Jackfruit Veggie Ball Tacos or Subs. Use these “meatballs” anywhere! Vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, yeast-free, nut-free recipe.
Jackfruit has been the in thing for a while this year. Shredded young jackfruit, smothered in any thick sauces like bbq, served with the toppings of choice! Jackfruit, also called “Kathal” in hindi has been used in many forms in Indian food. It was already called the vegetarian meat way back when Mom would make a jackfruit based saucy curry. This humble vegetable is getting its due.
I wanted to use jackfruit in some other form, so I made it into these veggie balls! Just 2 main ingredients. Jackfruit and chickpea flour, plus of course loads of spices. Serve these with marinara or other sauces and melt some vegan cheese over it!
Young green jackfruit pieces are boiled in water with some spices to soften and infuse with flavor. Then they are shredded and mixed with roasted chickpea flour, more spices, garlic and ginger and made into balls. These balls can be pan fried or baked. I prefer the pan fried as they stay more moist. I was out of sub sandwiches, so I made these into tacos. These Jackfruit balls made fantastic veggie ball subs, or veggie balls to serve over pasta and more.
More fun recipes from the blog
- Vegan Tinga bowl with Hearts of Palm, Chickpeas, Spanish…
- Vegan Mummy Dogs. Veggie Potato Masala Cutlets Recipe
- Pulled Butternut Squash Tacos. Vegan Glutenfree Recipe
Oh yes “meatballs”. The most often searched term even if searching for veggie version is “veggie meatball” not veggie ball. These certain terms have to be used to get people to the post. So everyone vegan or not can find a veggie ball recipe! Meat doesn’t mean animal. Its a term also used for any internal stuff of other things, like coconut meat.
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Meanwhile, we continue with the regular post of these fantastic jackfruit balls.
Jackfruit Meatballs Tacos
Ingredients
For the jackfruit:
- 20 oz (566.99 g) can jackfruit drained (green jackfruit in brine), or about 2 cups pelled chopped green jackfruit
- 2 cups (500 ml) water
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) salt
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) garlic powder
For the Veggie balls:
- 1 cup (120 g) chickpea flour
- 1 hot green chili finely chopped or use cayenne to taste
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) garam masala
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) paprika
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) cumin powder
- 1/3 to 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp finely chopped mint optional or cilantro, or use 1/2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) lemon juice
- 1.5 tbsp garlic paste or crushed garlic
- 1 tbsp ginger paste or grated ginger
- 1 tsp oil + more as needed
Instructions
- For the jackfruit: Combine all the ingredients (jackfruit + water + spices) in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. about 6 minutes. Cook for another 6 to 7 minutes. Total 14 minutes.
- Cool slightly, drain and keep aside.
- For the Veggie Balls: Meanwhile, dry roast 1 cup of chickpea flour in a large skillet over medium low heat. Stir every 2 minutes. about 7 to 8 minutes. or dry roast over medium heat and stir every 30 seconds to avoid burning. 4 to 5 minutes. The flour should start to smell nutty and change color slightly. Keep aside.
- Using a fork or a food processor shred the boiled and drained jackfruit. Add the spices, ginger, garlic, oil and mix well. Add 3/4 cup chickpea flour and mix well. Add a tbsp flour at a time until the mixture starts to come together, not too sticky, but also not dry. Oil your hands and Shape the mixture by pressing lightly into 1 inch balls.
- To pan fry, add 1 to 2 tsp oil in a skillet and heat over medium high heat. When hot, add the jackfruit balls and pan fry for 1-2 minutes on all sides. (total 6 to 7 minutes).
- To Bake: Preheat the oven to 410 degrees F / 210ºc. Place the shaped balls on parchment lined baking sheet. Brush oil on top. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes.
- I like these balls pan-fried. Serve with marinara and vegan mozzarella in sub sandwich or tacos or over pasta.
Notes
Nutrition
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Briar
We make these into sausages, easier to fry than balls, and they are the best vegan sausages we’ve tried!
Vegan Richa Support
Thanks for sharing!
Julie Bodnick
Made these last night along with your instant pot ziti with tomato marinara. Dinner was a hit. The pasta was delicious and so easy and fast and the jack fruit meatballs were also extremely good. The only reason I gave the recipe a 4 instead of a 5 was that I thought the meatballs could have been a little more flavorful and they had more of a creamy consistency than a meatball consistency and I would have liked a different texture. That said, I actually would make both recipes again and I might make two changes. I would appreciate your thoughts on my changes to get the desired result. When I drained the jackfruit, I noticed a lot of spice remaining in the colander and I didn’t add it to the mixture. I’m thinking that if I did, there would have been more flavor to the meatballs. And second, I made the whole batch in the food processor and I’m thinking I might have gotten a better texture if I shredded the jack fruit and just mixed everything in a bowl. Is that what you do?
