Vegan jackfruit sliders are an easy plant-based snack or light meal made with young green jackfruit, barbecue-style sauce, and crunchy vegan coleslaw. The jackfruit turns soft and shred-like after cooking, making it perfect for sliders, sandwiches, or sloppy joes. You can make this recipe with fresh young jackfruit or canned jackfruit in brine, which is easier to find in many supermarkets.
Green jackfruit, also called kathal, is commonly used in savoury Indian recipes. I often use it in jackfruit curry, jackfruit biryani, and jackfruit pickle. For these vegan jackfruit sliders, the same young green jackfruit is cooked with onion, garlic, soy sauce, tomato, seasoning, and vegan barbecue sauce until it becomes soft, saucy, and easy to pile into buns.
This recipe is also a good option when you want something filling but do not want to shape patties. The saucy jackfruit filling is simply spooned into toasted slider buns and topped with fresh vegan coleslaw. Serve these sliders with air fryer french fries, easy vegan soups, or a simple salad.
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Why this recipe works
Young green jackfruit has a neutral taste and a naturally shreddy texture, so it absorbs sauces well. Cooking it with onions, garlic, soy sauce, tomato, and barbecue sauce gives it a rich savoury flavour. The creamy coleslaw adds crunch and freshness, which balances the saucy jackfruit inside the slider buns.
I also like this recipe because it works with both fresh young jackfruit and canned jackfruit in brine. Fresh jackfruit needs steaming first, while canned jackfruit only needs draining, rinsing, and squeezing before cooking.
Jackfruit recipes
Jackfruit is quite filling and works well in many savoury recipes. I remember seeing fresh jackfruit in Indian markets, where vendors would cut it into pieces to make cooking easier at home. In Melbourne, I do not always find fresh young jackfruit easily, so I often use canned jackfruit in brine for recipes like these sliders.
If you enjoy this recipe, you may also like my jackfruit curry, jackfruit biryani, and kathal ka achar.
Equipment
- Saucepan or deep skillet
- Fork or potato masher to shred the jackfruit
- Mandolin slicer or grater for the coleslaw
- Grill pan, tawa, or skillet for toasting the buns
Ingredients
You only need simple ingredients to make these vegan jackfruit sliders. Use fresh young jackfruit if available, or canned young green jackfruit in brine for a quicker version.
- Olive oil
- Red onion
- Garlic cloves or garlic powder
- Young green jackfruit, fresh or canned in brine
- Tomatoes, tomato puree, or tomato paste
- Soy sauce
- Vegan barbecue sauce
- Chipotle seasoning, smoked paprika, or garam masala
- Water, as needed
- Salt
- Vegan slider buns or small burger buns
Vegan coleslaw
- Grated carrots
- Pickled cabbage or fresh cabbage
- Lettuce
- Spinach or any greens
- Vegan mayonnaise
- Apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar, optional
Instructions
How to make vegan coleslaw?
- Add the grated carrots, cabbage, lettuce, spinach, or any greens to a mixing bowl.
- Add vegan mayonnaise. For a lighter version, use apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar instead. Toss everything until the vegetables are lightly coated.
How to make vegan jackfruit sliders?
- If using fresh young green jackfruit, steam it for 10-12 minutes or until tender. If using canned jackfruit in brine, drain, rinse well, and gently squeeze out excess water before using.
- Once the jackfruit is tender, shred it lightly using a fork or your hands so it looks like pulled jackfruit. Remove any hard seed covers if needed.
- Heat oil in a deep skillet. Add onions and garlic and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until the onions soften and lose their raw smell.
- Add the shredded jackfruit and salt. Mix well so the jackfruit is coated with the onion-garlic base.
- Add soy sauce, vegan barbecue sauce, tomato puree or paste, and the seasoning. Mix well. Add a splash of water if the mixture looks dry.
- Cook for 8-10 minutes on low to medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the jackfruit absorbs the sauce and becomes soft, juicy, and slightly sticky.
- Turn off the heat. Taste and adjust salt, spice, or barbecue sauce if needed.
Serving suggestion
- Toast the slider buns on a skillet or grill pan. Add warm saucy jackfruit on the bottom bun, top with vegan coleslaw, and serve immediately before the buns turn soggy.
- Serve with air fryer french fries, salad, or soup.
