It’s officially summer time which means it’s time to get on the grill! Most people would think that there’s nothing to grill for vegans other than your typical veggies (which are delicious, don’t get me wrong).
However, there’s so much more to enjoy if you know what recipes to follow.
Case and point these Vegan BBQ Ribs! This recipe is absolutely amazing and I know that you’re going to enjoy it because they are sticky, meaty, and just downright delicious.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Vegan BBQ Ribs:
- ground flaxseed meal
- plant-based ground meat
- canned jackfruit
- white onion
- fresh garlic
- brown sugar
- smoked paprika
- liquid smoke
- rib rub seasoning blend of choice
- BBQ Sauce of choice
How to Make Vegan BBQ Ribs:
Making Vegan BBQ Ribs is not as hard as what you might think. Instead of making everything completely from scratch, this recipe uses a combination of vegan ground and jackfruit (in brine or water- not fresh) to provide the stringy, fibrous meat-like texture.
To begin making this recipe you’ll want to start by preheating your oven to 350 and dicing up all of your fresh produce- your white onion and fresh garlic.
Once these items are chopped you can go ahead and start prepping your canned jackfruit.
Simply drain all of the water from the can and then remove the Jackfruit pieces and transfer to the center of a clean dishcloth.
Before wringing out the water, you can opt to remove the seeds, but this is optional.
I do it to maintain that “meaty” look, but if you want to keep the jackfruit as is, that’s totally fine! Wrap the jackfruit up in the cloth and wring out all of the water.
Releasing the water from the Jackfruit will help provide the meaty texture and make it easier for the Jackfruit to absorb more flavor. Next, you can prep your remaining ingredients.
Make your vegan egg by mixing the flaxseed meal with the water, then place it in the refrigerator to set.
Measure out your remaining seasonings such as brown sugar, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper and liquid smoke.
Now that all of your ingredients have been prepped you’re ready to start making your Vegan BBQ Ribs.
Add your plant-based ground meat to a large bowl along with the drained Jackfruit, white onion, garlic, brown sugar, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and liquid smoke.
Don’t forget to also add in your flax egg that’s been sitting in the refrigerator.
Once all of your ingredients have been added to the bowl use a large spoon or your hands to mix everything together until all of the ingredients are well combined.
Once the ingredients are combined, grab a large baking pan and line it with foil.
Transfer the vegan rib mixture over to the baking pan and form a rectangular shape that’s about 1 inch thick over top of the foil.
Once your ribs have been formed, use a knife to make vertical indentions every inch or so to create a “rib-like” appearance.
Sprinkle your vegan BBQ rib meat with a rib rub of your choice (optional), then transfer the baking pan to the oven and allow your Vegan BBQ Ribs to bake for 1 hour.
About 20 minutes before your Vegan BBQ Ribs are finished baking, if you are using a charcoal grill it may be a good opportunity to go ahead and get your grill warmed up and prepped so that you can transfer the Vegan BBQ Ribs to the grill soon after they are finished baking in the oven.
However, if you are using a gas grill you can turn it on just shortly before the ribs are finished cooking since you won’t need to really preheat it.
Once your Vegan BBQ Ribs are finished baking, remove them from the oven then use a brush to spread your BBQ sauce over the vegan ribs.
Transfer the vegan BBQ ribs to the grill along with the foil and cook on the grill for about 15 to 20 minutes between 300-400°.
Remove your vegan BBQ ribs from the grill once they are finished cooking then brush with additional barbecue sauce. Cut and separate at indentions and serve immediately. Enjoy!
What if I Don’t Have a Grill?
If you don’t have a grill that’s totally fine. The grilling aspect of the this recipe is completely optional, but to me it helps add a classic flavor to the dish.
If you don’t have a grill don’t worry you can eat these vegan BBQ ribs straight out of the oven after they’re finished.
I know you’ll love this Vegan BBQ Ribs recipe! It’s easy to make, delicious and the perfect meaty substitute.
If these don’t remind you of “fall off the bone” tender ribs, I don’t know what will! Give this recipe a try and let me know how it goes in the comments below!
Pair these Vegan BBQ Ribs With:
- Classic Southern Vegan Potato Salad
- 4 Cheese Baked Mac and Cheese
- Easy Avocado Black Bean Corn Salad
- Easy Spicy Mayo Grilled Corn
- Grilled Vegetable Skewers
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Easy Vegan BBQ Ribs [+VIDEO]
Ingredients
- 2 flax eggs (2 tbsp flaxseed meal + 5 tbsp water)
- 1 lb plant-based ground meat
- 1 20 oz. can jackfruit drained + hard parts removed
- ¼ medium white onion diced
- 2 cloves fresh garlic minced
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1½ tsp smoked paprika
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1 tsp liquid smoke
- rib rub seasoning blend of choice to taste
- BBQ Sauce of choice to taste (¼-½ cup)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Combine the ground flaxseed and water to form flax egg. Place in the fridge to set.2 flax eggs
- In a large bowl add your vegan ground, drained jackfruit, onion, garlic, brown sugar, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and liquid smoke.1 lb plant-based ground meat, 1 20 oz. can jackfruit, ¼ medium white onion, 2 cloves fresh garlic, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1½ tsp smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, 1 tsp liquid smoke
- Once the flax egg is set, add it to the bowl along with the other ingredients. Mix until all ingredients are combined.2 flax eggs
- Transfer the mixture to a baking sheet line with foil. Use your hands to form the mixture into a 1 inch thick rectangular shape, then use a knife to make indentions (to appear rib-like) about 1-1½ inches wide.
