Vegan Jibarito Sandwich

The incredible plantain strikes again! Try this incredibly delicious Vegan Jibarito Sandwich recipe; a Puerto Rican sandwich that uses fried plantains instead of bread.

Vegan | Gluten-free | Soy-free

Have you ever heard of a Jibarito Sandwich? 25 years ago a Puerto Rican Chicago restaurateur Juan “Peter” Figueroa, ran out of bread and decided to make a sandwich using fried plantains instead. And voilà, the Jibarito Sandwich was born! Soon the sandwich’s popularity spread to other Latin-American restaurants around Chicago and pretty much everywhere else.

A very creative version of a sandwich the only way Puerto Ricans know how to, substituting the bread for fried plantains and filling it with meat, lettuce, cheese and mayo-ketchup.

Now, let’s make this into a #VeganizedPuertoRican!

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Veganizing the Jibarito Sandwich

As you read above, traditionally this is a meat filled sandwich; and that’s not how we roll here. So I’m turning to our favorite… a vegan’s best friend, JACKFRUIT! With this, we can make the vegan version of pulled pork. Then substitute the cheese with vegan cheese and make the mayo-ketchup with vegan mayo. Everything else is already vegan!

This is how we’re going to layer the sandwich: fried plantain, vegan cheese, jackfruit pulled pork, tomato onion, lettuce and a drizzle of vegan mayo-ketchup. Add cheese and onions if you like, but don’t forget the mayoketchup! The garlicky flavor really ties it all together!

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Notes:

• This recipe originally calls out for plantain tostones, but for the photos of this recipe I used breadfruit tostones instead. I know breadfruit isn’t readily available to everyone, that’s why I wrote this recipe using plantain tostones.
• Making the tostones: Personally, I think that tostones are best made fried. I’ve tried making them in the oven and in the air-fryer, it just doesn’t cut it for me. However, feel free to use whichever method works best for you.
• Not a fan of jackfruit? Try making this with seitan, tofu or even soy curls instead!
• Want to elevate this recipe? Instead of using vegan mayo-ketchup, try my recipe for a vegan garlic-herb aioli. 
• You can increase or decrease the size of this recipe to your liking; just keep in mind that one plantain will make two full sandwiches.

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Vegan Jibarito Sandwich

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Serves: 2 Prep Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 30 Minutes 30 Minutes Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

For the Pulled Jackfruit:

• 1 can green jackfruit, de-seeded
• 1 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
• juice of ½ lemon
• Seasoning: liquid smoke, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, salt & pepper
• ½ cup veggie stock
• Optional: BBQ Sauce

For the sandwich:

• 2 large plantains
• Canola oil, for frying
• 1 teaspoon of sea salt
• 2-4 slices of vegan American or Cheddar cheese
• 1 tomato, thinly sliced 
• 1 cup of chopped romaine lettuce
• ½ red onion, sliced
• ¼ cup of vegan mayo-ketchup

Procedure

Pulled Jackfruit:

1. Heat up a pan to medium heat; add avocado oil, de-seeded jackfruit, lemon, and all of the seasoning ingredients. Combine evenly and slightly shred the jackfruit with a fork.
2. When all is combined, pour in the veggie stock, and cook for about 10-15 minutes.
3. Once the liquid has evaporated, lower the heat and add 3-4 tbsp of the BBQ Sauce. Mix until well incorporated, remove from heat, and set aside.

Fried Plantains:

Note: For the photos of this recipe I used “tostones de pana”, instead of plantain tostones. I know breadfruit isn’t readily available to everyone, that’s why I wrote this recipe using plantain tostones.

4. In a large frying pan, heat canola oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. The oil should be at least 1 inch deep.
5. Cut off the ends of the plantains. Run a knife along the length creating a shallow incision. Lift the skin to peel it off. Cut plantains in half.
6. Fry in hot oil (about 350°F) until softened but not browned, about 5 to 7 minutes per side. They will pierce easily with a fork when soft.
7. Remove from the oil and flatten each piece to ¼-inch thickness. This can be done with a tostonera or with the bottom of a heavy plate. Return to oil and fry again on each side until crisp and golden yellow, about 1-2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt while hot.

Assembling:

8. Later up a fried plantain, vegan cheese slice, pulled jackfruit, lettuce, tomato, red onions, vegan mayo-ketchup, and the other fried plantain. Note: store leftover jackfruit in the fridge in an air-tight container, or use it for another round!
9. Serve while hot, and ENJOY!

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