Some people also call these vegan pulled jackfruit sliders or jackfruit sloppy joes. I do not eat meat, but I like how young jackfruit gives a soft, shreddy texture that works well in this kind of sandwich.
Tips for canned jackfruit
Use canned young green jackfruit in brine, not ripe jackfruit in syrup. Ripe jackfruit is sweet and does not work well for savoury sliders. Drain the canned jackfruit, rinse it well, and squeeze out extra brine before cooking. This helps remove the salty taste and allows the sauce to coat the jackfruit better.
Substitutions
You can use canned jackfruit instead of fresh jackfruit. If using canned jackfruit, skip the steaming step and start by draining, rinsing, and shredding it. You can use tomato paste instead of tomato puree for a thicker filling. If the mixture becomes too thick, add a splash of water while cooking.
Variations
You can change the sauce and seasoning depending on the flavour you want. Use chipotle seasoning or smoked paprika for a smoky BBQ-style filling. Use garam masala for a more Indian-style jackfruit filling. Add sriracha or chilli powder if you prefer it spicy. You can also add Dijon mustard for a tangy flavour.
Use the filling inside slider buns, burger buns, toasted bread, wraps, or English muffins. If you want another vegan sandwich-style recipe, try these vegan lentil sloppy joes or vegan hot dogs.
Storage and reheating
Store leftover jackfruit filling separately from the buns and coleslaw. Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat it in a pan with a splash of water until warm. Assemble the sliders only when ready to serve so the buns stay firm.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Do not use ripe jackfruit in syrup, as it is sweet and not suitable for savoury sliders.
- Do not skip rinsing canned jackfruit, or the filling may taste too salty.
- Do not make the filling too watery, as it can make the slider buns soggy.
- Do not assemble the sliders too early. Add the jackfruit and coleslaw just before serving.
Related links
Vegan jackfruit sliders recipe | jackfruit sloppy joes recipe
Equipment
- saucepan
- Grater or mandolin slicer
- grill pan or skillet for buns
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp. oil
- 1 red onion medium
- 1 garlic clove crushed
- 300 gms jackfruit pieces if you use the canned one in brine(500 gm can yields in 300 gm young jack fruit pieces)
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon barbecue spice or seasoning of your choice (eg chipotle ).adjust as per your choice of spicyness
- 2 tablespoon barbeque sauce or as per taste, balance as per salt in Soy sauce
Vegan coleslaw (optional)
- ¼ cup grated carrots
- ¼ cup purple cabbage
- ¼ cup lettuce
- 2 tbsp. vegan mayonnaise Apple cider/balsamic vinegar/ or refer to this link for vegan tofu mayo
Instructions
Vegan coleslaw
- Take the freshly chopped ingredients in a bowl
- Add vegan mayo and toss the coleslaw.
Vegan jackfruit pulled pork
- Take the fresh jackfruit pieces, steam the jackfruit for 10 minutes or until tender.Once steamed, it can be broken down easily.
- Heat oil in a pan. Add onions and garlic to it. Sauté until onion turns pink. Generally takes 2-4 mins.
- Add the jackfruit pieces to the mix with salt
- Add the Soy sauce with spices and barbeque sauce
- Cook for few minutes until the sauces have mixed
- You can add little water and cook if the jackfruit does not look to be completely cooked and you want it more soft.
- Turn off the heat. serve it with slider buns
Serving suggestion
- Heat buns on the grill. Add a topping of pulled jackfruit along with fresh coleslaw.
Notes
FAQs
Yes, canned young green jackfruit in brine works well for sliders. Drain, rinse, and squeeze out excess brine before cooking so the filling does not taste too salty or watery.
No, ripe yellow jackfruit is sweet and is usually used in desserts or eaten as fruit. For savoury vegan jackfruit sliders, use young green jackfruit or canned jackfruit in brine.
Yes, the jackfruit filling can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat it in a pan with a splash of water before assembling the sliders.
Toast the buns before adding the filling and assemble the sliders just before serving. Keep the jackfruit filling, buns, and coleslaw separate until you are ready to eat.
Jackfruit is useful in vegan recipes because of its texture, but it is not a high-protein ingredient like tofu, beans, or lentils. Serve these sliders with a protein-rich side if you want a more balanced meal.
Fresh jackfruit can be sticky because of its sap. Oil the knife and your hands, or use gloves before cutting. You can also buy pre-cut young jackfruit or use canned young jackfruit in brine for convenience.
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