Carmelized Pineapple Tabasco Dip/Quesadilla/Taquito Filling – WFPB – Vegan

After discovering the amazing chicken-like qualities of canned jackfruit in this totally delicious Buffalo Jackfruit dip, I knew when I saw this recipe for chicken and cheese quesadillas that I could create a plant-based version that was every bit as delicious and more versatile and delicious. If you’re not familiar with jackfruit, it’s grown in tropical areas and has a neutral flavor and stringy texture that closely resembles shredded chicken when prepared properly. Jackfruit is full of vitamins and minerals and may improve digestion, fight cancer and boost energy levels. ¹ But even if you’re not ready to venture into the world of chicken-like tropical fruits, this dip is also delicious with simply a can of beans. 

Where Do I Buy Jackfruit?

I’ve seen whole jackfruits in my local health food store, but the funny-looking and watermelon-size fruits are about $25 each, and I wasn’t quite ready to risk that much on my tropical fruit picking skills. The good news is that it comes canned in a salty brine, and with minimal preparation is ready to add to your recipes. I buy this one, which is usually a little less than $3/can at my local store (near the canned chili). A friend told me she found it in the Kroger health food section, so keep your eyes open.

For this recipe, you’ll need canned pineapple (although if you’re not a pineapple person you can skip and it will still be delicious), a can of jackfruit, hot sauce (my personal favorite is Chipotle Tabasco), tofu, cashews, and a few seasonings. I think that baking the mixture as a dip produces the best-developed flavor and all requires the least hands-on time. But this mixture also works nicely as a vegan filling for quesadillas, taquitos and the like.

I’ve made it at a mildly spicy level so the kids can enjoy, and let’s be honest, we’re not exactly “burn a hole through your stomach” type spicy people, but feel free to adjust the spiciness to taste. Just start small, especially if you are using another hot sauce that may have a more potent kick than the Chipotle Tabasco, which is slightly less spicy than traditional Tabasco.

So all you’ll do is start by soaking your cashews in some hot water and caramelizing your pineapple. I used just a small amount of oil in the pan here and left the well-drained pineapple on about medium low. Take a little peek every few minutes, and when the pineapple has browned, flip it and brown the other side. 

Meanwhile, drain, rinse and shred your jackfruit. I can’t tell you how much I love this tomato knife for this and most kitchen jobs. It’s the best $4.99 knife I’ve ever used!

Add tofu, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, seasonings, water, and drained cashews to your blender jar. Blend until smooth and add more Tabasco if desired. Combine sauce with caramelized pineapple and shredded jackfruit and bake at 400 for 30-35 minutes. And just like that, you’ll have a delicious dip that is quick and healthy enough for a weeknight dinner but tasty enough for a holiday party. 

We loved it with these sweet potato crackers from Costco. But truly it tastes good on anything, including a fork or a finger . . .

What are your favorite party foods?

Print Recipe

Carmelized Pineapple Tabasco Dip/Quesadilla/Taquito Filling - WFPB - Vegan - Oil-Free

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

30-35 minutes

Servings

servings

Ingredients

• 1 20 oz can pineapple, crushed or tidbits drained; reserve juice for another use
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• 1 14 oz can jackfruit in brine, drained can substitute canned beans
• 1 cup cashews
• 7 oz firm or extra firm tofu half of standard size tofu container
• 1 cup water reduce to 1/2 cup if using as filling
• 3 TBSP lemon juice
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 TBSP garlic powder
• 1 TBSP onion powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 TBSP Chipotle Tabasco or your favorite hot sauce, more to taste

Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 30-35 minutes Servings servings Ingredients 1 20 oz can pineapple, crushed or tidbits drained; reserve juice for another use 1 tsp coconut oil 1 14 oz can jackfruit in brine, drained can substitute canned beans 1 cup cashews 7 oz firm or extra firm tofu half of standard size tofu container 1 cup water reduce to 1/2 cup if using as filling 3 TBSP lemon juice 1/3 cup nutritional yeast 1 TBSP garlic powder 1 TBSP onion powder 1/2 tsp salt 1 TBSP Chipotle Tabasco or your favorite hot sauce, more to taste

Instructions

1. Soak cashews in 1 cup hot water. Preheat oven to 400.
2. In a medium pan, melt coconut oil over medium heat and add drained pineapple. Check occasionally for browning while you prepare other ingredients.
3. Place jackfruit on a cutting board and shred by using a serrated knife to cut against the grain.
4. Add water, tofu, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, garlic and onion powders, salt, Tabasco and drained cashews to blender jar. Blend until smooth. Taste and add more hot sauce to preference.
5. When pineapple is nicely caramelized, combine pineapple and jackfruit with tofu mixture. Spread in 8 inch square pan or pie plate and bake for 30-35 minutes.

1. https://foodrevolution.org/blog/what-is-jackfruit/