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This buffalo jackfruit pizza is the recipe I hand to anyone who thinks vegan pizza means “sad cheese-less pizza.” Pulled jackfruit shreds just like its meaty counterpart, soaks up tangy-spicy buffalo sauce like it was born for it, and bakes up on a golden crust with sweet peppers and red onion. Creamy avocado and cool cashew ranch bring the heat back down to earth.
Pizza night is a big deal around here, so I’ve got more where this came from. My savory plant-based pizza is loaded with peppery arugula and a sauce you’ll want to bottle, BBQ vegetarian pizza is a rainbow of color and flavor on a crust, and classic veggie pizza turns the flavors you grew up on into a homemade creation you’ll make on repeat.
Why I Love It
- It’s a fun one to make. Shredding the saucy jackfruit with two forks is oddly satisfying, and assembling the pizza is a great job to hand off to kids or teenagers hovering in the kitchen. Dinner and entertainment, one recipe.
- Jackfruit is the ultimate stand-in. Once shredded, it has that satisfying, pull-apart texture you’d expect from a buffalo pizza — no meat required. It’s mild on its own, which means it becomes a flavor sponge for all that buffalo sauce.
- The flavor hits every note. Spicy, tangy buffalo sauce. Sweet roasted bell pepper. Sharp red onion. Buttery avocado. Cool, herby cashew ranch. Every slice is a little rollercoaster, and that’s exactly the point.
- It eats like a real meal. Between the fiber in the jackfruit and veggies, the healthy fats from avocado and cashews, and the carbs from that golden crust, this pizza covers your bases — plants doing all the work, macros handled without a second thought.
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Recipe Tips
- Control the heat. Half a cup of buffalo sauce brings medium heat. Scale back to ⅓ cup for spice-sensitive eaters, or stir a spoonful of cashew ranch right into the sauced jackfruit for a milder, creamier vibe.
- Make it gluten-free. Swap in your favorite gluten-free pizza crust — cauliflower crusts work great here too. Double-check your buffalo sauce label; most (like Frank’s RedHot) are gluten-free, but not all.
- Buy the right jackfruit. You want canned green (young) jackfruit in water or brine — not ripe jackfruit in syrup, which is sweet and won’t shred. It’s usually near the canned vegetables or in the international aisle.
- Rinse and squeeze. Drain the jackfruit, rinse it well, and press out extra liquid before saucing. Drier jackfruit soaks up more buffalo flavor and keeps your crust from going soggy.
- Pre-baking the jackfruit matters. That first 10-15 minutes in the casserole dish concentrates the sauce and softens the jackfruit so it shreds beautifully. Don’t skip it.
Buffalo Jackfruit Pizza
Jen HansardIngredients
- 1 pizza crust
- 1 15-oz can green jackfruit drained and rinsed
- ½ cup buffalo hot sauce ex: Frank’s Red Hot
- 1 lemon juiced
- ¼ red onion diced
- ½ red bell pepper thinly sliced
For Topping:
- ½ avocado thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons green onions thinly sliced
- ¼ cup cashew ranch
Instructions
- Prepare pizza crust depending on what you are using. If it's a dough ball. precook before adding toppings.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly grease a casserole dish. Set both aside.
- In a bowl, combine jackfruit with buffalo sauce and lemon juice. Transfer to the greased casserole dish and bake for 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Use two forks to shred the jackfruit and stir so it can absorb more of the sauce.
- To assemble pizza, place the prepared pizza crust on the lined baking sheet and top with the buffalo jackfruit. Add the onion and bell pepper. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until crust is deeply golden and the vegetables are tender.
- Top the pizza with sliced avocado, minced parsley and green onions. Cut into 6 slices and serve.
Recipe Notes
- Cashew Ranch Dipping Sauce: soak 1/2 cup raw cashews in water for several hours or overnight. Drain and rinse. Place in blender with 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, a pinch of paprika, and a good pinch each salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add a few tablespoons of water and blend until smooth. Store in fridge until ready to use.
- This pizza is best eaten the day it is baked, but will keep for 1-2 days in the fridge.
- You can also make the buffalo jackfruit and refrigerate up to a day ahead of time.
Nutrition
Common Questions
On its own, green jackfruit is mild with a slight tang — think artichoke heart. On this pizza, it tastes like buffalo sauce in the best way: the shredded texture grabs the sauce, so every bite is tangy, spicy, and satisfying.
Most grocery stores carry it now — check the canned vegetable aisle, the international aisle, or stores like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. Make sure the label says young or green jackfruit in water or brine, not syrup.
You can prep the buffalo jackfruit up to 3 days ahead and store it in the fridge — the flavor actually gets better as it sits. Assemble and bake the pizza fresh, then add the avocado and ranch after baking.
Frank’s RedHot Original is vegan, but some buffalo-style sauces are made with butter, so check the label. If your sauce is butter-based, stir hot sauce with a little melted vegan butter or olive oil for the same rich, tangy effect.
Use less buffalo sauce (start with ⅓ cup) or swap with BBQ sauce. You can also pile on extra avocado, and don’t skip the cashew ranch — it’s the built-in fire extinguisher. You can also mix the buffalo sauce with a little maple syrup for a sweet-heat version that’s much gentler.
This sounds tasty. We need to eat more plant based foods to improve our health. Be satisfied with foods which satisfy the taste buds and filling with out larger servings. Will I be on track with this?
You should def check out all our recipes! (And this one’s a great start. 🙂 ) They are delicious and healthy and most (if not all) are super easy to make.
You read my mind! I got both jackfruit and buffalo sauce at the store this week, can’t wait to try this recipe
Awesome! Let us know how it goes! 🙂
I’m drooling! The taco recipe was a HIT, can’t wait to try this one!! Sounds so YUM!
I made the Jackfruit Taco recipe too and loved it! This one looks sooooo good. Simple Green Smoothiesad me at buffalo. Haha! 🙂
It does! Let us know what you think after you make it!
I made the jackfruit taco recipe y’all made a couple months ago, so I’m definitely going to be trying this one this weekend! Is it in your new meal planner?
It isn’t in the meal planner yet, but it will be! 🙂
Just added it a few seconds ago!
Woo hoo!!