- Sprinkle with rib rub seasoning blend to taste, then transfer to the oven and bake for 1 hour.rib rub seasoning blend of choice
- Preheat grill (if necessary).
- Once the ribs are finished baking, remove from the oven and brush with BBQ sauce of choice.BBQ Sauce of choice
- Transfer vegan rib rack (with foil) to the grill and cook for about 15-20 minutes at about 300-400°.
- Remove from the grill and brush with additional BBQ sauce to taste. Serve immediately.
This was amazing!! This was the first recipe I could find that didn’t have wheat in it. The meat eaters in my family couldn’t get enough of it! I will definitely make this over and over again!!!! I
Made these ribs over the holiday weekend and MY GAWD ON TODAY. They were so finger licking! This is gonna be a definite permanent fave recipe for me. As soon as I tasted them I had to jump in Desiree’s DMS to ask for her location bc like the old folks say, it was so good I wanted to slap her 😂. Highly recommend. I didn’t grill them but they came out perfect in the oven. Glad I can have something besides vegan hot dogs on the grill and at family cookouts now.
How long did you cook the ribs in the oven?
Hey Vanessa, check out step #6 – “Sprinkle with rib rub seasoning blend to taste, then transfer to the oven and bake for 1 hour.” 😉
I made this last night and it was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!! MY teenage daughter loved it! We just started to go plant base so I was worried this recipe would be hard…it was so EASY and delicious….my daughter came to me around lunch time today and said ” Mom any more of those ribs?!?!” 😋😋 She is soooo lucky I love her and saved her 2 …LOL
Desiree! Thank you, Thank you! Amazing recipe and just as it states “Easy” to follow. So Delicious! Tastes just like the “real” thing – we’ve only been vegans for 5 yrs, so we remember what ribs taste like. We’re in heaven enjoying these delicious ribs this evening – YUM!
These were literally phenomenal. I doubled the recipe and they came out perfect. Thank you for this!!! Going to be amazing for family bbq’s!
THEE ABSOLUTE BEST VEGAN RIB RECIPE I’VE EVER MADE!!!!
Most recipes call for jackfruit to make the ribs. IMHO, jackfruit doesn’t make the cut for me and my family. I’ve made this recipe repeatedly and it hits differently every time!!!
Was so delicious! Highly recommend trying whether vegan or not.
Hello! The recipe looks great! Can you cook the ribs solely in the grill, omitting the need for the oven?
Hi Alice! Yep, you sure can. I would cook them slowly starting at 20-25 minutes and increase the cook time as needed until they’re done.
This recipe was so easy to prepare. It was so full of flavor and finger licking good!! By far the BEST vegan ribs recipe I have ever made. I highly recommend it!!!
These ribs were sooooo good. Child I had the spirit of greed and almost ate the whole rib while cooking my sides. I stopped and have some left over but my God these will be a regular for me. I didn’t place them I didn’t place them on grill but child if I had to they for real would not have made it. Thank you Desiree!!!
I made this multiple times and everyone LOVES it! so meaty and delicious! I use stubbs hickory bourbon bbq sauce! soooooo good
Saw this recipe around the internet. Liked the flax seed egg component. Made it for Sunday dinner and it was a huge success! Delicious! This recipe goes into rotation even for weekdays.
I made the ribs for my vegan Thanksgiving dinner and it was delicious!!!
I made these last night and I have to say that these are the best vegan ribs I have ever made! Not only are they delicious and meaty, but they’re also quick and easy to make! I have a feeling this recipe is going to be a new summer staple!
These are delicious! I made the flax egg and put it in the fridge to set, and then forgot about it, but they still came out great. I’m not going to bother with the flax egg for my second batch.
I made these for labor day and they were delicious. Even few meaters said they were tasty.
I’ve made this over 8 times and everyone loves it!
Just one thing I’m realizing now, the instructions don’t say what to do with the flax egg. I’ve been putting it in the mixture. Is that right?
Thanks so much Cristina! So glad you continue to enjoy it. Also yes, the flax egg goes in the mixture. Apologies for the oversight, it’s been updated. Thanks for letting me know! 😉
Is there a sub that can be used for the flax egg like applesauce?
If you don’t have flax seed meal, I would try a store-bought vegan egg replacement (JUST egg or other).
I love every recipe I have tried thus far and this one did not disappoint. Trust me double the recipe you and your guest are going to want more.
Omg you guys!!!!!! This was by far the best plant based recreation of ribs that I came across!! He recipe was so easy to follow, your young children could make this!!! I’ve been plant based since 2018 so I let some people that were not plant based try these delicious Jackfruit BBQ Ribs and babeeeeeeee they loved them so much they want to buy the ingredients for me to make a couple slabs of these meatless ribs!! Thank you sooooo much Desiree for sharing this recipe and all of your other easy recipes!!! I will definitely be making these again and many more of your recipes!!!!! ✨✨✨✨ Extremely HAPPY CUSTOMER!!!!! 😁😁
Can these be baked in advance and frozen? I’m thinking of making them for a future lazy dinner, and wasn’t sure if it would freeze/defrost well. Sounds really good!
Hi Cheryl, I haven’t tried it personally but something tells me it should work!