Mexican shrimp cocktail made vegan?! Yes, please! By using jackfruit and just the right amount of seasoning, this dish includes all the right flavors to make that possible. Enjoy an oh-so-tasty, summer-friendly food, while helping the ocean and all our friends in it!

What is veafood?! Not sure if I’ve mentioned this to you before, but I kind of have a habit of making up words! LOL! Veafood (forgive me if it’s been done) is my way of expressing something is a vegan version of seafood. Seafood… veafood… get it? It works, right!?

It was a hot summer’s day (with a lot of avocados in my kitchen), and the thought of a Mexican shrimp cocktail appeared in my head. Something I haven’t had in years. As a kid, it was the only kind of shrimp cocktail my mom would make. In fact, I don’t think I ever had a traditional one until I was an adult. Just shrimp and cocktail sauce? How boring! Where are the veggies? Well, now the veggies (or fruit) are the only part of the shrimp cocktail I eat. I wondered if I could recreate it with jackfruit, and I decided it was worth a try.

I figured since jackfruit doesn’t have the same consistency as shrimp I wouldn’t label this as a “shrimp” cocktail, but the texture is perfect for other kinds of seafood such as crab — and the flavor… it was perfect! I really didn’t expect this to turn out as good as I had hoped, but it DID! I can honestly say it exceeded my expectations, and how thankful I am for that! I can’t stop eating it!

What’s even better about this dish is how simple it is to make. Trimming the jackfruit, I’ll admit, can be a bit tedious, but not at all difficult, and you do get faster at it once you’ve done it a couple of times. Jackfruit in brine or syrup WILL NOT work for this recipe! You must buy young (or green) jackfruit IN WATER. I find mine at a local Korean market, or I’ve also ordered it online in the past.

For this recipe, I first remove all the seeds from the jackfruit, rinse it, and then squeeze it dry. Next, I trim off all the hard edges. Now I shred apart the remaining pieces of the fruit using two forks, breaking up any hard parts remaining with the back of a fork or with a sharp knife.

After I have the jackfruit ready to use, I simply toss it in a bowl with the kelp powder and Old Bay Seasoning. The kelp powder I buy in bulk at a natural foods market, or again you could instead find this online.

After the seasonings are well mixed throughout the jackfruit, I add all the remaining ingredients to the bowl and toss. Now it’s ready, and I merely chill it in the fridge for a bit before eating.

When I was first making this salad I was unsure if I’d be able to recreate the exact flavors I was craving, but… I was incredibly pleased when I found out I had! I’ve so far also had it taste tested by two omnivores, one being a teenager, and one an adult. They both loved it, making another dish vegan-made and omni-approved!

If you, as well, love this Mexican Veafood Cocktail, let me know by leaving a comment below, or snapping a pic and tagging me on Instagram, @veggiesattiffanis.

Print Mexican Veafood Cocktail All the flavor of a Mexican seafood cocktail, vegan style! Prep Time 13 minutes Servings 3 - 4 cups Author Tiffani Wells Ingredients 1 17 oz can green/young jackfruit, IN WATER jackfruit in brine will not work for this recipe

1/4 tsp kelp powder

1/4 tsp Old Bay Seasoning

2 Roma tomatoes, diced

1 large avocado, diced

1/4 cup organic ketchup

1/4 cup white onion, diced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1/2 jalapeño; seeded, stem removed, and minced omit for less spicy, use the whole thing for extra spicy and/or include seeds

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp prepared horseradish

tortilla chips, for serving (optional) I eat mine on its own, but chips may be more traditional. Instructions Rinse the jackfruit, remove the seeds, and using your hands, squeeze out the excess water from each piece. Slice off the hard chunks from the ends of each piece (the pieces which cannot be shredded) and discard.

Using two forks, shred all the remaining jackfruit. If there are any thin, unshreddable parts along the edges, you can smash them with the back of a fork or slice them up with a knife.

Add your jackfruit to a medium-sized mixing bowl and sprinkle it with both the kelp powder and the Old Bay Seasoning. Mix well to incorporate both throughout the jackfruit (I use my hands).

Add all remaining ingredients to the bowl and stir until well combined. Chill until ready to serve. Eat as is or serve with tortilla chips, if desired.

5 / 5 ( 1 vote )

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