crispy salsa verde jackfruit tacos

Let’s have a spicy Tuesday, shall we?

I tell you what, we really, really need rain. Desperately. My allergies have been untamed for weeks now and I think that’s largely what’s causing my running issues. I wake up feeling like I’m choking on phlegm. Real nice mental image, eh?

Whatever happened to “April showers bring May flowers?” More like “April droughts bring allergy bouts.” I swear I didn’t struggle so hard with allergies before last year: the occasional sniffle, sure, but not that whole leaping out of bed and suffocating sensation.

I feel like in most of my recipe posts I go off on a tangent about my various health conundrums – oh wow, I spelled that right on the first try, I usually don’t – but oh well. It’s better to me than launching into an irrelevant and repetitive speech about how goooOOOOOooD this recipe is, and that it’s the best ever, etc. etc. etc.

I will say, though…these tacos are really lovely. A bit of heat, a lot of cheese, all stuffed into a crispy tortilla with jackfruit and black beans as the stars. I love jackfruit but lately haven’t wanted to use it by itself, so adding beans gives these Crispy Salsa Verde Jackfruit Tacos a bit of heft you might otherwise miss.

Hard tortilla shells are where it’s at lately as far as my taco life goes. They just feel like a proper indulgence, and typically hold up much better than unbaked tortilla shells. Though I love those too, don’t get me wrong. My moods have leaned to the Crunchy side, though.

The final touch of these tacos is my favorite salty avocado crema, which uses only four ingredients but adds more to the humble dish than simply slicing up avocado. I almost always have a batch in my fridge, and thanks to the lime juice the crema doesn’t turn brown like plain mashed avo. Sweet deal.

You Don’t Know Jack

Not yet, anyway, because I haven’t started writing. You soon will.

A few tidbits about the jackfruit. I always drain the cans first and let them kind of hang out in the colander while I chop up onion and toss the spices together. I’m one of those mise en place folks who puts all my shit into little pinch bowls. Hey, it’s easier that way!

When you’re ready to proceed, shred the jackfruit between your fingers so it resembles pulled meat. Whether you pick out the pods or not is up to you – I usually do because they’re a bit disruptive and don’t cook down as well as the rest of the fruit. If you miss a few in your shredded adventures, they won’t hurt to eat, so don’t worry.

Warm up your skillet with some olive oil and saute a bit of onion, then stir in chipotle chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin. Add the jackfruit and cook a few minutes to dry it out, then pour in your choice salsa verde and a little water. I used a nice and spicy hatch chile jar because I like a little bit of tastebud abuse, but you can grab a milder one if you don’t like so much of a punch in the noggen.

Simmer the jackfruit about 10 minutes until most of the liquid cooks out, then toss in a can of black beans. If you feel like your skillet needs a little salt and pepper, add it now. I usually sprinkle a touch.

Crispy, But Not Cocoa

If you’re in a pinch, buy some good hard taco shells for your dish. I usually make my own since there seems to be a bag of yellow corn tortillas lying around at all times. The recipe card outlines the process. If you choose that route, I’d recommend making them before you start the rest of the recipe.

Stuff your tortilla shells with the jackfruit mixture and lots of cheese. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 425 until melty and bubbly.

I’ve been really digging my avocado crema lately, and whip it up while the tacos bake. All you need is some avocados, lime juice, plain Greek yogurt (sour cream is nifty, too) and salt. Chuck that shit in a food processor and whip until real creamy and silky.

Taco toppings are always an individual endeavor, so if you have a preference for one thing over another, feel free to make some swaps. For these dudes, I like some shredded romaine, the crema, cilantro, and of course those pretty little pickled red onions. Perpetual inhabitant of my shelves, too.

These guys are enjoyable on a speedy weeknight or a slow weekend. Everything is easy to find, or already exists in your pantry. Not that I’ve been through your pantry or anything. Or have I…?

Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!

Elevate your Taco Tuesday:

Crispy Chipotle Tempeh and Black Bean Tacos with Salty Avocado Crema

Crispy Jerk Shrimp Tacos with Coconut Pineapple Salsa

Crispy Buffalo Jackfruit Tacos

Crispy Teriyaki Cauliflower Tacos