Vegan BBQ Jackfruit Pizza

Name: Vegan BBQ Jackfruit Pizza
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 32 min
Total time: 1 h 12 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3⅓ cups (400 g) bread flour, plus extra for dusting; 1.06 cups (250 ml) water, warm, about 105°F (40°C); 1 tsp (3 g) instant yeast; 1½ tsp (9 g) fine sea salt; 1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar; 1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus a little for greasing the bowl; 20 oz can (565 g) young green jackfruit in brine or water, drained, rinsed, and squeezed very dry; 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil; 2 cloves (6 g) garlic cloves, finely minced; 1 tsp (2½ g) smoked paprika; ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt; ½ cup (125 g) vegan BBQ sauce, check the label for vegan (no honey or Worcestershire); 3 tbsp (45 ml) water; ½ cup (125 g) vegan BBQ sauce, for the pizza base, about ¼ cup per pizza; 2 cups (225 g) vegan mozzarella-style shreds; 1 small (100 g) small red onion, halved and sliced into very thin half-moons; 2 tbsp (20 g) fine cornmeal, for dusting the peel; ¼ cup (15 g) fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped, lightly packed

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Two crisp-edged homemade pizzas topped with smoky, saucy shredded jackfruit, sharp red onion, melty vegan mozzarella, and a fresh cilantro finish. Young green jackfruit shreds like pulled pork and soaks up barbecue sauce, so every slice is sweet, tangy, and savory.

Prep: 40 min
Cook: 32 min
Wait: 1 hr 8 min
Total: 2 hr 20 min
Makes: 2 twelve-inch pizzas (8 slices total)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the dough
3⅓ cups (400 g) bread flour, plus extra for dusting
1 cups (250 ml) water, warm, about 105°F (40°C)
1 tsp (3 g) instant yeast
1½ tsp (9 g) fine sea salt
1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus a little for greasing the bowl
For the BBQ jackfruit
20 oz can (565 g) young green jackfruit in brine or water, drained, rinsed, and squeezed very dry
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
2 cloves (6 g) garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tsp (2.5 g) smoked paprika
½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt
½ cup (125 g) vegan BBQ sauce, check the label for vegan (no honey or Worcestershire)
3 tbsp (45 ml) water
For assembly
½ cup (125 g) vegan BBQ sauce, for the pizza base, about ¼ cup per pizza
2 cups (225 g) vegan mozzarella-style shreds
1 small (100 g) small red onion, halved and sliced into very thin half-moons
2 tbsp (20 g) fine cornmeal, for dusting the peel
¼ cup (15 g) fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped, lightly packed

Equipment (7)

Large mixing bowl
Stand mixer with dough hook (optional)
Pizza stone or heavy rimless baking sheet, about 14×16 inches (35×40 cm)
Pizza peel or a sheet of parchment paper
12-inch (30 cm) heavy skillet, preferably cast iron
Cutting board and sharp knife
Pizza cutter

Steps

Before you start

Buy young green jackfruit packed in brine or water, not in syrup. Syrup-packed ripe jackfruit is sweet and will not work here.
Start preheating the oven about 45 minutes before you plan to bake, while the dough is rising. The stone or pan needs that long to get fully hot.
Check that your vegan mozzarella shreds are labeled as melting. Some brands melt much better than others.
Use a store-bought vegan pizza dough (about 700 g) if you want to skip the first two steps. Let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes before shaping.

