This one-pot Jackfruit Jambalaya will feel like you've been transported to NOLA. This dish has an exquisite flavor, is very satisfying, and is easy on the waistline. It's vegan, oil-free, gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free.
This vegan jackfruit jambalaya has 16 key ingredients:
- Young (unripe) jackfruit
- Yellow onion
- Garlic
- Celery
- Green bell pepper
- Diced tomatoes (regular or fire roasted)
- Uncooked brown rice
- Chickpeas
- Bay leaves
- Black pepper
- Low sodium vegetable broth
- Creole seasoning (no added salt)
- Apple cider vinegar
- Coconut aminos
- Louisiana hot sauce (or other hot pepper sauce)
- Fresh parsley
For the eight years I lived in Mississippi, I made several trips to New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana for bike races, half marathons, Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest, and other concerts. I've always been a big fan of Cajun and Creole foods, because I love the bold flavors and spices.
Before 2012 (the year I adopted a whole-food, plant-based vegan lifestyle), I'd eat Jambalaya at local restaurants. After that, I stopped eating it. Why? Because there just weren't any restaurants (I could find) that made it plant-based and vegan.
When I came across Jackfruit Jambalaya recipe in Jenne Claiborne's Sweet Potato Soul vegan cookbook, I was excited to try it. You see, Sersie and I have been on this Jackfruit kick for a while. Sersie went live in our Facebook Group. She later whipped up some Sweet and Sassy Jackfruit Salsa.
I went through the recipe in the Sweet Potato Soul cookbook and made some adjustments to make it Daniel Fast compliant. Specifically, I removed the added oil because most of our followers are trying to lose weight. Also, I reduced the sodium and eliminated the added sweeteners.
The day I made this for our cook & chat… girls' night in!—a show Sersie and I host LIVE for our subscribers and Facebook Group—it was gone that day. My husband and mom LOVED it!
How to make this vegan jackfruit jambalaya
The first step in this recipe is to drain and rinse the young (unripe) jackfruit in the brine. The reason for this is it adds a lot of salt to the dish. Too much sodium in the diet isn't good for heart health.
After you drain and rinse the jackfruit, put it into a large mixing bowl. Shred the jackfruit using your hands or a fork by pulling apart the fibers. It should resemble pulled pork or shredded chicken, as shown here:
Preheat a large sauté pan or pot over medium heat. Add onion and dry sauté for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, celery and bell pepper and continue to cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add a splash of water if veggies start to stick.
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Stir in shredded jackfruit, tomatoes, rice, and chickpeas. Make sure it’s well incorporated into the veggie mixture.
Add low sodium vegetable broth, bay leaves and black pepper. Cook with lid ajar for 25 minutes or until rice is almost tender.
Add the Creole seasoning, apple cider vinegar, coconut aminos, and hot sauce, and cook until rice is tender, about 10 to 15 minutes longer.
Taste for seasoning. Serve with fresh chopped parsley and more hot sauce, if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftovers in a covered container the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Yes, this jambalaya freezes well in a meal prep container for up to 3 months. You can either thaw in the refrigerator first or reheat from frozen in the microwave at reduced power.
This nutritious plant-based vegan version of jambalaya is made with diced tomatoes (regular or fire-roasted) and vegetable broth seasoned with Creole spices like paprika, cayenne, onion powder, pepper, thyme, and garlic powder. This flavorful sauce gets infused with rice and jackfruit during cooking.
We hope you love this vegan jackfruit jambalaya recipe. Please rate and leave a comment below. Be sure to share a picture on Instagram and tag us @danielfastrecipes so we can see your creation!
Ultimate Jackfruit Jambalaya (VEGAN, OIL-FREE)
Ingredients
- 1 14- or 20-oz. can young unripe jackfruit in brine, drained and rinsed, or no sodium young (unripe) jackfruit.
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 celery stalks chopped
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 1 14- oz. can of diced tomatoes regular or fire roasted
- 1 cup uncooked brown rice
- 1 15- oz. can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 Tbsp Creole Seasoning with no added salt see below to make your own*
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp coconut aminos
- 1 tsp Louisiana hot sauce or other hot pepper sauce
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Drain and rinse jackfruit. Shred the jackfruit by placing it into a large wide bowl. Use a fork to pull apart the fibers. The texture should look reminiscent of pulled pork or chicken. Set aside.
- Preheat a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and dry sauté for 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, celery, and bell pepper and continue to cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add a splash of water if veggies start to stick.
- Stir in shredded jackfruit, tomatoes, rice, and chickpeas. Make sure it’s well incorporated into the veggie mixture.
- Add low sodium vegetable broth, bay leaves, and black pepper. Cook with lid ajar for 25 minutes or until rice is almost tender.
- Add the Creole seasoning, apple cider vinegar, coconut aminos, and hot sauce, and cook until rice is tender, about 10 to 15 minutes longer.
- Taste for seasoning. Serve with fresh chopped parsley and more hot sauce, if desired. Enjoy immediately!
Notes
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp white pepper
½ tsp cayenne pepper Leftovers/Meal Prep: Leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
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Gigi
Great flavor and easy to make. I love that this is oil free.
Lee
Oh yes, forgot to add, we are also substituting the Jack fruit with Vegan sausage, again, for no particular reason other than to use what we have already. It was great with the Jack fruit too. We just don't want the sausage to go bad, hehehe.
Lee
My girlfriend and I made this a couple weeks ago as of 7-29-23 and we liked it, me more than her. We're just going to add a small can of tomato sauce (or 2) and substitute the chickpeas for black or kidney beans, for NO particular reason other than because we have so many beans to get rid of (I buy bulk) and it will be good to get good use out of them. The sauce is to make it a bit more ... red? I guess? We decided to make the "homemade" edition of the seasoning. Good stuffs. 🙂
Overall it was great though. Thank you for the recipe