Vegan Pulled Pork
Vegan Pulled Pork is super delicious and simple to make! Whether you use Tofu, Mushrooms, or Jackfruit, if it’s seasoned well and drenched in BBQ sauce, it’s gonna be GOOD!
One of the first vegan meats I remember trying was a Pulled Pork sandwich made with Jackfruit. It was by a restaurant in LA called “Pure Luck” which is now defunct. I remember seeing it on the menu and going “the heck is jackfruit?” And the server assured me that I’d love it, and they were right!
Every time I went there I would order that sandwich, but weirdly enough, I’ve never made one for myself. Well I started thinking about it recently and decided I wanted to whip one up. But then I started thinking, what about mushrooms and tofu? I know people use those too. So I thought, why not make some Vegan Pulled Pork with all three to test out which is best! So that’s what I did!
ingredients for vegan pulled pork
This recipe is quite simple with just three main components. The Dry Rub, BBQ Sauce, and the “Meat” so let’s go over each one!
the dry rub
You can of course use a store bought dry rub or seasoning blend if you like, but I like making one at home. My BBQ Rub Recipe is great on so many other dishes too, I always have some on hand!
The BBQ Sauce
Just like the Dry Rub, you can find vegan friendly BBQ Sauce at most grocery stores, but I really like making my own. It’s super quick and easy, and you can tailor it to your tastes. Check out my BBQ Sauce Recipe if you wanna make your own!
the vegan “pork”
For the meat, we have three great options with different pros and cons, so let’s break those down too!
tofu
For Tofu, I recommend using Super Firm, the kind that’s vacuum sealed and doesn’t need pressing.
If you can’t find that, then extra firm that’s been pressed for 30 minutes will work too. Then all you need to do is grate the tofu and toss it in a preheated pan with a bit of oil. Add some of the dry rub, and then some BBQ sauce.
In about 10 minutes you should have some vegan pulled pork!
Tofu is a great high protein option, and it’s also the cheapest compared to mushrooms and jackfruit. One 16 oz. block cost me $4, and it should get you just under 4 cups of shredded tofu. I’d say that can make 4 – 6 sandwiches depending on the size. So it’s a great budget option for sure!
mushrooms
For the mushrooms I tried out some King Oyster mushrooms. I got mine at Whole Foods and they were pretty pricey at just under $10 for 8 oz. They are way cheaper at your local Asian market if you have one.
They also need to be baked in the oven so they aren’t as convenient as tofu. Not only that, but once baked they shrink up quite a bit. So 8 oz. will really only get you about 2 sandwiches worth. Maybe 3 if you make smaller sandwiches.
To make them you simply need to shred them up, season and bake them, then pan fry and add some BBQ Sauce.
Now although the mushrooms are more expensive and time consuming to make, they are insanely delicious. The texture is super meaty, and if time and money were not an issue, the mushrooms would be the best bet hands down.
Like these were as good as anything I’ve gotten at a BBQ restaurant, vegan or not! So if time and money are not a factor, these would be my choice.
jackfruit
Jackfruit is probably the most popular option in my experience and it’s easy to understand why. It’s less expensive than mushrooms (though still more expensive than tofu) and it’s incredibly easy to use.
Like the tofu, you shred and season it. Then pan fry and then drench it in BBQ sauce. The texture is very similar to how I remember pulled pork.
As always, make sure you get Young Jackfruit in water or brine and not syrup.
Overall, I think Jackfruit is the best option as it’s relatively cheap, easy to work with, and has amazing texture. It also soaks up the seasoning rub and BBQ sauce wonderfully as well.
That being said, they are all super good, so choose the one that you like best!
And of course you could make some Sliders for a party too!
