Greek Inspired Jackfruit Stew

Jackfruit is an increasingly popular ingredient used in vegan cooking to imitate meat. It has that stringy texture which, if cooked right, can provide a meaty texture in your recipe. This particular jackfruit stew is inspired by a Greek kleftiko, which usually uses lamb. We’ve swapped the lamb out for the jackfruit which absorbs all the delicious flavour from the other ingredients.

For this delicious and wholesome stew you’ll need:

• Onions

• Garlic bulb

• Potatoes

• Carrots

• Jackfruit

• Large tomatoes

• Red pepper

• Oregano, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves and cinnamon

• Lemon

• Vegetable stock

• Tomato purée

• Black olives (optional)

The recipe is super easy, as it’s a slow cooking recipe. You can add all of the ingredients, chopped up into chunky bite sizes, into a deep casserole dish, or your slow cooker. The lemon, garlic and rosemary will really add a depth of flavour to the dish as it cooks in the oven.

After the main ingredients have been cooking for a while, we can add the jackfruit. The reason for not adding them in at the start is to stop the jackfruit from becoming too soft. As it doesn’t behave like meat (and is a fruit) overcooking can ruin its texture. So leave this until 30 minutes from the end of cooking, stirring it through the other ingredients.

It works perfectly served with a load of chunky bread, and is wonderful for leftovers as, like any stew, the flavour develops over time. If you’re someone who enjoys spice, try adding a bit of chilli and paprika to the recipe to give it that extra kick!