Rasta pasta is a fun Jamaican-inspired one-pot dish with creamy, cheesy pasta tossed with jerk chicken and bell peppers. Creamy, cheesy, and spicy all in one recipe has to be great!
When I lived in LA, a couple of friends from other parts of the U.S. drove all the way just to visit me, enduring the brutal LA traffic. Weren’t they sweet? And one of them brought along her Jamaican mom’s rasta pasta recipe.
But you know me, I had to put my own little spin on it. This recipe, loaded with spicy goodness and gorgeous colors, is a nutritionist’s dream come true. So, I hope this beautiful and colorful one-pot dish is everything you’re looking for.
Ever since that visit, I’ve been making this easy and amazing Rasta pasta on the regular. It quickly flies off the table and is just as appealing to the little ones. What’s not to love about creamy pasta?
Why This Pasta Is Called Rasta
Chef Lorraine Washington created a tasty fettuccini recipe for a construction crew in Jamaica. She topped it with red sauce and yellow ackee, and the workers dubbed it Rasta pasta because of the attractive color combination. The Rastafarian colors, red, green, and gold from the Ethiopian flag, represent the blood of martyrs, the vegetation of the land, and minerals, portraying Africa’s natural wealth.
Over the years, this recipe has evolved from a simple pasta veggie dish with a coconut milk sauce to creamy decadence topped with jerk chicken or shrimp. The colorful bell peppers give it the iconic appearance. Replacing the liquids with coconut milk and omitting the chicken gives you an amazing vegan version.
How to Make Rasta Pasta
- Marinate – Generously season the chicken thighs in a medium bowl with salt and jerk seasoning, making sure to cover the chicken thoroughly with the spices. Cover it with plastic wrap and let it marinate for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours in the fridge. (For faster cooking, cut the chicken into bite-size pieces.)
- Pasta – Cook the pasta to al dente in a large pot according to package instructions. Salt according to taste, drain, and set aside.
- Heat a heavy cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add a tablespoon of oil. Add the chicken and sear both sides until golden brown or cooked through and juices run clear (8-10 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness). Transfer it to a plate, let it rest for about 10 minutes, then slice it and set aside.
- Saute – Add the remaining oil to the pan, and saute the onion, garlic, and thyme until the onion is soft (about a minute). Then add the bell peppers and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally—season with paprika, Worcestershire, and the remaining jerk spices.
- Pour in the stock and heavy cream, bring it to a boil, and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add the Parmesan and cook for another minute.
- Assemble – Finally, stir in the cooked pasta and sliced chicken, or serve with the chicken on top, like I did.
- Garnish with green onions and parsley, and enjoy.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Some Rasta pasta recipes use coconut milk for the sauce. However, I wanted that chicken flavor to come forward, so I used heavy cream and chicken stock. Topping it with Parmesan also pairs better with a dairy-based sauce.
- I usually use a Scotch bonnet pepper for myself. But some in my family aren’t as heat-tolerant as I am, so I left it out. But, hey, feel free to toss one in.
- Feel free to replace the chicken broth and heavy cream with full-fat coconut milk for a dairy-free version.
- Replacing the chicken with sliced portobellos or oyster mushrooms will make it deliciously vegetarian. Marinate them the same as you would the chicken for a meat-free entree.
- Parma Rosa sauce may be hard to find, so I left it out. But you can make your own by mixing tomato sauce with heavy cream for a gorgeous pink sauce.
- Shrimp or even sliced oxtails are great alternatives for the chicken!
- As always, adjust the creaminess and heat based on your preference.
Make Ahead and Storage
I love making this ahead as part of my weekday meal prep. Sometimes, I make the pasta, sauce, and chicken separately, then assemble and heat them together at the time of serving. Other times, I make a double batch and keep half of it for a couple of days later. Either way works for shortcuts to easy meal prep.
I’ve also frozen it for 2-3 months. The cream may separate, but it should come back together when you heat it.
What Pairs With Rasta Pasta
This one-pot dish is fantastic on its own, but it also goes great with roasted vegetables and a refreshing salad. Caribbean coleslaw is an excellent salad choice.
More Fabulous Jamaican Recipes to Try
Watch How to Make It
This blog post was originally published in April 2019 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
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