This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
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.
Have you all heard of Brush with Bamboo? Brush with bamboo is an eco-friendly toothbrush with bio-degradable bamboo handles, bpa free bristles, and completely compostable packaging.
Over 4.7 billion plastic toothbrushes that will never biodegrade are dumped in landfills and oceans every year worldwide! These toothbrushes and parts pose a huge plastic pollution problem for the environment. We use so many brushes in our lifetime, that this one change to a sustainable eco friendly option will make a difference.
Today, the amazing team at Brush with Bamboo is giving away a bunch of brushes to the blog readers (US only)! 4 winners will each get a 2 pack set of brushes! to Enter, please leave a comment on the post about your opinion on plastic brushes. Ends July 1
You can also buy some right now! Use code “veganricha” on brushwithbamboo.com to get 10% off + Free Shipping on your order!! Or find a local retailer here.
Meanwhile, we continue with the regular post of these fantastic jackfruit balls.
Jackfruit Meatballs Tacos
Ingredients
For the jackfruit:
- 20 oz can jackfruit, drained (green jackfruit in brine), or about 2 cups pelled chopped green jackfruit
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
For the Veggie balls:
- 1 cup chickpea flour
- 1 hot green chili, finely chopped or use cayenne to taste
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 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 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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
We are giving away Brush with Bamboo toothbrushes on this post to 4 people(US only)! To Enter, please leave a comment on the post about your opinion on plastic brushes.
You can buy some to use right now! Use code “veganricha” on brushwithbamboo.com to get 10% off + Free Shipping on your order.
You know where else plastic toothbrushes end up, our oceans. And with toothbrushes being replaced 3 to 4 times a year, that really adds up! Down with plastic, up with bamboo!
I recently finished changing most of everything we use at home from plastic to glass and such. Happy I did that after researching a while back.Changing our toothbrushes would be one of the last and great things to do! Thank you for doing this giveaway and giving opportunity to win these xxxxxx
Considering how many toothbrushes are disposed of by one person if replacing every 3 months over a lifetime…multiplied by a significant number or worldwide toothbrush user…it is interesting to learn of a more ecologically and environmentally friendly alternative…BAMBOO!
Looks like an interesting product to check out!
Wow – I’m ashamed to say I’ve never thought about the waste created by plastic toothbrushes. And I didn’t know there was another option. Thanks!!
I can’t wait to try this recipe and try using a bamboo toothbrush. I try to reduce my carbon footprint in every way I can
What a fantastic product. I had no idea there was any alternative to the plastic brushes. Thank you for the information, and the giveaway! 🙂
Very cool and thanks for bringing it to our attention! I amvry excited to try the bamboo toothbrushes.
I don’t have the faintest idea what jackfruit is!? I don’t know what it looks like…. I recently made tacos that I stuffed whit your lentil kidney bean chili, some fresh lettuce, homemade guacamole and salsa to go with it and it was so delicious!
😀
So I finally started cooking from your book. I made the Rajma with Pea Pulao. And it tasted soooo good. I couldn’t get over the taste of the kidney bean curry, so delicious.
🙂
Good to know about the toothbrushes! ♡
its big green fruit that is fibrous. https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Jackfruit 🙂
Yay for cooking from the book! so glad you loved the rajma and pulao!
Thank you for the link. I had never seen it before and I don’t think it’s available here. But I have learned something new! 😀
My brother and sister in law are visiting this weekend (from Holland). I think I am going to cook a couple of recipes from your book for them. They aren’t vegan and I want to show them that vegan food tastes good! I think my sister in law is curious about veganism, because she’s always asking questions about how do you do this and how did you make that, what’s in it… you know. Who knows, maybe she’ll jump on the vegan bandwagon 😉 😉 She is the only one in my family who shows interest and is open to it… 🙂
thats awesome! vegan food is just general food and tasty vegan food helps them see that. Good luck for all the cooking during the visit!