Easy Harissa Jackfruit Balls (A Vegan Recipe) - Savory Spin (2024)

Jump to Recipe

These 7 ingredient Harissa Jackfruit Balls are spiced just right! Enjoy them as a tasty snack or smother them with some sauce and enjoy they as a plant-based meatball alternative with pasta.

Easy Harissa Jackfruit Balls (A Vegan Recipe) - Savory Spin (1)

So far this year, I haven’t been very successful at getting my hands on fresh jackfruit. I simply love munching on ripe and juicy jackfruit pods and using them in smoothies and popsicles.

Thankfully, the canned jackfruit supply has been plentiful! While canned jackfruit is good at absorbing the flavors it is introduced to, it isn’t sweet like ripe, fresh jackfruit. As a result I rarely eat it raw or use it in smoothies.

I do, however, enjoy canned young jackfruit in curries, tacos, and cakes (like fish cakes), and now in these Harissa Jackfruit Balls.

My daughter and I love these jackfruit balls because they are:

☑️ so incredibly easy to make
☑️ so delicious
☑️ so versatile
☑️ are plant based
☑️ can be made with 7 pantry-staple ingredients

Easy Harissa Jackfruit Balls (A Vegan Recipe) - Savory Spin (2)

The 7 ingredients in these plant based balls (in order of usage) are:

  1. Onion,
  2. Ginger,
  3. Garlic,
  4. Potato,
  5. Canned jackfruit,
  6. Harissa, and
  7. Cilantro.

Along with a smidge of oil to sauté the ingredients together and salt and pepper to taste.

If you would like to tone down the heat, then half or quarter the amount of harissa I use in this recipe. Instead of 4 teaspoons, use 2 or 1. But, do keep in mind that you would also be loosing a bit of the flavor that harissa lends to a dish.

Easy Harissa Jackfruit Balls (A Vegan Recipe) - Savory Spin (3)

Harissa, a popular Tunisian spice, is usually a blend of other spices such as smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, garlic, onion, and spearmint in addition to chili powder. So, if you do choose to use 1 teaspoon of harissa, then add in at least 2 tsp of coriander, 2 tsp smoked paprika, and 1 tsp cumin. I’ve bought harissa from many different places and I must say, no 2 varieties of harissa are alike. But, no matter where it’s from, harissa lends a deliciously smoky, almost lemony, flavor to these jackfruit balls.

If you boil, bake, or microwave your potato first, this recipe is a quick one. Simply sauté the onion a bit. Add in the ginger and garlic and sauté. Then mash the potato and drain the jackfruit and add them along with the harissa to the onion, garlic, ginger mix and sauté a bit. Let the mixture cool so it can be handled – and then merely form into balls, bake them, and enjoy!

Easy Harissa Jackfruit Balls (A Vegan Recipe) - Savory Spin (4)

I’ve made these balls quite a few times. Most times, I also make some sweet chili sauce or some mango chutney. And we dip these jackfruit balls into them and enjoy them as a snack. The harissa in the jackfruit balls is complemented beautifully by the sweet and spicy flavors in both the sauce and chutney.

There have been a couple of times when we dunked these harissa jackfruit balls into a vat of creamy butternut squash sauce along with some pasta for an immensely enjoyable dinner!

Easy Harissa Jackfruit Balls (A Vegan Recipe) - Savory Spin (5)

You can find canned jackfruit as well as harissa online at many retailers like Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, and Walmart.

So, please do grab a can of young green jackfruit and some harissa and make these harissa jackfruit balls. Then come back and please do let me know your thoughts on these plant-based balls/ meatless balls.

Easy Harissa Jackfruit Balls (A Vegan Recipe) - Savory Spin (6)

Yield: 20

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

These 7 ingredient Harissa Jackfruit Balls are spiced just right! Enjoy them as a tasty snack or smother them with some sauce and enjoy they as a plant-based meatball alternative with pasta.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 a yellow Onion,
  • 1 inch piece of ginger Ginger,
  • 2 cloves Garlic,
  • 1 yellow Potato - boiled/baked and peeled
  • 1 20 oz Can of jackfruit,
  • 4 tsp Harissa,
  • 2 tbsp Cilantro,
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Using a fork, roughly mash up the cooked potato
  2. preheat oven to 350 degrees
  3. Peel and chop the onion, garlic and ginger as finely as possible so large chunks are not floating around the balls.
  4. Add oil to a large pan and add in the onions, ginger, and garlic and saute over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often.
  5. Drain and squeeze out as much liquid as you can from the jackfruit, then add it to the pan with the onions, etc.
  6. Add the mashed potato, harissa, and cilantro and saute a couple of minutes so well incorporated.
  7. Season with salt and pepper and remove pan from heat and let cool for a few minutes.
  8. When mixture can be handled, gather up a tablespoon or two and shape it into a ball. Repeat until all the mixture is used up.
  9. Place he jackfruit balls on a baking sheet, spray them lightly with cooking spray and place in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
  10. Serve with sweet chili sauce or mango chutney.
Nutrition Information

Yield 20Serving Size 1
Amount Per ServingCalories 46Total Fat 1gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 0mgSodium 32mgCarbohydrates 9gFiber 1gSugar 6gProtein 1g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram &/or Pinterest tagging @SavorySpin #SavorySpin

Easy Harissa Jackfruit Balls (A Vegan Recipe) - Savory Spin (7)

Jackfruit Cakes with Canned Green Jackfruit

These tasty vegan jackfruit cakes are made with 12 easy to find ingredients. Pair them with a fresh salad for a satisfying, light dinner.

