well in plenty of fresh water to remove the brine as much as you can.
Then, pat dry and use your fingers to break up the chunk of jackfruit. I like to press on the harder core of each piece to crush it, then the rest of the jackfruit piece shreds easily. You can place the jackfruit on a cutting board and then use 2 forks to shred them as well.
3- Make the BBQ jackfruit filling
Warm up a large non-stick pan with a little oil (optional, can be made oil-free) and then, add the onion with a good pinch of salt. Stir and cook for 5-6 minutes on medium-high heat or until softened.
Then, stir in the garlic and spices, then cook for 1-2 minutes while stirring constantly. It should become very fragrant!
Add the prepared jackfruit pieces, black beans, barbecue sauce, lime juice and water. Stir to combine and cook on medium heat uncovered until the moisture has reduced and it became saucy (but not watery), about 5-8 minutes.
Taste and adjust flavors to your preference.
4- Assemble
Clean the fresh veggies and slice them.
Warm up the tortilla bread and then spread a generous amount of the chipotle mayo sauce (or regular vegan mayonnaise) over the tortilla. Then, pile up the BBQ jackfruit filling, avocado, romaine lettuce, tomatoes and red onion over the bottom half of the tortilla.
Then roll: fold the sides over the filling, then grab the bottom part of the tortilla and fold it over the filling as well. Then, roll toward the top while tucking all the filling as tight as you can in the roll.
Slice in half and serve the vegan spicy jackfruit wraps with more of the chipotle mayo to dip the wrap in, enjoy!
Helpful tips
- I cannot stress this enough: DO NOT 1- use fresh ripe jackfruit and 2- use canned jackfruit in syrup. You need canned young green jackfruit in water or brine.
- Try not to overfill your tortilla to make it easier to roll and prevent breaking the bread.
- If the tortilla breaks as you are rolling, then you can wrap the roll in aluminum foil to help keep the filling from getting out while you eat it.
Serving suggestions
These vegan jackfruit wraps are super filling and perfect as is for lunch or even dinner. Make sure to serve with extra chipotle mayo to dip in the sandwiches and pair with a side salad tossed with a light balsamic dressing to add extra veggies to your meal. You can also serve with a side of vegetable soup, such as a simple carrot and celery soup or a Mexican soup that's filled with beans.
Other than serving the jackfruit mixture in a wrap, you can also skip on the bread and serve in a bowl over rice, similar to a buddha bowl. You can check out my Mexican buddha bowl for inspiration. We also love serving BBQ jackfruit over vegan pizza. Other ways to serve the BBQ jackfruit black beans are:
- Tacos
- Enchiladas
- Taquitos
- Fajitas
- Quesadillas
- Lettuce wraps
Also, if making this recipe for your whole family or a crowd, then it is fun to make a "jackfruit wrap bar" where you can make a big batch of the BBQ jackfruit filling and let everyone fill up their wrap with their favorite filling ingredients.
Variations to the recipe
This recipe is SO versatile!
To begin with, if you don't have BBQ sauce, then you can swap it with:
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ onion powder
- ¼ garlic powder
- 1-2 drops of liquid smoke
Just add all those ingredients above to the pan instead of the barbecue sauce to give it that same BBQ flavor!
You can also add some finely chopped mushrooms to the pan for a nice umami flavor or chopped walnuts for more texture and nutrients.
More filling ingredients you might like to include in your wrap:
- Corn
- Refried beans
- Cilantro
- Rice
- Creamy coleslaw
- Purple cabbage
- Red pepper
- Vegan cheddar cheese
- Cucumber
- Mango
Also, the homemade chipotle mayo is a little spicy, which is something you might want to avoid. You can simply use any sauce you like, such as regular vegan mayo. Here are more sauce ideas that would work well:
- Vegan avocado ranch sauce
- Garlic aioli
- Protein guacamole
- Vegan tzatziki
- Vegan avocado green goddess
- Vegan avocado lime crema
- Butter bean hummus
- Salsa
Storage tips
You can make the jackfruit wrap up to 12-24 hours ahead of time, which is great if you like to prep lunches to bring to work. Avoid storing the wrap for longer than that to avoid having the sauce turn the bread soggy.
That being said, you can definitely make the jackfruit black bean mixture ahead of time and keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Stir well before serving and reheat using the microwave or the stove, although you can also serve the leftovers cold as well.
