This quick and easy bbq jackfruit pulled pork is full of smokey flavor and a perfectly tender texture that all eaters love (vegan, vegetarian, and meat-eaters alike)! Ready in under 30 minutes, your entire family will just LOVE this vegan bbq jackfruit pulled pork.

jackfruit pulled pork sandwich with vegan slaw

Vegan Pulled Pork for a Crowd

If you’re looking for the perfect vegan and vegetarian option to take to your family barbecue this summer, definitely make this recipe. This vegan pulled pork truly gives even traditional barbecue entrees a run for their money.

Super tender and juicy canned jackfruit is transformed into a barbecue classic: jackfruit pulled pork! With a quick and easy homemade vegan barbecue sauce that takes all of 2 minutes to make, this vegan bbq jackfruit pulled pork is ready to serve in just under 30 minutes, start to finish. 

It’s the perfect vegan dinner idea to serve a crowd; even the meat-eaters of the family will be clamoring for a tasting! With only 5 simple ingredients, you really can’t beat this vegan jackfruit pulled pork. 

This pulled pork is also naturally gluten-free too, especially when you use the homemade barbecue sauce!

And when made along with these lentil mushroom burgers, you might even convert a few to the vegan side 😉 

vegan bbq jackfruit pulled pork on a vegan gluten free hamburger bun

BBQ Jackfruit Pulled Pork Ingredients:

  • Young green jackfruit: I love Native Forest’s canned jackfruit. The flavor and texture is perfect for this vegan pulled pork. Trader Joe’s also carries an organic young jackfruit that works well for this recipe as well. Using canned jackfruit over a freezer locked pack works best here.
  • Vegan BBQ Sauce: Of course, you can purchase your own bbq sauce, but this quick and easy veganbarbecue sauce is ready in just 2 minutes (all it is is whisking together ketchup, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, a few spices like smoked paprika, and mustard!) and is honestly the best tasting barbecue sauce I’ve had in years.
  • Chickpeas: For a bit of added protein, since jackfruit doesn’t contain much.
  • Garlic: For added flavor! You can use garlic powder, but it will taste best with fresh garlic cloves. 
  • Cooking oil: I used coconut oil, but I do have an oil-free option listed in the Notes section of the recipe card below!

No liquid smoke or hard to come by ingredients here. Just straight forward and delicious!

vegan jackfruit pulled pork ingredients

Overview: How to make jackfruit pulled pork:

The full recipe instructions and measurements are found down below in the recipe card. However, we’ll go over the overview of the steps, along with providing visual photos!

To start, rinse the jackfruit and chickpeas. You’ll want to make sure to drain the brine from the jackfruit (but you can save the aquafaba from the chickpeas for a fun summer dessert, like vegan s’mores cake!). 

shredded jackfruit in a bowl

Next, pull apart the jackfruit with either a fork or clean hands. You’ll find that the jackfruit pieces come apart quite easily and very quickly resemble pulled pork!

jackfruit and chickpeas cooking together

Then, sauté the garlic. You can add onion here too if you’d prefer even more flavor in your vegan bbq jackfruit pulled pork! Add in the jackfruit and chickpeas and heat.

jackfruit pulled pork before cooking
jackfruit pulled pork after cooking

Finally, you’ll reduce the heat to a simmer, and stir in the barbecue sauce. Make sure everything is coated evenly! Cover the pot or pan, and cook on simmer for 20-30 minutes. 

Once heated, you can serve your bbq jackfruit pulled pork! 

How to serve BBQ Jackfruit:

Of course, jackfruit pulled pork is best served the traditional way! Toast up some vegan hamburger buns (make is gluten free with these easy homemade gluten free hamburger buns!) or slices of homemade or gluten free bread. 

Be sure to add on some vegan coleslaw of red cabbage and carrots, top with avocado, slather on some vegan mayonnaise, and serve with a side of herbed potato salad as well!

A good dollop of this vegan queso would be delicious too 🙂

For any leftovers, this vegan pulled pork is great when mixed into a summer salad, in vegan tacos,  or enjoyed as an open-faced sandwich with lettuce and tomato!

sliced open vegan pulled pork sandwich

Storage & Reheating:

If you have any leftovers, your bbq jackfruit pulled pork can easily be stored for later. You can either freeze or refrigerate the jackfruit pulled pork in an airtight container. It will last for up to 4 days in the fridge, or up to 3 months in the freezer.

To reheat: Simply reheat the jackfruit pulled pork in a large skillet or pan on the stove top on medium heat until warm. 

Can I cook this vegan pulled pork in an Instant Pot?

Absolutely! It will still take about 20-25 minutes, between the instant pot heating up and pressurizing. However, if that’s easier for you, you absolutely can. Simply follow the settings on your instant pot to cook for 20 minutes. 

Want to save this recipe for later? Add it to your favorite recipe board on Pinterest!

vegan bbq jackfruit pulled pork Pinterest pin

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!

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jackfruit pulled pork sandwich with vegan slaw

Quick & Easy Vegan BBQ Jackfruit Pulled Pork (30 Minutes!)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Britt Berlin
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 25
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 5 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

This quick and easy bbq jackfruit pulled pork is full of smokey flavor and a perfectly tender texture that all eaters love (vegan, vegetarian, and meat-eaters alike)! Ready in under 30 minutes, your entire family will just LOVE this vegan bbq jackfruit pulled pork.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tbsp cooking oil (such as coconut oil)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 14-ounce cans young jackfruit (I use Native Forest)
  • 1 13-ounce jar chickpeas (I use Jovial Foods)
  • 1 batch vegan bbq sauce (yields about 1 3/4 cups)

Instructions

  1. Prep: Make sure that the bbq sauce is prepared and ready to go (takes about 2 minutes to make). Wash and rinse both the young jackfruit and the chickpeas.
  2. Shred the jackfruit: Either with a fork or clean hands, pull apart the young jackfruit pieces into shreds, similar to what pulled pork looks like. Set aside.
  3. Heat: In a medium pot or large skillet, heat the cooking oil on medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic, and continue cooking until fragrant. Reduce the heat to medium, and add in the pulled jackfruit and chickpeas. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, until the jackfruit begins to soften.
  4. Cook: Reduce the heat to simmer. Add in the barbecue sauce, and toss everything together to evenly coat. Cover the pot and allow the jackfruit to cook in the sauce for 20-30 minutes (the longer the better, but it will taste really good after 20 minutes).
  5. Serve: Once the jackfruit pulled pork is cooked, you can serve it on homemade vegan hamburger buns or gluten free vegan hamburger buns, toss in salad, make sandwiches, etc.! Store any leftovers in an airtight container, and in the fridge for up to 4 days. See post for freezing instructions.

Notes

Gluten free: Make sure that all ingredients you use for the bbq sauce are gluten free (the recipe is naturally designed to be gluten free, but that’s dependent on making sure that you’re using the intended ingredients!)

Oil Free: Omit the coconut oil, and cook the garlic in a few tablespoon of water at first.

Onions: If you’d like to make your bbq jackfruit pulled pork even closer to traditional pulled pork, you can add in 1/2 cup sliced onions to Step 3, along with sautéing the garlic.