sandwich

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Vegan Tuna Salad with Jackfruit

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Jackfruit Tuna Salad Sandwich cut in half

In my pre-vegan days, tuna salad was my favorite. On a sandwich, on a cracker, straight out of the bowl, just about anyway you could think of.

It was really the only non vegan food I kept craving and missing once we went vegan. I tired the chickpea tuna recipes and liked them fine, but being perfectly honest, none of them remind me of tuna.

So once again, I turned to my favorite magical meat substitute, canned jackfruit in brine. Not only is it cheap, gluten free, and healthier than faux meats, it is a master at mimicking just about any shredded meat you could want.

Once you shred it, the texture is spot on, and because it’s pretty flavorless, it can convincingly morph into so many shredded meats.

For this recipe, I strongly suggest you don’t leave out the dulse flakes, because they are what give this vegan tuna salad that convincingly “fishy” flavor! Also, if you prefer sweet pickles in you tuna salad, feel free to swap them out for the dill. I personally have always been in the dill pickle tuna salad camp, but I won’t judge you if you are not a fan. You could also leave pickles out all together and add celery instead. You just do what ever makes you and your vegan tuna sandwich happy.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 can of jackfruit in brine

  • 1/4 cup minced onion

  • 2-3 teaspoons dulse flakes

  • 3 tablespoons vegan mayo

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 2-3 tablespoons minced dill pickles

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Drain and rinse jackfruit. You can toss it in the blender or food processor to mince it up quickly, or finely chop it with a knife.

  2. Add the jackfruit and remaining ingredients to a medium sized bowl, and mix well.

  3. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days

If you like this recipe, try these:

Tarragon Almond “Chicken” Salad

Tofu Egg Salad

Vegan Pimento Cheese

Jackfruit Tuna Salad Sandwich

vegan tuna salad with jackfruit

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BBQ Tofu Sandwich with Pickled Veggies

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A BBQ tofu sandwich with pickled vegetables on sourdough bread.

I recently went to visit my niece, Madison, in Charlotte. She knows, and shares my love for food, so took me to get the BEST sandwich at a local coffee shop, AFTER she nearly killed me with a Crossfit workout.

I think the sandwich was maybe an apology, or maybe not. She is fierce and probably didn’t feel sorry for me at all…..but it was all worth if for that sandwich.

It was a BBQ Tofu Sandwich with pickled veggies and some vegan mayo. So simple but so, so, so good!

So once I got home I knew I wanted to recreate this sandwich with my own twist. I normally have a batch of quick pickled veggies in my fridge. They literally take minutes to make, and add a tangy crunch to all kinds of sandwiches, salads, or just as a snack.

I opted to mix up some mayo with a little bbq and lime to give the sauce a little more zip than the original plain mayo. I also added some cilantro because, I LOVE cilantro! I am fully aware that a ton of people do not share my affection for cilantro, and if thats you, then just skip it on the sandwich.

You can grill up a batch of this bbq tofu and quickly reheat any leftovers for later. I will seriously eat this sandwich every day unit all the tofu is gone, then want to cry because all of the tofu is gone :(

So thanks again Madi for being the best Crossfit coach, for not totally killing me, and for introducing me to this sandwich. You are the best.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 block extra firm tofu

  • 8-10 slices sour dough bread

  • 1 batch quick picked veggies

  • 1/2 cup of any bbq sauce you like

  • a handful of fresh cilantro

SAUCE:

  • 1/4 cup vegan mayo

  • 2 - 3 tablespoons bbq sauce

  • juice from 1/2 lime

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Drain tofu and wrap in a clean kitchen towel, or a few paper towels. Place a few books on top for 10-15 minutes to help press out the excess liquid. (or use a tofu press)

  2. Slice tofu into 1/4 inch thick slices, and place in a shallow dish. Cover with 1/2 cup of bbq sauce and let it sit for about 10 minutes.

  3. You can either cook the tofu on the grill or in a skillet. If grilling, place the tofu pieces directly onto the hot grill and allow each side to cook for about 5 minutes, brushing the excess bbq sauce from the pan onto the tofu slices before you flip them. If you do not want to place the tofu directly onto the grill, you can lay foil on the grill and cook the tofu that way. Yo can also give the grill a spray with some cooking oil before you heat it to help with sticking.

  4. If cooking in a skillet, heat a large skillet over medium heat and spray with a little oil. Place the tofu pieces into the pan and pour the excess bbq over the tops. Allow tofu to cook on each side for about 5 minutes.

  5. Mix the mayo, bbq, and lime in a small bowl.

  6. Toast the bread. Spread a little sauce on each slice after toasting, and top with a few pieces of tofu, some pickled veggies, and a few sprigs of cilantro to serve.

A BBQ tofu sandwich with pickled vegetables on sourdough bread.

BBQ Tofu Sandwich with Pickled Vegetables.