By Little Northern Bakehouse

Another example of our dedication to helping you experience the joy of the real thing every day, we’ve put our gluten-free twist on a food festival favourite. Feast your eyes (nose, and mouth) on this easy vegan BBQ jackfruit sandwich with slaw.

Smoky BBQ flavour and homemade slaw on a gluten-free bun—all the best parts of a pulled pork sandwich but totally plant-based and gluten-free! Experiencing the joy of the real thing doesn’t require a lot of work either. You can easily simplify and speed this recipe up by using prepared pulled jackfruit and a bag of prepared coleslaw mix from the store.

Jackfruit is a very large tropical fruit, grown in Africa, Asia, and South America. While ripe jackfruit tastes super sweet off the tree, canned jackfruit is nearly flavourless, making it an excellent blank canvas for seasoning and sauces. When jackfruit pieces are pulled apart it resembles the texture of shredded meat, making this exotic fruit the perfect DIY gluten-free meat substitute for a vegan BBQ sandwich!

Instructions:
For the BBQ Jackfruit:
  1. (If using prepared jackfruit, skip ahead to step 4). Rinse, drain and thoroughly dry canned jackfruit. Place in a mixing bowl and set aside.
  2. Pull apart jackfruit into shredded pieces with your fingers or forks.
  3. Add seasonings, toss to coat, and set aside.
  4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add 1 – 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the sliced onion, cook until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute).
  5. Add the seasoned jackfruit, toss to combine, and cook for about 3 minutes.
  6. Add the vegan BBQ sauce. Thin with water if necessary. Stir and reduce heat to low-medium and cover. Cook for about 20 minutes (up to 35 minutes on low for a richer, more defined flavour).
  7. Remove lid and stir occasionally. For finer texture, shred the jackfruit as it cooks down.
For the Slaw:
  1. In a small bowl, whisk the vegan mayo, apple cider vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper, and sugar/maple syrup.
  2. Add the cabbage and carrots to a large mixing bowl. Pour dressing into the bowl and toss well to combine. Finish with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Serve immediately, or let the slaw rest in the fridge until jackfruit is ready.
To Serve:
  1. Spread vegan mayo on one or both sides of your gluten-free bun.
  2. Layer a bed of leafy greens on the bottom bun, topped with a generous portion of pulled BBQ jackfruit.
  3. Add more vegan BBQ sauce if needed, top with slaw, followed by the top bun.

Serves 4 – 6

Tips:
  • Speed up this recipe by using prepared pulled jackfruit and prepared coleslaw mix.

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