If you're unfamiliar with jackfruit and how to cook with it, start with this easy vegan Mediterranean jackfruit salad. It's fresh tasting, gluten free, dairy free, and paleo friendly.

What is Jackfruit?

Have you ever heard of jackfruit? You may have seen it in Southeast Asia or any cooking from the region.

Jackfruit is the largest tree-borne fruit in the world. It can grow to be 20 inches in diameter and up to 50 pounds. Yeah, it's a real big boy.

You'll find jackfruit in tropical spots in Southwest India, Bangladesh, and Thailand.

When I was in Cuba, I got to see this interesting fruit growing there as well.

How to Prepare Jackfruit

You don't need to be in Asia to find fresh jackfruit. Many specialty grocery stores now sell it.

As I mentioned it's large and takes some work to get into due to its thick, prickly skin. Then you have the seeds and flesh inside.

Before you run away at the daunting task of working with jackfruit, know that you have a much easier option for recipes. You can buy it canned. Just make sure to buy it in water instead of juice or syrup which will alter the taste and health benefits.

There's no cutting or coring with canned jackfruit, though you may want to get rid of the harder pieces inside when you break it up. And you do want to break it up (check out the video at the top of the post to see how easy it comes apart).

What Does Jackfruit Taste Like?

You may have seen vegan pulled jackfruit recipes. When you shred the jackfruit it can look a bit like pulled pork. As a meat eater, I will tell you that it does not taste anything like pulled pork. When I told the grower in Cuba about this phenomenon in the US, he looked at me insisting he didn't hear me right, then asked, "why would anyone do that?"

Jackfruit does, however, have a nice light, slightly sweet taste. To me, the jackfruit flavor is like a cross between hearts of palm and artichokes.

There's some chew to it which I like, and it retains the flavors of whatever ingredients you're pairing with it. That's why I went with a fresh Mediterranean jackfruit salad recipe.

Jackfruit Nutritional Benefits

Jackfruit does have some good health benefits. It's a good vegan swap for those who don't eat meat but know that jackfruit doesn't contain large amounts of protein so you may still want to supplement your meal.

Jackfruit does have a range of vitamins including A, C, and B6. It's also a good source of iron, calcium, magnesium, and fiber.

I'll eat this Mediterranean jackfruit salad straight up, or I'll fold it onto a lettuce leaf for a healthy gluten free, vegan wrap.

To see how I made this Mediterranean jackfruit salad, check out the video at the top of this post.

Mediterranean Jackfruit Salad
{Vegan, Paleo, Gluten Free, Dairy Free}

Serves about 4

Dressing Ingredients

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh mint, minced
1 tablespoons shallots, dived
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Salad Ingredients

1 - 14 ounce can of organic young jackfruit (I like Native Forest)
1/4 cup sweet peppers (optional)
1/2 cup cucumbers, diced
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
2 avocados, pitted and diced

Instructions

Place the dijon, mint, shallots, lemon, and apple cider vinegar in a bowl. Whisk in the oil and season with salt and pepper.
Drain and rinse the jackfruit and then shred, removing the hard core. Place the shredded jackfruit into the dressing bowl, along with the rest of the ingredients, and gently toss. Season as needed and serve.