FAQ's
The jackfruit black bean mixture and the homemade chipotle sauce both are naturally GF, so simply use a GF tortilla bread to make your sandwich GF. Siete makes a few GF wraps that would be perfect.
The best way to warm up tortillas without drying them out or turning them hard is to wrap a few of them in foil and place them in an oven preheated to 300º for about 10-15 min.
Yes! Jackfruit is rich in fiber and packed with antioxidants and vitamins while black beans provide a good amount of plant-based protein and fiber as well. To make your wraps even more rich in nutrients, try adding more raw veggies to them, such as peppers, avocados, leafy greens, etc. Also, whole wheat tortilla bread can be harder to find, but is such a great choice if your grocery store offers it. It would boost your sandwich with even more fiber and protein!
More recipes like this
- Balsamic tofu veggie wraps
- Vegan spicy buffalo sandwiches
- Smoky tofu sandwiches
- Roasted vegetable sandwiches
- Creamy raw beet and carrot sandwiches
- Vegan sloppy joes
- Vegan kale wraps
- Tofu scramble sandwiches
- Vegan black bean burrito
- Chickpea avocado sandwiches
- Buffalo cauliflower wraps
I hope you like this vegan jackfruit wrap 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 Jackfruit Wraps with Black Beans
Ingredients
For the jackfruit black bean mix
- 15 oz canned green young jackfruit - in brine or water, NOT syrup
- 15 oz black beans or kidney beans
- ½ red onion - diced (keep the other half to slice and fill in the wraps)
- 2 cloves of garlic - crushed
- ¼ tsp chili powder
- ¼ tsp cumin powder
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ lime - juiced
- ⅓ cup water
- ¼ cup BBQ sauce - see notes if you don't have BBQ sauce
- salt to taste
For the wraps
- 4 extra large tortilla (burrito size)
- 1 avocado - sliced
- 1 cup romaine lettuce - sliced
- 1 tomato - sliced
- 1 batch chipotle sauce or vegan mayo - I use my homemade chipotle sauce (see notes)
Instructions
- Rinse well the pieces of jackfruit under water using a fine-mesh colander, then drain. Also, rinse and drain the black beans.
- Roughly break up the pieces of jackfruit using your fingers or 2 forks. You are looking for a "shredded" texture.
- Warm up a large non-stick pan with a little oil (or not), then add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat stirring often.
- Then, add the garlic and spices (chili, cumin, paprika) and cook for another minute while stirring often.
- Transfer the prepared jackfruit and black beans to the pan and then add the lime juice, water and BBQ sauce. Stir well and simmer for about 5-8 minutes on medium heat. The jackfruit is ready when saucy without being too dry or too watery.
- To serve, warm up the tortilla wrap (ideally wrapped in foil in a 300º preheated oven for 10 minutes) and lay it on a clean surface. Spread some of the chipotle sauce (or vegan mayo) in the bottom half and then add the jackfruit-black bean mixture over. Then, top with fresh tomatoes, romaine lettuce, red onion and avocado.
- Grab the bottom of the tortilla and fold over the filling, then fold the right and left side as well and then, roll up all the way to the top of the tortilla while tucking the filling ingredients tightly inside the burrito. Slice in half and serve with more of the chipotle sauce for dipping in the sandwiches. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Instead of chipotle sauce, you can also simply use store-bought vegan mayo or for a healthier option, then make your own mayo using raw cashews. Or use any sauce you like!
- If you don't have BBQ sauce, then add this instead to the pan: 3 tablespoons tomato paste + 1 tablespoon each of apple cider vinegar and maple syrup + ¼ tsp each of garlic and onion powder and a drop or two of liquid smoke.
- Nutrition: please note that the nutritional information is an estimate per serving provided for informational purposes only (calculated by software) and accuracy is not guaranteed. Consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if you need precise nutrition calculations for health reasons.
NUTRITION
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Made these last night & loved them! Such a fun alternative bbq jackfruit sandwiches we usually make. I think pickled onions would be a nice addition to try, but I loved serving just as you mentioned - with lettuce, tomato, red onion & avocado! So good. This will be in our rotation!
Hi Meg! Thanks for sharing, I am glad you liked them! 🙂