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Vegan Pulled Pork
Ingredients
Mushroom Pulled Pork
Tofu Pulled Pork
- 16 oz Super Firm Tofu
- 1-2 Tbsp Neutral Oil (Vegetable, Canola etc)
- 2-3 Tbsp BBQ Rub (more to taste)
- BBQ Sauce (to taste, at least 1/2 cup)
Jackfruit Pulled Pork
- 4 cups Shredded Jackfruit About 3 (14 oz cans)
- 1-2 Tbsp Neutral Oil (Vegetable, Canola etc)
- 2-3 Tbsp BBQ Rub (more to taste)
- BBQ Sauce (to taste, at least 1/2 cup)
Instructions
Mushroom Pulled Pork
- Preheat your oven to 400 F / 205 C
- Wash the mushrooms and then shred them using a fork. Add them to a bowl along with the oil and dry rub. Add more of either to taste. Toss to coat the mushrooms in the marinade and seasoning rub.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the mushrooms and spread them out in a single layer.
- Bake in the oven for 25 – 30 mins.
- Add the baked mushrooms to a pan over medium heat. Cover in BBQ sauce, starting with about 1/2 cup and adding more to taste. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the BBQ sauce reduces a little and gets sticky. Remove from heat and serve on a toasted bun with pickles, onions and whatever you like!
Tofu Pulled Pork
- Pat the tofu dry. If using Extra Firm, press for 30 minutes.
- Using the large holes on a cheese grater, grate the tofu carefully.
- Heat up a pan over medium heat and add 1-2 Tbsp of neutral oil. Add in the tofu, and cook until it gets slightly golden brown. About 5-6 minutes.
- Add in the dry rub and stir to coat. Taste for seasoning and adjust. Cover in BBQ sauce, starting with about 1/2 cup and adding more to taste. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the BBQ sauce reduces a little and gets sticky. Remove from heat and serve on a toasted bun with vegan mayo, pickles, onions and whatever you like!
Jackfruit Pulled Pork
- Drain and rinse the jackfruit. Then cut it or smoosh it with your fingers so that it resembles a Pulled Pork texture. You can discard the core and seeds, but I always use them.
- Heat up a pan over medium heat and add 1-2 Tbsp of neutral oil. Add in the jackfruit, and cook until it gets slightly golden brown. About 5-6 minutes.
- Add in the dry rub and stir to coat. Taste for seasoning and adjust. Cover in BBQ sauce, starting with about 1/2 cup and adding more to taste. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the BBQ sauce reduces a little and gets sticky. Remove from heat and serve on a toasted bun with pickles, onions and whatever you like!
We made the pulled pork using tofu to tonight. That will my home baked fennel bread it was a 10 out of 10 for all ! I did add one step after I grated the tofu I froze it in a tray to help build a bit more texture. You are a Rock ⭐.
Nice! So glad you dug it too! Thank ya!
I absolutely loved this! I went with the tofu version but I plan on using jackfruit and funnily enough the brand of jackfruit you recommend just happened to be what I’ve had in my cupboard! I’m actually impressed with just how easily this was to make and it took more time to make the rub than it did to make the sandwiches 💚😂 Being in the south these types of dishes are what are the norm around here but unfortunately that always comes with the forced breeding, exploitation of, and needless murder of pigs. It’s great when I can have those same meals but minus the killing of others! I do believe this is going to be a regular inclusion so thank you and imo you’ve got the best vegan recipes when it comes to these types of dishes! Keep it up Thee Burger Dude!!
Hey Steven! Yes! Agreed 100%! So glad you dug it!
A half a cup of smoked paprika seems like a lot. Is that right?
Hi, yes it is, but you can totally half or even third the rub recipe if you like.
Ok great! Didn’t want to mess up the recipe. Love your recipes! Thanks!
Made the Jackfruit version last night at it was 🔥 . Fooled both my carnivores.
I did want to ask, on the YT video it sounds like baking first does improve it but in this post you say not necessary (paraphrasing).
Maybe I’m misinterpreting the YT comment.
Glad you dug it! I think that baking does improve the texture, but I’m not sure that it’s worth it overall! It’s been a while since I’ve made this but I’m planning on doing a buffalo chicken version so I’ll test it out again. But from my memory I don’t think the extra work was necessarily worth it!
If one were to try this with soy curls, would you rehydrate them and then bake, or cook in a skillet?
You could try baking them to get them chewier for sure. But rehydrating, squeezing the water out and grilling in a skillet for a while to dry them out could work too!
Delicious! I made the tofu version this time, but am hoping to find some reasonably priced mushies soon to have that version too.
Oh it’s so good with mushrooms, thank you!!