The Best Barbecue Jackfruit Pizza | Easy and Vegan

Making pizza at home has become one of our favorite things to do on a Friday or Saturday night.  Most of the pizzas we make at home are pretty basic and simple.  Vegan cheese and veggies are usually the go-to. But sometimes, when there’s a little extra time, we “make it fancy”, or at least try to. This barbecue jackfruit pizza is just the right amount of “fancy” but without all the fuss. 

Though I’ve never been a fan of barbecue chicken pizza from restaurants, I absolutely love this semi-homemade, vegan version.  I usually buy my dough from a small Italian Market in my neighborhood, but pre-made pizza dough and crusts can be found in almost any big chain grocery store.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE BARBECUE JACKFRUIT PIZZA

• Store Bought Pre-made Pizza Dough: because we like to keep things simple around here. But, of course, if you’d like to make yours from scratch then I tip my hat to you.
• Jackfruit: Specifically, young jackfruit. Young jackfruit isn’t sweet yet, so it’s great at taking on whatever flavors you add to it. It has a shredded chicken-like texture. I use canned jackfruit that comes in brine. Which is easy to find at Trader Joe’s or my local Asian market.
• Vegetable Broth: to give the jackfruit a really great umami flavor before layering on the barbecue sauce.
• Barbecue Sauce: for that sweet, tangy flavor needed to make our jackfruit taste like barbecue chicken.  You’ll need to check the label though, to be sure that your bbq sauce is vegan-friendly.
• Vegan Cheese: for very obvious reasons. I mean, we’re making pizza here. But seriously, using a really good vegan mozzarella can make or break your pizza experience. 
• Red Onions: for a nice, mild aromatic flavor.
• Green Onions: for a deep aromatic flavor.
• Cilantro: is totally optional, especially if you’re someone who absolutely hates it. But it adds more depth to this pizza.
• Olive Oil: to brush on the pizza dough. This helps to keep the crust from burning in the oven and makes the crust crispy and golden brown.
• Dried Pepper Flakes: for a spicy kick.
• Vegan Ranch Dressing: this is another optional topping but it adds a slightly salty element to the pizza. I like to use the Follow Your Hear brand.

HOW TO MAKE BARBECUE JACKFRUIT PIZZA

For the Bbq Jackfruit: 

1. Drain and rinse the jackfruit to remove some of the salty brine.
2. Shred the jackfruit. With a fork or with your hands, pull the jackfruit apart into shreds and remove the soft seeds.
3. Simmer the jackfruit in vegetable broth. In a medium saucepan on medium heat, bring the jackfruit, broth, and water to a boil. Then reduce the heat and allow the jackfruit to simmer until the liquid is almost fully evaporated.
4. Add the barbecue sauce.  Remove the jackfruit from the heat and stir in about a ¼ cup of the barbecue sauce. The jackfruit will resemble shredded bbq chicken or pulled pork.

For the Bbq Jackfruit Pizza:

1. Preheat the oven. Set the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Slice the red onions into thin rings.
3. Roll out the dough. On a floured surface, roll out the pizza dough until it is about ¼ inch thick and about 10 inches in diameter.
4. Brush the dough. To avoid burning the pizza crust, brush the dough with a thin layer of olive oil.
5. Add barbecue sauce.  Evenly distribute the remaining barbecue sauce to the dough.
6. Add the toppings. Start with the cheese, then add the jackfruit and sliced red onions.
7. Bake the pizza for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown.
8. Let it cool for about 5 minutes.
9. Garnish with green onions, cilantro, and red pepper flakes.
10. Drizzle with ranch dressing.
11. Enjoy!

MORE VEGAN DINNER RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE:

• Vegan Chicken Alfredo Pizza
• Vegan Alfredo Sauce
• The Best Roasted Vegetable Sandwiches | Easy and Vegan

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