Shrimp Rasta Pasta
Rasta Pasta is not just a fun rhyming dish — it is a bridge between classic Jamaican cuisine and Western influence!
Rasta Pasta is a creamy pasta tossed with Caribbean-style jerk shrimp and sauteed colorful bell peppers.
This dish is loaded with flavors and makes a great weekend night dinner since it can be made in less than an hour and it is creamy, cheesy, and loaded with wonderful, spicy shrimp!
What Is Rasta Pasta?
The Rasta pasta is a Jamaican-inspired dish featuring three colors of bell peppers in the colors of Jamaica (yellow, red, green), plus shrimp spiced with jerk seasoning.
The dish itself is very comforting and the cheese and creamy sauce just perfectly round up the dish. Instead of shrimp, chicken is often used too.
The pasta has a strong flavor and a spicy kick thanks to the jerk seasoning. It is nothing like the pasta dishes we are used to, and that is the reason to enter this cooking journey!
What Type Of Pasta Should I Use?
We recommend using any short pasta, like penne, fusilli, or rigatoni.
Long noodles are not preferred due to the awkwardness of eating long-cut strips of bell peppers and whole shrimp amidst swirls of noodles.
No one is saying that you can’t use a long pasta, but it is definitely easier to go with a short pasta.
How To Make Homemade Jerk Seasoning
Jerk seasoning and cooking originated in Jamaica — this spice blend will bring all the wonderful flavors of the Caribbean to your table!
Jerk seasoning is traditionally used with chicken, but it works amazingly with shrimp and other seafood.
Jerk seasoning is made with a lot of spices, 15 to be specific. You can easily buy jerk seasoning, but if you want a homemade version, here is what to do!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp paprika powder
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- ½ tsp chili flakes
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl until uniformly blended.
- Transfer the jerk spice mixture into an air-tight container and store it in a dry and dark place.
Notes
- The beauty of this blend is that you can make the jerk seasoning to meet your preferences. If you want more or less ground cloves, you can adjust them. The same is with any other spice in this spice blend.
Homemade Jerk Seasoning
Jerk seasoning and cooking originated in Jamaica — this spice blend will bring all the wonderful flavors of the Caribbean to your table!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp paprika powder
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- ½ tsp chili flakes
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl until uniformly blended.
- Transfer the jerk spice mixture into an air-tight container and store it in a dry and dark place.
Notes
- The beauty of this blend is that you can make the jerk seasoning to meet your preferences. If you want more or less ground cloves, you can adjust them. The same is with any other spice in this spice blend.
How To Make Rasta Pasta
- As with any recipe, prepare your ingredients. It will ease your cooking process.
- Clean and devein the shrimp. Season the shrimp with jerk seasoning and let the shrimp marinate for 10 minutes or longer.
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
- Make sure you cook your pasta in a pot filled with water — this will ensure the pasta is cooked perfectly and without sticking to each other. The water (and lots of it) is the trick, rather than oil, which people tend to use too much.
- Once the pasta is cooked and drained, you can toss it with some olive oil to prevent clumping if you are not going to combine it with the sauce immediately.
- Cook the shrimp in a skillet over medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes per side, depending on their size.
- Remove the cooked shrimp and cook bell peppers with spices in the same skillet.
- Pour in heavy cream and add cheese, then stir until melted and combined.
- Once you have a smooth sauce, toss in the pasta and shrimp, then stir until all is coated.
- Serve pasta warm.
Tips On Making The Rasta Pasta
If you already have some cooked leftover shrimp, you can use them too — simply add the shrimp into the creamy sauce and let reheat for 1 minute, until they soak up the flavors.
If you want to make a vegan or vegetarian version of this recipe, instead of pasta you can use zoodles, substitute dairy with almond milk and vegan cheese, and instead of shrimp, you can use zucchinis, eggplant, or mushrooms.
If your pasta is sitting way too long on the counter and ends up cold, sprinkle a bit of water on the pasta and reheat it in a microwave or over the stove.
Shrimp Rasta Pasta
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 8 oz penne pasta
- 1 ½ cups sliced bell peppers (red, green, and yellow)
- 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
- 3 tbsp parmesan cheese
- ½ tbsp jerk seasoning
- 1 tsp paprika
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
2. In a bowl, combine the shrimp with half the jerk seasoning. Toss the shrimp to coat them uniformly and let them marinate for at least 10 minutes.
3. Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add shrimp and cook for 2–3 minutes per side, depending on their size.
4. Remove the shrimp and in the same skillet, over medium heat, cook onions and bell peppers. Add remaining jerk seasoning and cook the bell peppers until tender.
- If needed, add some vegetable stock or water to prevent them from burning.
5. Once the bell peppers are tender, stir in heavy cream, cheese, and parmesan cheese.
6. Cook the sauce until the cheese is melted. Stir in pasta and shrimp, then toss them gently to combine.
7. Serve pasta warm.
Shrimp Rasta Pasta
This "Rasta Pasta" is a Jamaican-inspired dish featuring three colors of bell peppers in the colors of Jamaica (yellow, red, green), plus shrimp spiced with jerk seasoning.
Ingredients
- 8 oz penne pasta
- 1 ½ cups sliced bell peppers (red, green, and yellow)
- 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
- 3 tbsp parmesan cheese
- ½ tbsp jerk seasoning
- 1 tsp paprika
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
- In a bowl, combine the shrimp with half the jerk seasoning. Toss the shrimp to coat them uniformly and let them marinate for at least 10 minutes.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add shrimp and cook for 2–3 minutes per side, depending on their size.
- Remove the shrimp and in the same skillet, over medium heat, cook onions and bell peppers. Add remaining jerk seasoning and cook the bell peppers until tender.
* If needed, add some vegetable stock or water to prevent them from burning. - Once the bell peppers are tender, stir in heavy cream, cheese, and parmesan cheese.
- Cook the sauce until the cheese is melted. Stir in pasta and shrimp, then toss them gently to combine.
- Serve pasta warm.
