Rasta pasta isn’t just a fun recipe name—it’s a bridge between classic Jamaican cooking and Western influences widely shaped by the diaspora of Caribbean peoples. I didn’t grow up with this recipe, but I did grow up with jerk chicken, jerk seasoning, and my mum’s jerk fish stew with rice and beans. When I was asked to create this recipe, my ears perked up.
For someone who wants lots of flavor with little effort, this recipe delivers, thanks to the power of the jerk sauce (goodness, does it pack a punch!). It’s essentially a dish made for the weeknight home cook. Chicken is used here, but shrimp or fish would also be also great; or you could skip the protein all together. Because it requires fewer than 10 ingredients and comes together within 30 minutes, I urge you to not walk or skip but run to the grocery store to make it for dinner tonight.
What Is Rasta Pasta Made Of?
Rasta pasta is made from jerk seasoning, bell peppers, cream, and pasta. The colors of the dish are meant to reflect the colors of the Jamaican flag: yellow pasta, blackened jerk chicken, and green bell peppers and/or cilantro.What Type of Pasta Should I Use?
You can use any short, dried pasta, such as penne, fusilli, or rigatoni. Long noodles are not preferred, due to the awkwardness when eating long-cut strips of bell peppers, slices of chicken breast, and swirls of noodles.Rasta Pasta
Serves 4 to 6- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 to 3)
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon store-bought wet Jamaican jerk seasoning, preferably Walkerswood Jamaican Jerk Seasoning Mild, divided
- 1 pound bell peppers, any color (2 to 3)
- 1/4 bunch fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt
- 1 pound dried penne or fusilli pasta
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- Finely grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