Easy Harissa Jackfruit Balls (A Vegan Recipe) - Savory Spin (8)

Jackfruit Mango Smoothie

This gloriously thick and delicious Jackfruit Mango Smoothie is spiked with a hint of vanilla and cardamom – add in your daily dose of protein and collagen and this becomes more than just a refreshing treat to enjoy.

Easy Harissa Jackfruit Balls (A Vegan Recipe) - Savory Spin (9)

Easy Jackfruit Curry

Canned jackfruit is the star of this lusciously creamy yet easy Jackfruit Curry. Quick, delicious, and nutritious, this vegan jackfruit curry had us licking our plates!

Easy Harissa Jackfruit Balls (A Vegan Recipe) - Savory Spin (10)

Easy Jackfruit Seed Curry

If you happen to get your hands on a jackfruit, please don’t throw the seeds away. Instead, wash, boil and peel them and then use them in this hearty and filling Easy Jackfruit Seed Curry.

Easy Harissa Jackfruit Balls (A Vegan Recipe) - Savory Spin (11)

Easy Jackfruit Tacos

These jackfruit tacos are so easy to whip up on a busy night ~ and, heavily spiced with coriander, cumin, smoked paprika, ginger and chili powder, they make for a tasty, filling, and spicealicious, vegan meal!

Easy Harissa Jackfruit Balls (A Vegan Recipe) - Savory Spin (2024)

FAQs

Easy Harissa Jackfruit Balls (A Vegan Recipe) - Savory Spin? ›

Simply sauté the onion a bit. Add in the ginger and garlic and sauté. Then mash the potato and drain the jackfruit and add them along with the harissa to the onion, garlic, ginger mix and sauté a bit. Let the mixture cool so it can be handled – and then merely form into balls, bake them, and enjoy!

How to prepare canned jackfruit like meat? ›

Take canned unripe jackfruit in water or brine. Drain the liquid. If you've opted for the version in brine, give the chunks a good rinse under the tap as it can have an unpleasant taste. Then, pull the chunks apart with your fingers, to give the jackfruit a shredded texture like pulled pork, chicken or beef.

Is jackfruit spicy? ›

What Does Jackfruit Taste Like? Ripe yellow jackfruit has a subtly sweet flavor, often described as a combination of banana, apple, and mango. Young green jackfruit, on the other hand, has a neutral flavor and texture similar to shredded meat, making it a popular meat substitute in savory dishes.

Can you eat jackfruit straight from the can? ›

Again, the canned jackfruit is perfectly safe to eat straight out of the can, but it tends to taste best warm and with seasoning. If you're craving the fruit in a meal, try making our pulled jackfruit tacos recipe that features the perfect flavor balance of garlic and minced serrano chiles.

When not to eat jackfruit? ›

People who should not eat jackfruit

Need to be careful when eating jackfruit with people with fatty liver, diabetes, chronic kidney failure, debilitated people, weak health. Absolutely abstain from eating jackfruit for people with diabetes and fatty liver. Avoid eating jackfruit with those who want to get pregnant.

Is jackfruit a fruit or vegetable? ›

Jackfruit is an exotic fruit grown in tropical regions of the world. It is native to South India. It is part of the Moraceae plant family, which also includes fig, mulberry and breadfruit. Jackfruit has a spiky outer skin and is green or yellow in color.

Does jackfruit make your body hot? ›

Unlike the raw jackfruit, which is considered to have heat-producing properties, the ripe jackfruit has a cooling effect on the body and contains several minerals & vitamins which helps replenish our body. Also, jackfruit is known to be rich in vitamin C and can help strengthen the immunity of the body.

How to make jackfruit taste meaty? ›

You can flavour the jackfruit with the same spices and flavours you would use for meats, and it has that great meaty texture. Can you use yellow jackfruit as meat? No, if you want to use jackfruit in place of meat, you should only buy green or unripe jackfruit. You'll usually find it in cans in brine.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Gov. Deandrea McKenzie

Last Updated:

Views: 5620

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (46 voted)

Reviews: 93% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Gov. Deandrea McKenzie

Birthday: 2001-01-17

Address: Suite 769 2454 Marsha Coves, Debbieton, MS 95002

Phone: +813077629322

Job: Real-Estate Executive

Hobby: Archery, Metal detecting, Kitesurfing, Genealogy, Kitesurfing, Calligraphy, Roller skating

Introduction: My name is Gov. Deandrea McKenzie, I am a spotless, clean, glamorous, sparkling, adventurous, nice, brainy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.