From the Food Revolution Summit 2024
Jackfruit Carnitas Pizza is a great plant-based recipe to help transition to plants with ease. It’s piled high with shredded Mexican-spiced jackfruit, sweet pineapple, red onion, and jalapeño for just a bit of heat. This pizza tastes just like you are biting into a smoky meat lover pizza — except it’s all plants! Jackfruit mimics the texture of meat and takes on any flavors you add to it, making it a versatile ingredient that is perfect for a “meaty” pizza that is better for your health and the health of the environment.
Serves: 2
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
Spice Blend
1 Tbsp ground cumin
2 tsps chili powder
1 tsp paprika (smoked or regular)
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp salt (optional)
¼ tsp ground black pepper (optional)
1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
Veggie Sauté
1 cup yellow onions (sliced)
1 cup organic red pepper (sliced)
2 cups mushrooms (sliced)
2 cups jackfruit (fresh and pulled or BPA-free canned and drained, see Chef’s Notes)
2 Tbsps lime juice (freshly squeezed)
2 tsps organic tamari (reduced-sodium, or coconut aminos)
¾ cup vegetable broth (unsalted, preferably homemade)
Pizza
2 8-inch organic whole grain tortillas
½ cup pineapple (chopped; fresh, frozen, or canned in its own juice and drained)
¼ cup red onion (raw, diced)
2 organic jalapeño (optional, seeded and diced)
¼ cup cilantro (chopped)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Make the spice blend: Add all of the spices into a small bowl, stir, and set aside.
Make the veggie sauté: Heat the onions, peppers, and mushrooms in a large stovetop pot over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the onions become translucent, about 3–4 minutes.
Turn the heat down to medium and add the jackfruit, lime juice, and tamari. Stir well and cook for an additional minute.
Stir in the spices and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer, cover ¾ of the way, and cook until all of the liquid has been absorbed, about 5–7 minutes. (Stir and check on the amount of liquid left after about 3 minutes.)
Meanwhile, place your tortillas on a baking sheet.
Assemble the pizza: Once the veggie sauté is ready, divide it between the two tortillas, laying it out evenly on top of the tortillas.
Divide the pineapple, red onion, and jalapeño (if using) between the two pizzas.
Bake for 10–12 minutes until the tortillas are crispy around the edges.
Let the pizza sit for 5 minutes before cutting into pieces (or serving it whole and folding it in half!). Sprinkle cilantro on top, if desired.
Chef’s Notes
Substitutions
Substitute yellow onion, white onion, or shallots for the red onion.
Use green, yellow, or orange bell peppers in place of red bell peppers.
For the mushroom, use cremini, white button, portobello, or other mushroom of choice.
Substitute chives for cilantro.
Flour-free
Use hardy vegetables in place of tortillas, such as thinly sliced eggplant or squash. These can be baked as above. Or, go raw and use large leafy greens or cabbage as your tortilla.
Finding Jackfruit
If you cannot find fresh jackfruit in the grocery store, look for canned jackfruit. It will say “young jackfruit,” meaning it’ll not yet be fully ripe, making it an ideal substitute for meat in recipes. It should also be canned in brine and not syrup.
Prep Ahead
Make the spice blend ahead of time and store in an airtight container in a cool dark place for up to one month before making this recipe.
Make the veggie sauté ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before making this recipe.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