1
Mix and knead dough
- In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, whisk the bread flour, instant yeast, fine sea salt, and sugar.
- Add the warm water and 1 tbsp olive oil.
- Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead on a lightly floured counter for 8 to 10 minutes, or 6 minutes on medium-low speed with the dough hook.
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Ready when: The dough is smooth and springy, and a poked dent slowly springs back. It should feel tacky but not stick to your hands.
Tip: If the dough sticks badly, add flour 1 tbsp at a time. Too much flour makes a dense crust.
2
Let dough rise
- Lightly oil a clean bowl, add the dough, and turn it once to coat.
- Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap.
- Leave in a warm spot for about 60 minutes.
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Ready when: The dough has doubled and a floured finger leaves a dent that fills back in slowly.
Tip: In a cool kitchen, put the bowl in the oven with only the light on.
3
Preheat oven and stoneOven 500°F / 260°C
- About 45 minutes before baking (during the last part of the rise), put the pizza stone or an upside-down heavy baking sheet on the lower-middle rack.
- Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) so the surface gets fully hot.
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Ready when: The oven has been at 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes.
Tip: Open the oven as little as possible once it's hot. Heat loss lengthens the bake and softens the crust.
4
Prep jackfruit and toppings
- Drain the jackfruit, rinse well under cold water, and squeeze handfuls firmly to remove as much liquid as you can.
- Cut off and discard the tough, rubbery core pieces.
- Shred the rest by pulling the tender triangular pieces apart with your fingers or two forks into rough strands.
- Mince the garlic, slice the red onion into very thin half-moons, and chop the cilantro.
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Ready when: The jackfruit feels fairly dry and pulls into stringy, pork-like shreds.
Tip: Squeezing dry matters. Wet jackfruit makes a soggy pizza.
5
Cook BBQ jackfruit
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the shredded jackfruit and kosher salt.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes until lightly browned in spots.
- Add the garlic and smoked paprika and stir for 30 seconds.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Stir in ½ cup BBQ sauce and the 3 tbsp water.
- Simmer, stirring often, for 5 to 6 minutes.
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Ready when: The jackfruit is coated in thick, sticky sauce with no pooling liquid, and the strands are tender enough to break apart with a spoon.
Tip: Mash any large chunks with the back of a spoon while simmering for a more pulled-pork texture.
6
Divide and stretch dough
- Turn the risen dough onto a floured counter and cut it into 2 equal pieces (about 340 g each).
- Shape each into a ball, cover, and rest for 5 minutes.
- Dust a peel or parchment sheet generously with cornmeal.
- Stretch one ball into a 12-inch (30 cm) round by pressing from the center outward with your fingertips, leaving a ½-inch rim, then drape it over your knuckles to stretch further.
- Place it on the peel or parchment.
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Ready when: The round is an even, thin 12-inch circle with a slightly thicker rim and no holes.
Tip: Avoid a rolling pin, which squashes out air bubbles and gives a flat crust.
7
Top the first pizza
- Spread ¼ cup of the base BBQ sauce over the dough, leaving the rim clear.
- Scatter about 1 cup of vegan cheese over the sauce.
- Spoon on half of the BBQ jackfruit in small clumps, then add half of the red onion.
- Slide the pizza onto the stone with a quick shaking motion, or lift the parchment and pizza onto the stone.
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Ready when: The pizza slides freely on the peel before you transfer it.
Tip: Work fast. Dough left sitting under wet toppings sticks to the peel.
8
Bake both pizzasOven 500°F / 260°C
- Bake the first pizza at 500°F (260°C) for 8 to 10 minutes.
- While it bakes, stretch and top the second pizza the same way (¼ cup sauce, 1 cup cheese, remaining jackfruit and onion).
- Move the first pizza to a rack, and bake the second for 8 to 10 minutes.
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Ready when: The crust edge is deep golden with charred spots, the underside is crisp, and the cheese is melted and bubbling.
Tip: Rotate the pizza halfway through if your oven has hot spots. Vegan cheese browns quickly, so watch it in the last 2 minutes.
9
Rest, garnish, and slice
- Let each pizza rest on a rack for 3 minutes so the cheese sets.
- Scatter the chopped cilantro over the top and slice each into 4 wedges with a pizza cutter.
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Ready when: The cheese no longer slides when you tilt the pizza.
Tip: Rest on a rack, not a flat board, so steam doesn't soften the bottom.

Good to know

Tips

Use a thick BBQ sauce. Thin, watery sauce runs off the pizza and makes the center soggy.
Don't overload the pizza. Jackfruit is moist, so about 1 cup of cooked jackfruit per pizza keeps the crust crisp.
For extra tang, toss the sliced red onion with 1 tsp lime juice and a pinch of salt while you make the jackfruit.
Pre-baking a bare crust for 2 minutes before topping gives the crispest bottom if your oven runs cool.

Make ahead

"Make the dough up to 3 days ahead: after kneading, oil the bowl, cover tightly, and refrigerate. Let it come to room temperature for 45 minutes before shaping. The BBQ jackfruit keeps 4 days in the fridge, so cook it ahead and reheat it gently before topping."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Fridge: store slices in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freezer: wrap slices individually and freeze up to 2 months. Reheat in a 400°F (200°C) oven or a covered skillet over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes until crisp and hot. Avoid the microwave, which makes the crust chewy."

Substitutions

young green jackfruit in brine or water → Two 14-oz (400 g) cans hearts of palm, shredded, or 2 cups shredded king oyster mushrooms. Both give a pulled texture. Mushrooms release more liquid, so sauté them 3 to 4 minutes longer before adding the sauce.
bread flour → all-purpose flour. The crust will be slightly softer and less chewy. Reduce the water by 1 tbsp.
vegan mozzarella-style shreds → cashew-based mozzarella or crumbled firm vegan feta. Cashew cheese melts creamily. Vegan feta stays crumbly and adds salty tang.
fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems → fresh flat-leaf parsley or thinly sliced scallion greens. Use it for anyone who finds cilantro soapy. The flavor will be milder.