Jackfruit Taco Pizza
Jackfruit carnitas, fennel & apple slaw, pineapples, queso fresco, cilantro, lime juice, sriracha mayo
So it seems like for non-meat eaters and people who are veg-curious, jackfruit has been having a moment. Admittedly, we were a little late to the party. We had been passively wondering what it tasted like for a few years and then pretty much waited until we started seeing cans of it at Trader Joe's before we finally took some home. If you're unfamiliar (which is fine, sorry for making you feel behind the times), the gist is this: it's a fruit that people are into as meat replacement because it comes close to mimicking the texture of meat, particularly when shredded. The raw fruit looks more like an artichoke heart—and the mild flavor kind of tastes vaguely artichoke-y, too. But since it's so mild and shreds so well, it can soak up whatever flavors you're piling on—say, carnitas taco seasonings—and actually does a pretty good job of standing in for pulled meats. I don't know if I'd say it tastes like meat, but it's in the ballpark, and it definitely tasted delicious on our taco pizza.
Recipe
Ingredients:
1 ball of pizza dough
olive oil
salt & pepper
flour for dusting
semolina flour for pizza stone
handful of queso fresco, crumbled
cilantro leaves, for garnish
squeeze of lime juice
1/4 pineapple, cored, peeled & cut into bite sized pieces
For the carnitas:
1 can of jackfruit, cores cut out & pieces shredded with a fork
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
For the slaw:
1/4 head red cabbage, thinly sliced
1/2 fennel bulb, sliced, fronds reserved
1 Granny Smith apple, cut into matchsticks
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice (or lime juice if you'd rather use the same lime you already cut)
For the mayo:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
sriracha to taste
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 550° F, or as hot as it will go. Heat some olive oil in a pan over medium heat and sauté your onion until softened. Add the spices and stir until the onions are coated. Now add your jackfruit and cook for about 5 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is softened and fragrant.
Meanwhile, make the slaw: whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar & lemon juice, then toss with the remaining slaw ingredients.
Next, stir the mayo with a little bit of sriracha at a time, tasting as you go, until it reaches your desired level of spiciness. You can look at our pictures for a sense of color if you're not sure.
Prepare your dough using the instructions on the right. Once you've baked your dough for a minute, take it out and brush it lightly with olive oil. Top with an even layer of carnitas, followed by the cheese and pineapple. Bake until the pineapple is glistening and the crust is a nice golden brown.
Now take your pizza out of the oven and finish with the slaw, a drizzle of sriracha mayo, and a squeeze of lime juice. Top with the cilantro and fennel fronds and enjoy!
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