With roots in Ashkenazi Jewish traditions and a modern foothold in southern American barbecue circles, brisket is an omnivore favorite. Fortunately, if you’re plant based, you can still enjoy all the delicious flavors and textures associated with brisket thanks to the wonder of jackfruit. Our Vegan Jackfruit Brisket Stew is made with deliciously seasoned and roasted jackfruit, hearty veggies, and a rich broth. This mouthwatering meal is a little on the involved side, but we promise it’s oh-so-worth it.

What’s inside

Canned jackfruit: this large Southeast Asian fruit has become a plant based darling in Western cooking. Its neutral flavor and shredded texture means it’s perfect for substituting meat in all kinds of dishes. We recommend purchasing canned young or unripe jackfruit packed in water or brine. Don’t get the mature or ripe variety, it won’t work for this. We include prep instructions below.

Mushrooms: we prefer cremini mushrooms for their uniform size, pleasant texture, and meaty flavor, but you can use almost any variety of mushrooms if you prefer something different.

Vegan Jackfruit Brisket Stew ingredients

Potatoes: a must for most stews. We prefer red potatoes because they can be simmered for a long time without falling apart. You can use Yukon gold potatoes or russets in a pinch, but they may change the overall texture of the stew.

Vegetable broth: if you’re purchasing your broth, we recommend getting a low-sodium, oil-free variety if you can. You’re also welcome to use traditional homemade broth or whip up a batch using our Vegetable Bouillon Powder.

Soy sauce: we love layering this in with other seasonings to achieve complex flavors. Definitely opt for low-sodium. If you avoid gluten, be sure to purchase tamari or a gluten-free variety.

Vegan Worcestershire sauce: another layer of flavor and complexity. Traditional Worcestershire sauce has fish in the ingredients, so grab a vegan brand. You can also find vegan gluten-free brands, but you may need to purchase online.

Smoked paprika powder: this seasoning is all about adding a delicious smoky flavor to our dish. We don’t recommend skipping it, but you can substitute it with a few drops of liquid smoke if you prefer.

Brown rice flour: this thickener is made by grinding brown rice, so it has the benefit of being minimally processed and gluten-free. It can be found in health food stores and many conventional supermarkets, but you can substitute 1:1 with whole grain flour if you don’t have any. Check out our full list of specialty ingredients with handy Amazon links if you’re getting your plant based pantry stocked.

Let’s make Vegan Jackfruit Brisket Stew

We’re going to roast our jackfruit before we make the stew. If you’d like, you can roast your jackfruit one day and assemble your stew another.

Roast your jackfruit

Get your oven heating to 400ºF (205ºC) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Drain and rinse the jackfruit, then pull apart the larger pieces with your hands and begin shredding the softer bits. It’s fine if there are some seed pods, they’re edible. You can use a knife to finely chop the seed pods and any firm parts you couldn’t shred by hand. If you prefer, you can use a knife to chop everything, the texture will be finer and less brisket-like.

Set a skillet over medium heat and allow it to warm for a few minutes. Once it’s hot, add your mushrooms, onions, and garlic. Sauté until beginning to soften, about five minutes. The mushrooms will release water as they cook so you shouldn’t need to add any at this point.

Stir in the shredded jackfruit and continue to cook, stirring often, for about 10 more minutes. You can add a splash of water if things start to stick.

While your jackfruit is cooking, put all of your sauce ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk until super smooth. Be sure any remnants of mustard or tomato paste are broken up.

Transfer the contents of the skillet to your baking sheet and spread into a single layer. Do not add the sauce yet.

Roast for 10 minutes and then remove from the oven. Pour the sauce over your jackfruit and stir well to make everything is coated evenly. Spread into a single layer again and return to the oven for 10 more minutes.

plant based kosher Jackfruit Brisket Stew

Remove from the oven and either set aside while you begin to prepare the stew or allow to cool before storing in the fridge.

Time for stew

Set a stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat and allow it to warm.

Grab a mixing bowl and whisk together the broth, water, tomato paste, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce, then set aside.

To your pot, add the potatoes, onions, celery, carrots, and garlic. Sauté, stirring often, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add a splash of water if things begin to stick.

Add the brown rice flour, thyme, onion powder, black pepper, and salt and stir to coat everything for about a minute. Increase the heat to medium-high and slowly pour in the broth mixture you set aside earlier. Whisk to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, place a lid on the pot at an angle, and simmer, stirring often, until the sauce is thickened and the potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes.

Finally, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the spinach, beans, roasted jackfruit mixture, and red wine vinegar.

Fill your bowls with this hearty and satisfying stew and enjoy!

Storage info and serving ideas

Your Vegan Jackfruit Brisket Stew will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. If you choose to roast your jackfruit on a different day than you make the stew, it will keep for up to five days in the fridge.

This stew is delicious alone or served with a side salad. We also love it with our Pom-ocado Toast for a fresh and flavorful twist or with a Super Easy Plant Powered Sandwich.

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