The short answer
Breadfruit is a large, round, green starchy fruit that is cooked and eaten like a vegetable or provision across the Caribbean, the Pacific, parts of Africa and beyond. Firm and starchy when unripe, with a mild, slightly sweet, bread-like flavour when cooked, it is roasted, boiled, fried or made into dishes, and in Jamaica roast breadfruit with ackee and saltfish is a classic. It is always eaten cooked, never raw. Note that Caribbean breadfruit is the round fruit, while the African breadfruit, ukwa, is prized for its seeds. In the UK breadfruit is sold, fresh and frozen, by Caribbean and African food shops.
What to remember
- Breadfruit is a large, round, green starchy fruit cooked and eaten like a vegetable or provision.
- It is firm and starchy, with a mild, slightly sweet, bread-like flavour when cooked.
- It is roasted, boiled or fried, and roast breadfruit with ackee and saltfish is a Jamaican classic.
- It is always eaten cooked, never raw, and Caribbean breadfruit is the fruit, while African breadfruit, ukwa, is prized for its seeds.
- Breadfruit is sold fresh and frozen by Caribbean and African food shops in the UK.
For Caribbean people in Britain, breadfruit is a comforting, familiar taste of home. It is the roast breadfruit with ackee and saltfish on a Sunday morning, the slices charred over the fire and fried golden, the filling provision in the soup pot, the flavour that says home and breakfast and family. Cooking breadfruit far from home brings back Jamaican kitchens and Sunday breakfasts and the tables of the islands, the warmth of home in every starchy, satisfying slice.
There is real heritage in it too, in a fruit with a long story in the Caribbean and a beloved place at the table. It reflects a whole culture of hearty, resourceful, comforting food built on provisions, and to roast a breadfruit is to keep that alive. Cooking it for family who grew up on it, or introducing a friend to their first roast breadfruit and saltfish, is a small act of welcome. That comforting, starchy taste of home is the gift of breadfruit.
What is breadfruit?
Breadfruit is a large, round or oval fruit with a bumpy green skin and firm, starchy, pale flesh, which grows on tall tropical trees and is eaten as a starchy staple, or provision, across the Caribbean, the Pacific islands, and parts of Africa, Asia and Latin America. Although it is a fruit, breadfruit is treated as a vegetable or a carbohydrate, much like a potato or yam, because when unripe and cooked it is firm and starchy rather than sweet. Its name comes from the bread-like texture and mild aroma it takes on when roasted or baked.
Breadfruit is versatile and filling, and it is a beloved part of Caribbean eating, especially in Jamaica. It belongs to the world of Caribbean provisions and dishes we cover in our guide to Jamaican food, and it is the classic partner to ackee and saltfish. It is worth distinguishing from the African breadfruit, ukwa, a related fruit whose seeds, rather than its flesh, are the prized part in Igbo cooking; the round Caribbean breadfruit here is eaten for its starchy flesh.
How is breadfruit used and eaten?
Breadfruit is always eaten cooked, and it is wonderfully versatile. The most iconic Jamaican method is roasting: the whole breadfruit is roasted over a fire, flame or in the oven until the skin chars and the inside turns soft and cooked, then it is peeled, cored and sliced, and the slices can be eaten as they are or fried. Roast breadfruit is the traditional partner to ackee and saltfish, and to other saltfish and fish dishes. Breadfruit is also boiled as a provision alongside soups and stews, fried into chips or slices, and used in gratins, salads and more.
When unripe and firm, breadfruit is starchy and savoury, ideal as a provision; as it ripens it softens and sweetens, and very ripe breadfruit is used in sweeter dishes and puddings. It is filling and satisfying, a proper carbohydrate. Breadfruit must be cooked before eating, never eaten raw. This is general food information rather than dietary advice. Starchy, mild and versatile, breadfruit is a treasured Caribbean and tropical staple.
Breadfruit in caribbean food culture
Breadfruit holds a warm, important place in Caribbean food culture, especially in Jamaica, where it is a beloved provision with a story of its own, famously brought to the Caribbean in the eighteenth century as a food crop. A roast breadfruit, its skin blackened over the fire and its slices served with ackee and saltfish, is a classic Jamaican breakfast and a taste of home for many, and breadfruit boiled, fried or roasted appears on tables across the islands as an everyday carbohydrate.
Every household has its favourite way with breadfruit, roasted, boiled or fried, with saltfish or in a soup, but the firm, starchy, mild flesh is always at its heart. For Caribbean people, breadfruit is a comforting, familiar taste of home, and for anyone exploring Caribbean food it is a lovely, satisfying staple to get to know, especially roasted with ackee and saltfish. This article is general food and cultural information. Starchy, filling and comforting, breadfruit is a treasured Caribbean classic.
Where to buy bread fruit in the UK
Buying breadfruit in Britain is easy through Caribbean and African food shops, which sell it fresh when available, as the whole round green fruit, and very commonly frozen, often already peeled and cut into pieces or slices, which is convenient and available all year. Some shops also sell tinned or roasted breadfruit. Staff can help you choose a good firm breadfruit for roasting or boiling and advise on preparing it. For roast breadfruit and saltfish, a fresh or frozen breadfruit is all you need.
If you want breadfruit, a Caribbean or African food shop is the natural place to find it, fresh or frozen, along with the saltfish, ackee and seasonings to serve with it. You can find African food stores in London or look up African food stores in Birmingham to find a shop near you, where breadfruit is a familiar item. Roasted, boiled or fried, breadfruit brings a comforting, starchy taste of the Caribbean to your table.
Frequently asked questions
What is breadfruit?
Breadfruit is a large, round, green starchy fruit that is cooked and eaten like a vegetable or provision across the Caribbean, the Pacific, parts of Africa and beyond. Firm and starchy when unripe, with a mild, slightly sweet, bread-like flavour when cooked, it is roasted, boiled or fried. It is always eaten cooked, never raw, and roast breadfruit with ackee and saltfish is a Jamaican classic.
How do you cook breadfruit?
Breadfruit is always cooked. The classic Jamaican method is roasting the whole fruit over a fire, flame or in the oven until the skin chars and the inside is soft, then peeling, coring and slicing it, and often frying the slices. Breadfruit is also boiled as a provision, fried into chips, or used in gratins and salads. It should never be eaten raw.
What do you eat breadfruit with?
In Jamaica, roast breadfruit is the classic partner to ackee and saltfish, and to other saltfish and fish dishes, especially at breakfast. Boiled breadfruit is served as a provision alongside soups, stews and fish, and fried breadfruit slices or chips make a tasty side. Its mild, starchy flesh works like a potato or yam with many savoury dishes.
Is breadfruit the same as African breadfruit or ukwa?
Not quite. The round Caribbean breadfruit is eaten for its starchy flesh, cooked like a vegetable. African breadfruit, known as ukwa in Igbo cooking, is a related fruit whose dried seeds, rather than its flesh, are the prized part, cooked into a hearty porridge. So while they are related and share a name, the Caribbean breadfruit is eaten for the fruit and ukwa for its seeds.
Where can I buy breadfruit in the UK?
Breadfruit is sold fresh when available, as the whole green fruit, and very commonly frozen, often peeled and cut, by Caribbean and African food shops, with some selling tinned or roasted breadfruit too. Staff can help you choose one and advise on roasting or boiling it. You can find African food stores near you for breadfruit and the saltfish and ackee to serve with it.
