BBQ Jackfruit Bowls with Grilled Corn

A vibrant, wholesome and flavoursome plant-based buddha bowl filled with homemade BBQ jackfruit, grilled corn, charred peppers and a quick pickled cabbage. Fill it up with quinoa and avocado for a delicious gluten-free lunch or dinner.

I am in love with this recipe for BBQ Jackfruit Bowls with Grilled Corn and have been in love with it for a couple of years. But, like so many recipes I shoot, it was left stagnant on my computer and has never seen the light of day. So, this summer I decided to re-shoot a few of my favourites and this is one of them. With a few tweaks here and there, brand new photos and styling techniques but the same lovely flavours and colour, here are my BBQ Jackfruit Bowls with Grilled Corn re-vamped. I shared this last week on my social media and you loved it, so I’ve got around to typing it all up and sharing it in all its glory now!

You may think the recipe list looks a little long, but there are no fancy ingredients in here – apart from the jackfruit, which you can get in most supermarkets nowadays and at reasonable prices, too. I love jackfruit recipes and it goes so well with BBQ and tomato-based sauces, as well as curries, burgers and creamy sauces, too. I feel like this summer, though, is all about the BBQ sauce – and homemade, too. It’s a quick recipe, adding all the jackfruit ingredients to a pan to simmer with warming spices while you grill the other veggies, cook the grain and quickly pickle some red cabbage. It all comes together in 25 minutes and has so much flavour! Here’s what we need for the jackfruit:

• Onion and garlic: the base for most sauces, it’s simple but delicious. I like red onion but white onion will also work.
• Spices: smoked paprika, ground cumin and ground coriander. These work so well together and really complement each other. They are staple spices in a lot of my recipes and work so well for BBQ flavours with a bit of warmth to it.
• Sun-dried tomatoes: these add a wonderful richness and depth of flavour to the spices above. A little goes a long way, too, as they are jam-packed with flavour.
• Jackfruit (obviously): in the UK, the best ways you can buy this is in a jar or a tin in brine/water. All you have to do is drain the jackfruit from the water and break it up slightly with your hands before adding it to the pan. I wish I lived somewhere warmer where you can find fresh jackfruit from the tree…
• Tinned tomatoes: another staple ingredient for really good sauces. They are inexpensive and last ages, so it’s always good to have some in the cupboard.
• Extra flavour: apple cider vinegar for tang, maple syrup for sweetness and tamari soy sauce for richness. These three ingredients act as a trio of deliciousness and balance each other out beautifully for the classic BBQ flavours. You can taste as you go along and adjust each one accordingly.

All of the jackfruit simmers for 15 minutes which is enough to allow all the flavours to infuse without taking forever. While this is cooking, simply cook your grain of choice: I have opted for quinoa here. Pickle your red cabbage in some apple cider vinegar and salt and then grill your corn and pepper. If you have a BBQ going then it is great to cook this on the BBQ for really smoky rich flavours, but is equally as delicious cooked under the grill in the kitchen.

All that is left for these BBQ Jackfruit Bowls with Grilled Corn is to top with some sliced fresh avocado, some fresh herbs (coriander works best but also chive or mint work well), chilli flakes and sesame seeds. Both of these are optional, but I love the texture and slight heat the seeds and chilli flakes add.

If you are looking for more easy summery recipes or bowls, how about my:

• Grilled Tomato and Chickpea Panzanella Salad
• Tempeh Taco Salad
• Fava Bean Falafel Rainbow Bowl with Beetroot Dressing
• Miso Greens Stir Fry
• Mediterranean Butterbeans with Carrots and Potato Wedges

BBQ Jackfruit Bowls with Grilled Corn (Vegan GF)

• Servings: 2
• Time: 25 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

A vibrant, wholesome and flavoursome plant-based buddha bowl filled with homemade BBQ jackfruit, grilled corn, charred peppers and a quick pickled cabbage. Fill it up with quinoa and avocado for a delicious gluten-free lunch or dinner.

Ingredients

• BBQ Jackfruit:
• Olive oil
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 80g sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tin jackfruit (drained weight approx. 255g)
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes (400g)
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp tamari soy sauce
• Salt and black pepper
• Bowl:
• 100g quinoa
• 100g red cabbage, shredded
• 1 tbsp white or apple cider vinegar
• 1 cob corn, chopped in ¼
• 1 red pepper, halved
• 1 handful salad leaves
• 1 avocado, sliced
• To serve: fresh coriander, chilli flakes, sesame seeds

Directions

1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and add the red onion and garlic for 5 minutes until softening. Add in the spices and fry for 2 minutes until smelling fragrant.
2. Drain the jackfruit and break it up slightly with your hands. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and jackfruit to the frying pan and stir to coat in the spices. Pour in the tinned tomatoes, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup and tamari soy sauce with some salt and black pepper. Stir and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile cook the quinoa according to packet instructions, drain and leave to cool before fluffing up with a fork after 10 minutes.
4. Heat the grill to high and brush the quartered corn cobs and pepper slices with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Grill the corn and pepper for 10-15 minutes, turning regularly until evenly charred. Alternatively, brush with oil and cook on the BBQ, turning often to cook.
5. Meanwhile, add the shredded red cabbage to a bowl with a pinch of salt and 1 tbsp vinegar. Massage with your hands for 1-2 minutes.
6. To serve, spread a few salad leaves in each bowl, top with the quinoa, BBQ jackfruit, quick pickled red cabbage, grilled corn, grilled pepper and avocado slices. Serve with some fresh herbs, chilli flakes and sesame seeds.

I look forward to hearing what you think of this recipe for BBQ Jackfruit Bowls with Grilled Corn, so please let me know below. If you make these bowls, please tag me in your creations, too, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest  – please say hello!

With jackfruit buddha bowls of love x