Jackfruit drenched in a sweet and tangy teriyaki sauce makes the BEST vegan meal! Pile arugula and grilled pineapple rings on these jackfruit sliders for a delicious plant-based meal.
What is Jackfruit?
Jackfruit is a tropical fruit (duh) common in Asian and Island Pacific cuisine where it is produced. More recently, this fruit has gained major popularity in the vegan space because when prepared, it can have the same meaty texture as pulled pork!
It’s no secret that I love jackfruit. From “pulled pork” tacos, to pizza, and even BBQ sandwiches, it’s a super versatile meat substitute in my book!
Where To Buy Jackfruit?
K, so we talked about what jackfruit is but where the heck do you buy it and how the heck do you prepare it?
- Ethnic grocery aisle (near Asian foods)
- Asian grocery store
- Trader Joe’s
- Amazon
Jackfruit is sold canned, either in water, brine, or syrup. It’s important to STAY AWAY from the syrup variety because that would be an overly sweet recipe disaster!
Some grocery stores might carry fresh canned jackfruit, but unless you want to get into this huge task, I suggest sticking to the canned kind. Just watch this video to see what I mean!
Ingredients
For the sliders themselves you just need the canned jackfruit, fresh arugula, hamburger buns, and the homemade pineapple teriyaki sauce.
Now, the ingredient list for the teriyaki pineapple sauce may seem daunting, but I promise you, you probably have most of the ingredients on hand! You need:
- Canned pineapple rings + the juice reserved from the can
- Tamari – or low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
- Sesame oil
- Coconut sugar or brown sugar
- Ketchup
- Rice wine vinegar
- Fresh ginger
- Garlic cloves
- Red chili flakes
How to Make Pineapple Teriyaki Sauce
It’s super easy to make this sweet and tangy sauce!
First, drain the can of pineapple rings and keep the juice for the sauce. Then grill the rings on a grill pan or saute in a skillet over medium-high heat. This bit of heat is what really brings out the juicy flavors of the pineapple. Set the pineapple rings aside.
In a medium skillet (you can use the same one from cooking the pineapple) mix all of the sauce ingredients together and simmer on low heat. Cook for a few minutes while stirring. This allows the sauce to thicken up and really combine well with the jackfruit.
When the sauce is done remove it from the heat. Tip: You can pour the sauce into a heat-safe container, and wipe out the skillet to make the mashed jackfruit. Less dishes equals less clean up and water used. Yay!
How to Prepare the Jackfruit
Getting the right shredded meat-like consistency to create jackfruit sliders is super easy. Follow these 2 simple steps:
- Start by draining the canned jackfruit. Put the jackfruit chunks in a pan on low-medium heat. Once it starts to get warm, the jackfruit will get soft, making it easier to mash.
- Mash with the backside of a fork or even a potato masher. This will give the jackfruit a stringy “pulled pork” texture!
Tips for Assembling the Jackfruit Sliders With Pineapple Teriyaki Sauce
Once the jackfruit has been heated and throughly mashed, add the homemade teriyaki pineapple sauce to the pan. You can save some of the sauce to drizzle onto the sliders or use as a dipping sauce with your side dishes.
Stir to mix in the sauce, and turn off the heat.
Meanwhile, toast the hamburger buns for 1 or 2 minutes in a 300 degree preheated oven.
To assemble, first load a generous scoop of the pineapple teriyaki jackfruit onto the bottom of the bun. Then add a grilled pineapple ring and helping of fresh arugula. Having the arugula on top will help the bun from getting soggy from the pineapple.
Repeat with the remaining sliders.
Serving Suggestions for Vegan Jackfruit Sliders:
I like to serve these pineapple teriyaki jackfruit sliders with some of the extra sauce and my favorite summer side dishes:
Other ways to upgrade these jackfruit sliders:
- Add pickled red onions for a delicious crunch.
- Along with pineapple, top the sliders with a bit of this simple vegan coleslaw.
How to Store Teriyaki Pineapple Jackfruit
Let the cooked jackfruit cool completely, and then transfer to a container with a lid and keep in the fridge. It will stay good for up to 5 days, and is great to use on salads and to make sandwiches for lunch!
The pineapple teriyaki jackfruit can even be frozen. Put the cooled mixture into a freezer-safe zipper bag and store in the freezer for 2-3 months. Let it defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating on the stovetop or microwave.
If you tried these easy jackfruit sliders, let me know in the comments below and share a photo using #mindfulavocado. I’d love to hear from you! Want to see more recipes? Let’s get social! CONNECT WITH ME on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest to see what I’m currently cooking up!
If You Like This Easy Vegan Summer Recipe, You’ll LOVE:
Pineapple Teriyaki Jackfruit Sliders
Ingredients
- 2 14.5-ounce cans jackfruit see notes
- 1 small handful arugula
- 12 mini hamburger buns (slider buns)
Sauce:
- juice from 1-20-ounce can of pineapple rings (about 1/2 cup) Reserve pineapple rings for serving
- 1/4 cup tamari can substitute with low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar can substitute with brown sugar
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1.5 Tablespoon fresh ginger peeled and minced (about 1-inch piece)
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 pinch red chili flakes 1 pinch red chili flakes
Instructions
- Drain pineapple rings, saving the juice for the sauce. Grill pineapple rings on a grill panover medium-high heat or sautee them in a pan. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, whisk together all ingredients for the sauce. Bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and whisk frequently until the sauce is thick (about 10 minutes).
- Drain jackfruit and transfer to large non stick skillet over low-medium heat. Once jackfruit gets warm, mash with the backside of a fork or potato masher. Note, some jackfruit might have seeds still – discard them.
- Add sauce to the jackfruit. Mix well and cook for about 1 minute until heated through. Remove from heat.
- Toast buns in the oven preheated to 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown.
- To assemble sliders, pile on jackfruit, grilled pineapple rings, and arugula onto a toasted bun. Repeat until all the sliders are made.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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I’ve never tried jackfruit, but these sliders sure look delicious! What a great resource you are for vegan recipes!
Thanks, Nikole! I love jackfruit for a meat sub 🙂
Wow…I never knew jackfruit was a good substitute for meat. Thanks for the great tip and recipe!
Yes it’s an AWESOME sub! You are welcome, Anna!
I love jackfruit dishes! These sliders look perfect for a quick early evening dinner on Sunday. Yummy!
Thanks, Alexis!
I have never tried Jack fruit and am not sure I can find it here in Italy. But am going to try to source it! Sounds like such a great ingredient for vegan or vegetarian meals! Your sliders look yummy! Love the sound of your huli huli sauce too!
If you live near an Asian market they tend to carry it! Best of luck!
I never cooked or tried jack fruit in savoury dishes but this sounds incredible and I definitely must try this recipe – I love everything about it! Gorgeous idea!
Thanks, Ramona!