Vegan Richa Support
they had a creamy consistency because you used the food processor – so you could try chopping with a knife for more texture, or yes, shredding by hand alternatively. if you like it more spicy just up the garam masala to 1tsp or a little more when mixing the balls or also when cooking the jackfruit.
ahmed
reminds me of indian delights cookbook 🙂
Ben
Never done jackfruit before should I take out the seeds before or after?
Richa
If you are using canned jackfruit then that generally has tender seeds that are edible. If they are too hard then remove them before cooking.
Ama
I really liked the jackfruit tacos! I tried jackfruit one other time from a different author’s cookbook, and for me, they were so hyper-seasoned I didn’t enjoy them, but these were perfect. I didn’t have marinara so topped them with a spicy cashew sauce and stuffed the tacos with lots of crunch lettuce. Went out and got more jackfruit today so I can make them again. Thanks Richa!
Richa
awesome!!
Sonya
I couldnt seem to find anyone with the question whether or not jackfruit meatballs can be frozen successfully? Most posters only seem to care about the free bamboo toothbrush.. Thank you for posting your recipe if you know if these can be frozen please do tell me =)
Richa
Yes they should work fine frozen. Freeze on a tray and when frozen, put in an airtight box or ziplock.
Sonya
Thank you.
Mari Lu
I can’t wait to try this recipe! I delight in the wonders of jackfruit. Thank you Richa for your always wonderful recipes as well as the golden drops of knowledge you leave us with. No more plastic-based toothbrushes for me. 🙂
Beth
Toothbrushes are just more plastic for the landfills. It’s one of those things we forget about. Bamboo is a great alternative!
Shannon
These are so good, I have been meaning to try jack fruit for a while as meat substitute and I think I saw this link on Buzzfeed. Thank you, and served over homemade pasta sauce. I used fresh ground cashew powder as I did not have chickpea flour here.
Richa
Awesome! thanks!
Sam ~ it doesn't taste like chicken
Oh, I love making Pulled Jackfruit Sandwiches, but I have never thought of making jackfruit into jackfruit-balls! Yum!!
Sarah L
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Stephanie Davis
i never really considered that plastic toothbrushes would be bad for the environment. i’d love to try out bamboo brushes!
Tracy Ewing
I would rather be using biodegradable brushes.
Saniel
Plastic never disintegrates. Went to a exhibit on plastic (GYRE The Plastic Ocean) , it was interesting what was recovered from waters all over the world. I will be more responsible about how I consume and purchase plastic products. No more plastic bags, straws, water bottles, toothbrushes etc. Thanks
Yoojin
brush with bamboo is such a great idea. i agree, plastic is so wasteful and unnecessary when they can be replaced with other materials like bamboo!!
sarah
they are so awful for your teeth! the enamel just wears away
Jenn L
I received a bamboo brush as a sample from somewhere awhile ago. I love it! Now I just need to switch over my fiance’s. If I don’t win, I’m definitely purchasing!
Jennai
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Jennifer
I, like most people, don’t think too much about what happens to toothbrushes after we use them. It is hard not to since we get them for free from dentists, and they can be so cheap in stores. But I try and get some of the recycled toothbrushes whenever I can. I haven’t tried bamboo yet, but it seems like a great options, and looks pretty too!
Chely
I wasn’t aware of the existence of bamboo toothbrushes. And most biodegradable brushes use animal derived bristles. Thanks for the info.
serwis
These meatballs tacos looks delicious, I should try to make them by myself 🙂
Amy Katz
I would love to try a bamboo toothbrush. I never really thought about what happens to regular toothbrushes after they are discarded.
Jessica P.
It’s ridiculous and scary sometimes when you stop to think of all the little things we use everyday that uses plastic!
Maggie
Bamboo is here to save us! Plus it’s so pretty–like your food!
Jade
I never new. For years now I have been eating with bamboo mostly because I can’t stand the taste of silverware. But bamboo toothbrush amazing. Hook a girl up!! I gotta try these out. Plus these would be awesome for camping.
Fareeha - faskitchen
Oh, I so hate the use of plastic toothbrushes.. Never felt good using it, i rather use the miswak stick always.. Ur jackfruit meatballs are out of the world.. amazing imagination
Jenn F
Learn something new everyday, I honestly never thought about the impact of toothbrushes on the environment. Just one of those things you don’t realize. I think these bamboo ones sound great though and would be awesome to try them out. Thanks for the giveaway!
Johanna
Preserve makes toothbrushes that you can send back to them so they recycle, but it’s still plastic right? bamboo would be verybamboo
Richa
i used preserve for a few years. These are definitely a better option with the biodegradable and sustainable bamboo. i hope they get the exposure and business so they start making other size brushes as well!
Natasha Ponda
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Jodie Holyoak
I try and be as Eco as possible and toothbrushes just didn’t occur to me! D’uh.
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Peace and love ✌