Hey foodies! I’m super excited to share my favorite Caribbean-inspired dish that’ll transport your taste buds straight to Jamaica. As someone who’s made this dish countless times (like seriously, I made it twice just last week!) I can tell you that Shrimp Rasta Pasta is absolutely worth the hype!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Super creamy and packed with bold flavors
- Perfect balance of spicy and savory
- Instagram-worthy with beautiful tri-colored bell peppers
- Can be customized with different proteins
- Ready in under 45 minutes (excluding marination time)
Essential Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Shrimp
- 1 pound fresh shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- 2½ tablespoons Jamaican jerk seasoning (I swear by Walkerswood Traditional)
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose seasoning
For the Pasta and Veggies:
- 1 pound penne pasta
- 3 large bell peppers (1 each of red, yellow, and green)
- 1 large onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the Dreamy Sauce
- ½ cup coconut milk (Thai Kitchen unsweetened works best!)
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ½ stick butter
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1½ cups Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup cheddar cheese
Let’s Get Cooking!
Step 1: Marinate Those Shrimp
First things first – let’s get those shrimp packed with flavor!
- Mix shrimp with jerk seasoning and ½ tbsp all-purpose seasoning
- Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours (trust me, the wait is worth it!)
Step 2: Cook The Shrimp
- Heat skillet over medium heat
- Cook shrimp for 3 mins each side
- Remove and set aside (don’t forget to snap a pic for the gram!)
Step 3: The Colorful Veggies
- In same skillet (hello, extra flavor!)
- Toss in those beautiful bell peppers and sliced onions
- Cook 3-4 mins – we want em crispy, not mushy!
Step 4: The Magic Sauce
Here’s where the magic happens:
- Melt butter in saucepan (medium-high heat)
- Cook diced onions (1-2 mins)
- Add garlic (30 secs)
- Sprinkle in flour to make roux
- Pour in heavy cream and coconut milk
- Add jerk seasoning
- Mix in ALL that cheese
Step 5: Bringing It All Together
- Cook penne until al dente
- Save some pasta water (thank me later!)
- Mix pasta with veggies
- Add sauce gradually
- Toss in those juicy shrimp
- Garnish with extra shrimp on top and parsley
Pro Tips from My Kitchen to Yours
- Don’t skip the marinating time – it’s literally what makes this dish AMAZING
- Keep some pasta water – it’s your bestie for adjusting sauce thickness
- Use fresh bell peppers for that authentic Rasta color pop
- Feel free to adjust jerk seasoning to your spice tolerance
- If shrimp isn’t your thing, chicken or oxtail work great too!
Fun Food History Moment
Did you know? Traditional Rasta pasta was actually created as a vegan dish! True Rastafarians don’t eat meat or dairy. But hey, food evolution is beautiful, and this creamy, shrimpy version has become a huge hit, especially at places like Footprints Cafe in Brooklyn!
Storage Tips ️
- Store leftovers in airtight container
- Keeps well in fridge for 3-4 days
- Reheat with a splash of cream or milk
- Not recommended for freezing (cream sauce can separate)
Y’all, this dish is seriously one of my faves! It’s perfect for family dinners, date nights, or when you’re just craving something special. Every time I make it, people go crazy for seconds!
Drop a comment below if you try this recipe – I’d love to hear how it turned out for you! And don’t forget to tag me in your food pics!
Happy cooking, food lovers!
#CaribbeanFood #RastaPasta #Foodie #HomeCooking #JamaicanCuisine
What’s The Best Pasta Shape To Use?
I love spaghetti for this recipe – it’s cheap, the buttery sauce coats the long noodles, and this is just a good recipe for slurping up the noodles while you’re eating it. It’s also delicious with fettuccine, bucatini, linguine, and angel hair pasta. If you’d prefer a short noodle, I’d recommend farfalle (bowtie), penne, or rotini.
No matter which noodle you choose, be sure to boil the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water.
- Choosing a large enough pot is critical to giving the pasta plenty of room to cook in water that’s at a rolling boil, which is how you stop the pasta from sticking together.
- Salting the pasta water is your only chance to season the inside of the pasta, because the pasta will absorb that flavorful cooking water while it boils.
You only need 10 pantry friendly ingredients to make this quick meal. You’ll need: chicken breasts, olive oil, dried parsley flakes, garlic powder, salt, pepper, spaghetti, butter, garlic, and parmesan.
How To Make Garlic Butter Chicken Spaghetti
This 20-minute recipe is honestly so simple, but it brings a ton of flavor to the table. All you have to do is coat the filleted chicken in the oil and spices, then sauté it until it’s cooked through.
Cook the pasta in salted water, and while that’s cooking, make the sauce by sautéing the garlic in butter. Toss the pasta with the sliced chicken and garlic butter sauce, and voila! That’s all it takes (which is why it will be your new favorite meal idea). See the recipe card below for the full recipe including ingredient amounts, cooking times, and helpful tips, etc.
JERK SHRIMP RASTA PASTA RECIPE | HOW TO MAKE PASTA | RASTA PASTA |
FAQ
What ingredients do I need for rasta pasta?
Rasta pasta typically includes penne pasta, bell peppers (red, green, and yellow are common), onion, garlic, jerk seasoning, coconut milk, heavy cream, parmesan cheese, and butter.
Do you cook shrimp before adding to pasta?
If you’re using raw shrimp, let them simmer in the sauce until they’re mostly pink — a final addition of piping-hot pasta will help them cook all the way through. Precooked shrimp can be added right along with the pasta, since they just need to be warmed in the skillet.