Pulled jackfruit mixed up with an easy vegan “birria consomé” and stuffed into a juicy, crisp tortilla with all the cheese: these Jackfruit Birria Flautas with Mexican Ranch are the ultimate healthier taquito.
Jump to RecipeI love the idea of a birria taco — I really do. That being said, I’m not crazy about frying my tacos in a fatty soup… at least not on the average weeknight. Likewise, I love the idea of meatless recipes — it’s truly such a fun way to mix up my meals. Still, more often than not, plant based dinners leave me hungry… or at least not satisfied. Hence, determined to solve these very serious problems of mine, I decided I was going to make a vegetarian version of the birria taco. What’s more? I was going to make it into a “flauta” — aka basically a smaller taquito. I mean, who doesn’t love a good ‘ole taquito? Nobody, that’s who. Oh, and to put the icing on the cake, I just had to throw one of the best sauces I have ever made into the mix: that’s right, Mexican Ranch. Need I say more? Really, these Jackfruit Birria Flautas with Mexican Ranch are unbeatable.
the breakdown…
These Jackfruit Birria Flautas with Mexican Ranch are truly much simpler than they seem. While your classic birria will take hours to slow-roast, this version calls for more of a cheater’s vegan “consomé” — aka the typical meat juices that you soak your tortillas in. For this recipe, I simply sautéup some onion, garlic, and tomatoes with all the good flavors. The guajillo chili powder is key here. Most birria recipes call for toasting up real guajillo peppers, which you could also do. Personally, however, I always have trouble finding them in the store, and the name of the game is easy with this one, if you haven’t noticed:)) So, with a bit of that guajillo pepper power for a smoky spice, some cinnamon to cool things down, some cumin and oregano for a bit of warmth, and some salt to round things out, the result is magical. No need for any frills!!
blend it up…
Transfer all of that sautéed goodness into a blender or food processor and go ahead and pour in your liquids. I go with a bit of white vinegar, vegetable stock, and brown sugar for this one. You could use apple cider vinegar if you wanted, or even lime juice. Likewise, beef broth or a bone broth would be delicious in lieu of the vegetable stock. The possibilities are endless here, so go with your favorite. Blend it all up until smooth and voila! Your “consomé” is complete. The next step is to save a bit of that for dipping your tortillas in, then you can go ahead and fold your pulled jackfruit into the rest.
If rolling up taquitos intimidates you, don’t let it. I promise you this Jackfruit Birria Flautas with Mexican Ranch recipe involves an incredibly simple method. Simply dip your tortillas into some of that prepared consomé and stuff each with some cheese and juicy jackfruit. Then, hit each roll up “flauta” into a super hot skillet. In getting a quick sear on the stove, your flautas will hold their shapes so much better than if you bake them alone. Still, you aren’t deep frying things as you would normally find with a restaurant taquito. A bit healthier, yet still delicious, ya know?? So, give both sides a bit of sear then transfer them to the oven to finish crisping up!
that Mexican Ranch…
Meanwhile, prepare that Mexican Ranch. Honestly, I don’t even love Ranch dressing all that much, but I am freaking obsessed with this. Start with a base of just a bit of sour cream for some tanginess and some greek yogurt or mayo to smooth things out, then go in with some fresh herbs for flavor. The cilantro is really what makes this “Mexican,” as most Ranch dressings opt for dill instead. Oh, and that dried oregano of course. It’s a bit unique, but it’s so good. Don’t skip the herbs! Lastly, go in with some white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar, once again) for some tang and some s&p. Voila! Your dip is ready to go!
how to serve it up…
These Jackfruit Birria Flautas with Mexican Ranch are truly the best recipe to please a crowd. Have some vegans in the mix? They’ll love it. Looking to trick carnivores into eating “pulled meat”? I promise they’ll be converted after this one. So, if you’re planning a Mexican fiesta, these have to be on the menu. Maybe with a meat option of my Chicken Birria Enchiladas or any of my other Mexican favs? Alternatively, if you are simply serving these up for a simple weeknight dinner, these stand wonderfully on their own. They are also delicious with a simple side salad, some roasted corn, beans, or rice. You could even sauté up some peppers, or maybe throw some guac and margs into the mix. The possibilities are truly endless!
I hope you love these Jackfruit Birria Flautas with Mexican Ranch as much as I do! Let me know what you think in the comments below:)))
Jackfruit Birria Flautas with Mexican Ranch
Course: Main Course, AppetizerCuisine: Mexican, Tex Mex, FusionDifficulty: Easy12
flautas2
minutes30
minutes21
minutesPulled jackfruit mixed up with an easy vegan “birria consomé” and stuffed into a juicy, crisp tortilla with all the cheese: these Jackfruit Birria Flautas with Mexican Ranch are the ultimate healthier taquito.
Ingredients
- vegan “birria” consomè:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
3 Roma tomatoes, quartered
1.5 tbsp ground guajillo chili powder
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1 dried dried oregano
¼ cup white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1 ½ cups beef stock (or vegetable stock)
1 tbsp brown sugar
- assembly:
20 oz jackfruit, drained and shredded
12-15 thin corn tortillas
1-2 cups mozzarella (or vegan) cheese, shredded
2 tbsp olive oil
- Mexican Ranch dip:
2 tbsp sour cream
¾ cup plain Greek yogurt (or mayonnaise)
⅓ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
3 tbsp fresh chives, finely diced
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Once hot, toss in the onion. Sauté for 3 minutes, then toss in the garlic, tomatoes, guajillo chili powder, cinnamon, cumin, salt, and oregano. Sauté for another 3-4 minutes, or until the tomatoes start to cook down. Transfer the contents of the skillet into the blender.
- Pour the white vinegar, vegetable stock, and brown sugar into the blender with the tomato/onion mixture. Blend the mixture until smooth. Pour about 2 cups of the consomé into a bowl for later use.
- Fold the jackfruit into the bigger portion of the consomè.
- Dip a corn tortilla into the bowl with the extra 2 cups of consomè. Lay the soaked tortilla flat on a surface. Sprinkle a bit of cheese onto one end of the tortilla, then layer on a bit of the jackfruit. Roll the tortilla tightly into a spiral (a “flauta” shape), and place seam side down. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- Once all of your flautas are rolled up, heat the final 2 tbsp olive oil in the large skillet. Once hot, place each flauta, seam side down, into the oil. Sear for 2-3 minutes, or until the seams are sealed. Then, flip each flauta and sear for an additional 1-2 minutes on its other side. (You may need to do this in batches, depending on the size of your skillet). Transfer each flauta to a large baking sheet.
- Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the flautas are crisp and golden.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together all of the Mexican Ranch dip ingredients until smooth.
- Serve each flauta with a side of the Mexican Ranch dipping sauce and enjoy!