The Best Creamy Jamaican Rasta Pasta Recipe With Chicken

  Looking for a rasta pasta recipe that will knock your socks off? Look no further! This is an awesome dinner recipe that you can make on it’s own or with your favorite protein!

What is Rasta pasta?

Rasta Pasta is a classic Jamaican dish that typically uses heavy cream, penne pasta, parmesan cheese, awesome caribbean seasonings and colorful bell peppers. Although my family is Jamaican, Rasta Pasta is a fairly new and popular dish to us. Now I make it so often I don’t need the recipe!

What ingredients do you need for this amazing rasta pasta?

• rigatoni – You can use any type of pasta you want, a lot of people use penne which is totally fine, a round thick pasta works versus a thin angel hair or spaghetti type of pasta.
• bell peppers (any colors green peppers etc.) – Bell peppers add such a pretty color to the dish! Orange, Yellow, Red and Green work great.
• olive oil
• Thinly sliced chicken breasts – (optional if you want to keep it vegetarian)
• minced garlic – fresh or jarred garlic is fine (I am a big fan of fresh garlic though!)
• butter
• heavy whipping cream – To give the rasta pasta the signature creaminess
• Jamaican jerk seasoning – Choose the heat on this one, we chose mild, but if you love a REAL spicy dish you can go for medium or hot.
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• salt
• Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste 

Here in Brooklyn, there used to be only ONE restaurant that served this amazing pasta, but now there are a dime a dozen! You can find Rasta Pasta in both caribbean and American cuisines. Rasta pasta is NOT one of your ordinary pasta dishes. It’s creamy and full of amazing spices, in fact it is one of those dishes that I serve whenever I have guests over. It’s always a winner.

How do you make Rasta Pasta?

Step One: Boil pasta in heavily salted water for 12 mins Step Two: Sauté peppers in olive oil for 3-4 mins. Remove veggies and add chicken. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper  Step Three: Brown on both sides over medium heat (about 4-5 min per side) ensuring chicken is cooked all the way through Step Four: Remove chicken add garlic and butter to the pan and whisk while melting Step Five: Whisk in heavy cream and jerk seasoning and bring to a roaring boil. Add in onion powder, garlic powder and salt and stir Step Six: Once it thickens add In the Parmesan cheese.  Step Seven: Reduce heat to low and add in pasta, chicken and sautéed peppers. 

Rasta Pasta is an amazing combination of Jamaican cuisines and Italian pasta cuisines. The recipe pays homage to rastafarian culture — We know that true rastafarians don’t eat meat that’s why there is no meat in the original recipe!

This Caribbean inspired pasta dish is full of flavor and can be customized any way you like. I’ve seen so many different combinations including cajun rasta pasta, oxtail rasta pasta, jerk chicken rasta pasta, shrimp rasta pasta (some use jerk shrimp or jumbo shrimps) and so much more!

My personal love of this recipe is that it’s done in 30 minutes! Plus the flavors meld even more and it’s better the next day. I usually use a full box of pasta so it lasts for a few days. Grab some garlic bread and salad and what a yummy quick weeknight meal!

This recipe covers the yummy pasta that you can use as a base. There IS chicken in this recipe but it can easily be omitted.

One thing about rasta pasta is that it is SO pretty! In addition to the delicious creamy sauce, this pasta is made with green bell peppers, yellow bell peppers and red bell peppers. The colors are said to represent the natural beauty of Africa. The sauce is similar to alfredo sauce but just with a ton more flavor. Your taste buds will be thankful!

What to serve with Rasta Pasta?

You can also serve it with some grilled vegetables or a salad. The dish alone is pretty great too!

What cheese is best for rasta pasta?

There is no definitive answer to this question. Some people prefer to use a cheese such as mozzarella, while others prefer to use a cheese such as Parmesan.

Some recipes call for green onions, coconut milk, all purpose seasoning, chicken broth, fresh thyme, old bay and even scotch bonnet peppers.

Instead of using penne this time we are using a short pasta called rigatoni! The cream sauce loves to find itself in the nook and crannies of this awesome pasta. Be sure to cook the pasta al dente according to package directions.

How do you store rasta pasta?

Rasta pasta can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just make sure to store it in an airtight container so that it doesn’t dry out.

This is a one pan meal that you will be cooking over medium heat, adding the cooked pasta, seasonings and more to a large skillet. Jamaican chefs make this delicious pasta recipe all the time! Now you can make it on a hectic weeknight. It will definitely become one of your favorite pasta recipes!

How do you store rasta pasta?

You can store leftovers in an airtight container for the next day with plastic wrap.

Can you make rasta pasta Without jerk seasoning?

Yes, you can make rasta pasta without jerk seasoning. However, it will not have the same flavor profile as traditional rasta pasta. If you want to try something different, you can substitute the jerk seasoning for curry powder or Italian seasoning.

How long does rasta pasta last in the fridge?

Rasta pasta will last in the fridge for up to four days. Be sure to reheat it thoroughly before eating.

Is rasta pasta spicy?

Rasta pasta can be spicy, depending on the type of jerk seasoning used. If you don’t like spice, you can always omit the jerk seasoning or substitute it for another type of seasoning.

Where can you serve this amazing pasta dish?

Brunch is a great option, or dinner with your favorite protein.

What are the different types of protein you can serve with this pasta?

Just about any protein goes great with rasta pasta, but some of our favorites include chicken, shrimp, oxtail and steak.

Here are some more awesome Jamaican recipes to try: