Jackfruit Tortilla Soup with Lime and Quinoa
Smokey, savory, and bursting with plant-based nutrition, this jackfruit tortilla soup recipe is the perfect answer to your search for a new camping recipe this fall. Don’t worry, I won’t judge you if you want to make it at home too. Follow along for tips on what camp cookware to pack for this recipe and learn how the meat used in this tortilla soup grows on trees...
Here’s why I’m loving this jackfruit tortilla soup recipe:
A true one-dish dinner
20 minute prep time is perfect for busy days outdoors
Uses seasonal ingredients like carrots, cilantro, and celery
Ingredients use minimal packaging- a great alternative to individually packaged, pre-made camping meals
One of the most important aspects of any great camping recipe is simplicity. Simple ingredients, simple camp cookware, and simple steps. Cooking in the great outdoors is amazing on its own- you get to spend quality time with the people you care about, enjoy fresh air, and is it just me, or does everything seem to taste better when you eat it outside? Add in a great-tasting tortilla soup recipe and some sustainable camp cookware and it really can’t get better!
This tortilla soup recipe uses a mix of fresh seasonal vegetables and a few unexpected ingredients to surprise your taste buds. Seasonally available ingredients, such as the carrots, celery, onions, and cilantro used in this camping recipe, have many benefits. They’re full of natural flavor, nutrients, and are typically more sustainable than using out of season ingredients. Bonus: seasonal ingredients are typically widely available when they’re in season, making them easy to find. And because they’re in surplus, the price is lower. (Did you hear that, my fellow dirtbags?)
To make this plant-based camping recipe full of the nutrients your body needs after a long day spent exploring the outdoors, quinoa and jackfruit are added into the mix. These foods make this vegetarian tortilla soup recipe filling and unique. Quinoa, a seed traditionally grown in Peru and Bolivia, is a fantastic source of complete protein. It contains all nine essential amino acids and is also a good source of antioxidants and minerals.
If you’ve never cooked with jackfruit before, you’re in for a treat. Jackfruit is indeed a fruit, but it’s look and texture are a mirror image of shredded chicken. This makes it a great meat alternative for non-meat eaters. And it’s perfect for a camping recipe because you won’t need to worry about refrigeration. Besides being a very unique fruit- it’s the largest tree fruit in the world- jackfruit packs a punch. Jackfruit contains nearly every vitamin and mineral that you need in a healthy diet. Plus it’s a great source of vitamin C. This is a great immune system boost and never a bad idea if you’re spending a night or two camping in colder weather.
How to shred jackfruit
Jackfruit is typically only available in cans in the U.S, although you might be able to find it fresh at a specialty store. Canned jackfruit is quite easy to cook with, but if you’ve never used it before, here’s a few tips to help you get started. First, make sure you have the right camp cookware for the job. You’ll want a fork, a knife, and a cutting board to shred your jackfruit on. Once you’re set up, shred the jackfruit piece by piece, gently pulling it apart with your fork and knife until it resembles shredded chicken. If there are any thick, hard pieces at the center of the jackfruit chunk, leave these out. This is the core and can be difficult to chew, but it’s safe to eat. Jackfruit is safe to be eaten raw or cooked, so all you’ll need to do once it’s shredded is add it into the tortilla soup recipe. It will cook and absorb the spices perfectly all on its own.
Once your ingredients are chopped, shredded, and simmering, there’s not much else you need to do except wash the camp cookware you used. Luckily this simple recipe doesn’t use much! While your tortilla soup recipe is cooking, stir it every few minutes to make sure the ingredients are cooking evenly. Then, sit back, relax, and enjoy your time outside! After all, that’s what it’s all about.
Jackfruit Tortilla Soup with Lime and Quinoa
Ingredients:
2 vegetable bouillon cubes
14 oz can jackfruit
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
2 carrots
2 stalks celery
28 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1/2 red onion
2 cloves garlic
1 Tablespoon cumin
1 Tablespoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
1 teaspoon salt + more to taste
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 Tablespoons oil (coconut or olive oil preferred)
6 cups water
1 lime
¼ cup monterey jack cheese (optional)
⅛ cup fresh cilantro
½ cup tortilla strips or tortilla chips
Step 1.) Dice red onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Place vegetables in a large pot with 2 Tablespoons of oil. Saute over medium heat for 5-7 minutes.
Step 2.) While vegetables are cooking, shred jackfruit. Use a fork and knife to gently pull each chunk of jackfruit apart until it looks similar to shredded chicken. Repeat this process until all jackfruit is shredded as desired.
Step 3.) Add cumin, paprika, chili powder, chipotle powder, salt, and pepper to vegetable mixture. Mix to coat vegetables with the spices.
Step 4.) Add fire-roasted diced tomatoes, shredded jackfruit, and 6 cups of water to the pot. Adjust heat to high and bring ingredients to a boil.
Step 5.) Add quinoa and vegetable bouillon cubes and stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and let simmer for 15 minutes or until quinoa is fully cooked.
Step 6.) While tortilla soup is cooking, prepare the toppings. Cut a lime into wedges, grate about ¼ cup of monterey jack cheese (omit to make it vegan/dairy-free), and remove cilantro leaves from their stems.
Step 7.) Once quinoa is cooked and carrots are soft, give your tortilla soup recipe a final taste. Adjust any spices as desired and then scoop into your favorite reusable camping bowl.
Garnish with a squeeze of lime, monterey jack cheese, tortillas, and cilantro. Enjoy in the fresh air with good company!