London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

Jackfruit, vegan meat substitute used for pulled pork, tacos, even fish patties, packs a nutritional punch

Versatile and nutritious, jackfruit is soaring in popularity thanks to its ability to mimic certain types of meat. ‘In seven to 10 years, jackfruit will be as popular as beef,’ says one vegan cafe owner.

If you’ve never heard of jackfruit, keep your eyes open: you’ll start noticing it everywhere.

Jackfruit is a very large tropical fruit often used as a meat substitute. It packs some nutritional wallop, and the fact that you can cook, chunk or shred it like chicken or pork makes it a go-to main ingredient in many vegetarian and vegan dishes.

Jackfruit is native to India, and also grows in Southeast Asia, Mexico, the Caribbean and South America. It ranges from 15lb (7kg) to a whopping 70lb (32kg).

For cooking, freshly picked, non-ripe jackfruit is generally used. Once ripe, jackfruit can be used in sweeter dessert preparations.

It is available whole or sliced into more manageable pieces. Unripe, it is green and unyielding; as it ripens, it softens, turns yellow, gets some brown spots and starts to smell fruity.

It is also sold canned, sometimes in brine or syrup. You can find various types in speciality and Asian food stores and, increasingly, traditional supermarkets.

Now, with many people looking for plant-based alternatives to meat, jackfruit’s trajectory is up, up, up.

Now, with many people looking for plant-based alternatives to meat, jackfruit’s trajectory is up, up, up.

Robert Schueller, head of marketing at Los Angeles-based speciality produce company Melissa’s Produce, has noted that upwards trend for several years.

“It was about five years ago that the fruit started to really take off,” he says. “Vegetarians and vegans found out how this fruit could be used as a ‘meat substitute’ for pulled pork sandwiches and as a taco meat.”

As word spread in the US about jackfruit’s versatility, Melissa’s went from selling a few cases a week to thousands of cases a week, Schueller says. Melissa’s also offers plastic containers of jackfruit pods containing just one or two servings.

Jackfruit is also popping up on menus across the US – at vegan and vegetarian restaurants, yes, but also in dishes at more mainstream establishments.

Tomatillo, a Mexican restaurant in Dobbs Ferry, New York, has a quesadilla and taco made with jackfruit nestled in alongside other meaty and vegetarian offerings. In Chicago, Alulu Brewpub serves up vegan Sicilian jackfruit flatbread on a menu alongside in-house cured pork belly.

Angela Means, owner of the vegan Jackfruit Café in Los Angeles, says people are turning to a vegan diet for many reasons, including environmental, health and animal-rights concerns.

“We eat meat because of the texture and the spices. Jackfruit is a great substitute,” Means says. “It’s one of the best choices for us because we can mimic meat. Jackfruit grows in abundance, and it has potassium, fibre, magnesium, lots of nutrients. We put it in tacos and we make sandwiches, like a barbecue pulled ‘pork’.”

Jackfruit Cafe also serves a “fish patty” made of jackfruit combined with seaweed.

“You wouldn’t miss anything – we could give you our taco and you wouldn’t even know it’s vegan,” Means says.

Jackfruit Cafe tries to educate people in its community about jackfruit and alternatives to a meat-eating diet, she says, predicting, “in seven to 10 years, jackfruit will be as popular as beef”.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
Over 30,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded Across UK During Overnight Storms
Princess of Wales Returns to Public Duties at Trooping the Colour
Red Arrows Use Sustainable Fuel in Historic Trooping the Colour Flypast
Former Welsh First Minister Addresses Unionist Concerns Over Irish Language
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
France Bars Israeli Arms Companies from Paris Defense Expo
King Charles Leads Tribute to Air India Crash Victims at Trooping the Colour
Jack Pitchford Embarks on 200-Mile Walk to Support Stem Cell Charity
Surrey Hikers Take on Challenge of Climbing 11 Peaks in a Single Day
UK Deploys RAF Jets to Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
Two Skydivers Die in 'Tragic Accident' at Devon Airfield
Sainsbury's and Morrisons Accused of Displaying Prohibited Tobacco Ads
UK Launches National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
Families Seek Closure After Air India Crash
Gold Emerges as Global Safe Haven Amid Uncertainty
Trump Reports $57 Million Earnings from Crypto Venture
Trump's Military Parade Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarianism
Nationwide 'No Kings' Protests Challenge Trump's Leadership
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
Germany Holds First Veterans Celebration Since WWII
U.S. Health Secretary Dismisses CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee
Minnesota Lawmaker Melissa Hortman and Husband Killed in Targeted Attack; Senator John Hoffman and Wife Injured
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
×