I love this Jackfruit Tikka Masala recipe. Not only is it delicious it’s also vegan, gluten-free, and really fast and easy to prepare. Many masala recipes require marinating the “meat” for several hours before cooking. Jackfruit Tikka Masala requires no marinade, yet it is still flavorful, tender, and spicily good.
If you’ve read my blog for a while, you know a little about jackfruit, that amazing vegetable/fruit that makes a great meat substitute. With its shredded meaty texture and ability to absorb flavors from the sauce in which you cook it, it’s perfect for everything from BBQ shredded “pork” sandwiches to carnitas, “tuna” salads, and curries.
Jackfruit is low in calories and carbs and has no fat. It is also low in protein, so ideally it should be prepared with another protein source like the chickpeas I used in this recipe. And jackfruit is naturally vegan and gluten-free.
The jackfruit that is used as a meat substitute is green, or unripened. Ripe jackfruit is very sweet and sticky and is used in desserts. It’s much easier to buy green jackfruit in a can. Most Asian markets carry it, as does Trader Joes. In a pinch, you can find it on Amazon (affiliate link).
Here are a couple of my favorite Jackfruit recipes (you may notice that I like avocado. A lot.):
Avocado Stuffed with Jackfruit Salad
Creamy Jackfruit Stew with Potatoes and White Beans
All In One Vegan Burrito (Jackfruit is an option in this recipe)
Jackfruit Tikka Masala
Don’t be scared by what looks like a lot of ingredients. Most of them are seasonings, which are mixed together, making this actually a very simple recipe. It can be prepared quickly, which makes it perfect after work, but if you have extra time allowing the Jackfruit Tikka Masala to simmer for an hour or so will make it even more tender and flavorful.
Jackfruit Tikka Masala is naturally vegan and gluten-free if you omit the optional asafetida. It is spicy, delicious, and amazingly easy to make.
- 1 can green jackfruit
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced (about 3-4 cloves)
- 1 white onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons ginger, grated
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- ½-1 serrano peppers, minced (you can seed them if you want a milder sauce)
- 2 Tablespoons coconut oil (or other vegetable oil)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon asafetida (optional, omit to make gluten-free)
- 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 15 ounce can garbanzo beans, drained
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½- 1 cup water
- Cilantro for garnish
- White or Brown rice
- 2 avocados (optional)
- Prepare the rice according to package directions.
- Combine the chlii poweder, garam masala, salt, turmuric, cumin, cayenne, and asafetida in a small bowl and set aside.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add the drained jackdruit. As it cooks, use a fork to break it up (it will shred). Cook for several minutes, until the jackfruit is mostly shredded then remove from the heat and move to a small bowl. You can break it up a little more if necessary.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil over medium heat in the same pan. Add the onion, garlic, and serrano chile and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add in the seasonings. Stir to combine.
- Add the tomatoes, chickpeas, lemon juice and ½ cup water. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer
- Return the jackfruit to the pan.
- Add the cilantro and lemon juice..
- Adjust the seasonings to your taste. If the tikka masala looks too thick you can add a little water. You want a thick, soupy consistency.
- Simmer for about 15 minutes. Serve with rice. Garnish with cilantro. Optional: Serve on a half shell avocado. It's delicious!
Have you tried jackfruit yet?
Weekly Linkups
My weekly linkups! Please stop by and check out all of the great recipes, workouts, and information that all these awesome bloggers share every week!
Meatless Monday with Sarah and Deborah
All About Running with Janell
The Running Coaches’ Corner with Marc and Me!
The Weekly Run Down with Deborah and Kim
Gosh, this sounds SO GOOD!
It is! Your vegan son would love it too!
I don’t know why I am intimidated by Jack Fruit! This looks very easy and has all of my favorite seasonings in it too. We loved Indian spices. Thanks for sharing
It’s so simple to work with you shouldn’t be intimidated. Like tofu it absorbs the flavor of the sauce or marinade that you use, and the “shredding” happens almost automatically as it cooks, you can just use a fork to break it apart.
I love Tikka Masala! I have never tried Jackfruit and would be curious to give it a go!
It’s a great option and super easy to make!
I think I have heard of jack Fruit, but have not ever tried it (or even looked for it in stores). This sounds awesome, though….I may have to venture out of my (food) comfort zone…
Haha! You’ve read my blog for a while so you’ve probably heard of it. You kind of have to look for it. They have it at Trader Joes or at most Asian markets.
This dish screams comfort food! Love that you used jackfruit. Thank you for linking up and sharing for Meatless Monday!
I love using jackfruit as a meat substitute.