Vegan jackfruit buffalo wing nuggets are a healthy and lighter alternative to an old favorite. If you haven’t started cooking with jackfruit yet, this is a great recipe to try. The texture makes it the perfect alternative to chicken! I find it to be incredibly tasty and satisfying.
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In fact, jackfruit is quickly becoming one of my favorite meat replacements! It’s also really easy to find cans of jackfruit at the local market – I like buying the Trader Joe’s brand. So, whether you’re looking for a game day appetizer or just cooking for yourself, give this recipe a shot next time you’re craving something spicy.
What is jackfruit?
I remember seeing jackfruit in stores and wondering what the strange looking fruit was. I never knew you could cook such tasty appetizers with it! But, what is this mystery fruit?
Native to South India, jackfruit is an exotic fruit that has gained a ton of popularity for its unique flavor and texture. It’s one of the largest fruits that grows on trees, and they can be a whopping 80 pounds in weight! When ripe, it has a sweet and tropical taste. Unripe jackfruit has a meat-like texture and a more neutral flavor. This is why it’s so popular in vegan dishes.
How to make these jackfruit nuggets
When you’re making these jackfruit nuggets you’ll follow a similar process as if you were making chicken nuggets. The jackfruit is dipped in a wet batter made with almond milk and a flax egg. The flax egg is completely optional, but I find it really does help keep everything together.
To make the flax egg: use 1 tablespoon of flax seeds to 3 tablespoons of water. Then, let it sit for 5 minutes to firm up.
After dipping the nuggets in the wet batter, you’ll then bread them as you would any other nugget recipe! The breading is very versatile and you can add as many different spices as you want. So, don’t be afraid to experiment.
Jackfruit is rich in vitamin A, C, riboflavin, carotenoids, magnesium, potassium, and fibre. These nutrients help in digestion, skin issues, controlling blood sugar levels, inflammation, and many more.
Do I need to cook canned jackfruit? Yes. The cooking stage is when the transformation from unripe fruit to rich, meaty dish takes place. Luckily, cooking jackfruit is simple.
Because of it's firm chicken like texture it is great for substituting meat in so many different recipes. For this recipe I wanted a replacement for chicken nuggets that actually looked and felt like chicken so I used young green jackfruit and it was a real hit.
Milk or other dairy products should not be taken with jackfruit. In fact, jackfruit contains oxalate which reacts with calcium present in dairy products. In addition to upset stomach, it can cause white spots on the skin, itching, eczema.
Jackfruit contains a negligible amount of fat. The low-fat content in jackfruit is one of the reasons it can aid in weight loss. Fat is a high-calorie macronutrient, meaning every serving offers more calories. Therefore, consuming high amounts of fat can lead to weight gain as the excess calories are stored as fat.
Research shows that eating jackfruit can potentially reduce the risk of heart disease. “The combination of potassium, fiber and antioxidants can benefit heart health,” Culbertson says. Potassium combats the negative effects of sodium on your blood pressure, while fiber contributes to lowering your cholesterol levels.
Again, the canned jackfruit is perfectly safe to eat straight out of the can, but it tends to taste best warm and with seasoning. If you're craving the fruit in a meal, try making our pulled jackfruit tacos recipe that features the perfect flavor balance of garlic and minced serrano chiles.
Jackfruit is low calorie (about 6 times less than chicken), and has no fat or cholesterol. Where it shines in comparison to a meat-based protein is the fiber content. It is rich in fiber at 7 grams a cup. Meat proteins do not provide any fiber.
Jackfruit is very versatile and can be eaten raw or cooked. The most commonly consumed part of the fruit is the flesh, or fruit pods, which are edible both when ripe and unripe. It can be used in sweet and savory dishes including desserts and curries. The seeds are also safe to eat.
What Does Jackfruit Taste Like? Ripe yellow jackfruit has a subtly sweet flavor, often described as a combination of banana, apple, and mango. Young green jackfruit, on the other hand, has a neutral flavor and texture similar to shredded meat, making it a popular meat substitute in savory dishes.
It is divine in taste and texture if ripe enough. Jackfruit doesn't have the salty or traditional smell of durian, but some people find the smell unpleasant because it can be disgusting. It has been described as like banana or pineapple bubble gum mixed with rotten onions.
Simply tease the raw jackfruit apart with your hands or two forks, mix with your favorite spice blend (barbecue or fajita seasonings work well), and sauté before serving in buns with slaw or in fajitas, burritos, or tamales (these are filled with jackfruit and drizzled with a bright and fresh cilantro sauce).
You want to remove as much water as possible so the jackfruit can soak up the yummy cooking sauce and not become soggy. You can see in the photo below how dry the mixture becomes after you've squeezed as much water out as possible. For reference, the below bowl is 6 cans of jackfruit prepared this way.
Research shows that eating jackfruit can potentially reduce the risk of heart disease. “The combination of potassium, fiber and antioxidants can benefit heart health,” Culbertson says. Potassium combats the negative effects of sodium on your blood pressure, while fiber contributes to lowering your cholesterol levels.
Jackfruit is packed with essential vitamins and minerals you need for good health. It's a particularly good source of B vitamins, potassium, and vitamin C. One cup of raw, sliced fruit has: 22.6 milligrams of vitamin C (25% RDI)
The compounds in Jackfruit may help lower blood pressure and help manage heart disease and stroke. The high potassium content of Jackfruit may help reduce blood pressure that affects the blood vessels and heart. However, if you are suffering from any heart conditions, you need to talk to your healthcare provider.
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