This rasta pasta recipe gives Italian pasta a Jamaican spin with creamy coconut milk and spiced jerk chicken, huge on flavor and ready in 30 minutes. Definitely one of our favorites.
It's pasta time, my friends. Today we're cooking up a pasta you've likely never tried before, something unique, colorful, and loaded with big flavor. It's a bit of a mashup recipe, coming straight out of Jamaica, an inspired spin on an Italian favorite from the perspective of the Caribbean.
It's called "Rasta Pasta", and you're going to love it!
What is Rasta Pasta?
Rasta Pasta is a vibrant, comforting pasta dish made with colorful bell peppers, a creamy sauce, and bold Caribbean seasonings. It’s inspired by an Italian-style pasta, but made with more Jamaican flavors and ingredients. Thanks to its unique sweet-heat and creamy-spicy balance, it’s become a popular menu item far beyond the Caribbean.
The “Rasta” in the name nods to Rastafarianism, a Jamaican movement that began in the 1930s. It’s often served as a vegetarian dish, in line with traditional Rastafarian food choices, though many cooks add protein to make it a full meal.
Jerk chicken and shrimp are the most common add-ins, each bringing a different bite and flavor to the creamy, seasoned sauce. Some versions also feature oxtail for a richer, heartier twist.
As for its origin, several Jamaican chefs have been credited, but one widely shared story points to Chef Lorraine Washington at Paradise Yard, who served a pasta dish topped with ackee and tomato sauce. Diners connected the dish’s colorful peppers to Rastafarian colors and started calling it “Rasta Pasta”, and it’s been growing in popularity ever since.
Now, let’s get into how to make my version.
Key Ingredients
The full ingredients list with measurements and recipe instructions are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Bell Peppers. Be colorful here. Use a mix of red, green, and yellow bell peppers. Orange bell peppers are great, too.
- Jamaican Jerk Seasoning. Try my Homemade Jamaican jerk seasoning recipe. So good! I also use a bit of paprika.
- Coconut Milk. Heavy cream is an acceptable alternative, yet won’t bring that coconut flavor.
- Parmesan Cheese. Freshly grated parmesan cheese, of course!
- Pasta. Penne pasta is super popular, or linguine. You can use others.
How to Make Rasta Pasta
- Cook chicken: Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Season chicken breast with jerk seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook 6-7 minutes until done, then remove.
- Sauté veggies: Add olive oil to the pan. Cook onion and bell peppers about 5 minutes to soften.
- Add garlic + spice: Stir in garlic and jerk seasoning. Cook 1 minute.
- Simmer sauce: Add chicken stock, coconut milk, and cooked chicken pieces. Simmer 5 minutes to thicken, loosening with a splash of water/stock (or reserved pasta water) if needed.
- Finish: Stir in Parmesan and remove from heat.
- Cook pasta + toss: Boil penne to al dente, drain, and toss with the sauce.
Boom! Done! Looks wonderful, doesn't it? So colorful. I could eat Jamaican rasta pasta every day! I love these Caribbean flavors.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- The Peppers. Use colorful bell peppers to make the dish more appealing. Add Scotch Bonnet peppers for a fiery version.
- Adjust the Heat. To up the heat factor, add spicy chilies when adding the onions and bells, drizzle in hot sauce during or after the simmer, or incorporate red pepper flakes into the spice blend. For a milder version, use only half of the jerk seasoning.
- Tomatoes. Add fresh tomatoes or fire roasted tomatoes for a tasty variation.
- Coconut Milk. Full fat coconut milk is traditionally used as the creamy element to this dish, making it dairy free. If you do not enjoy the flavor of coconut milk, use heavy cream.
- Knorr's Parma Rosa Sauce Mix. A lot of people use 1 packet of Knorr's Parma Rosa sauce mix in their sauces, but I am skipping it and using fresh ingredients that I have on hand. If it is easier for you to use Knorr's Parma Rosa sauce mix, go for it!
- Proteins. Rastafarians do not eat shellfish and avoid most meats, so Rasta Pasta is typically a vegetarian meal. However, other cooks around the world like to add a protein, with shrimp (frozen shrimp is easy) and chicken being the most popular, along with oxtail. Add tofu for protein while still keeping it vegetarian.
- Veggies. This dish welcomes many vegetables. Consider adding spinach, corn, or your favorites.
- The Pasta. Most recipes use penne pasta, but long fettucine has been used in earlier versions, and are said to represent dreadlocks. It works with any pasta. Use any pasta you prefer.
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Rasta Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
FOR THE JERK CHICKEN
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound chicken breast cut into bite-sized pierces
- 2 tablespoons Jamaican jerk seasonings
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- salt and black pepper to taste
FOR THE RASTA PASTA
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 green bell pepper sliced (I used jalapenos instead to spice it up a bit, or add in a Scotch Bonnet for extra heat)
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 orange bell pepper sliced
- 1-2 Scotch bonnet peppers chopped
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 tablespoons Jamaican jerk seasoning
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup coconut milk heavy cream is an acceptable alternative, yet won’t bring that coconut flavor
- 1 cup of grated fresh Parmesan cheese or more as needed
- 1 pound penne pasta
Instructions
FOR THE JERK CHICKEN
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
- Season the chopped chicken with Jamaican jerk seasonings, paprika, and salt and pepper.
- Add the chicken and cook 6-7 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
FOR THE CREAMY RASTA PASTA
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan and add the onion and peppers. Cook them down about 5 minutes to soften (or longer to your preference).
- Add the garlic and Jamaican jerk seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 1 minute, stirring.
- Add the chicken stock, coconut milk, and reserved chicken. Simmer for 5 minutes to thicken up. If it get too thick, swirl in a few tablespoons of water or chicken stock.
- Stir in the Parmesan cheese and remove from heat.
- While the Rasta Pasta is simmering, cook the penne noodles according to the package directions. Drain and toss with the pasta sauce.
Video
Nutrition Information
This Recipe Is In our Cookbook - FLAVOR MADNESS
Did you know that you can find this recipe in our new cookbook FLAVOR MADNESS? It's waiting for you on PAGE 238.
Try Some of My Other Popular Spicy Pasta Recipes
Try These Other Jamaican Recipes
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 1/22/26 to include new information and tips updates. It was originally published on 10/21/19.
Amber says
I was going to make this with 16 oz of pasta instead of 8.... should I double the rest of the recipe or would that be 2 soupy? And would 2 of each of the peppers be too much?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Amber, I think that would be fine. Let me know how it goes.
Stephanie says
Hello I'm going to make this it looks good but if I use the knorr sauce mix pack what ingredients would I not use that's in the original recipe
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Stephanie, you can skip the tomatoes and coconut milk, though you might want to add in a few tomatoes to help round out the amount of sauce. Let me know how it turns out for you. The Knorr's packet usually makes about 1.25 cups of sauce.
Wanda S.: says
Your recipe was a hit! Thanks so much. I look forward to making it for the family this summer Thanks for sharing!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Excellent! Glad to hear it, Wanda! Super happy you enjoyed it.
Shalanda Patterson says
Wow!! I made this yesterday and it was a unanimous winner, winner! I made it with the heavy cream, and the flavors were so delicious. My husband told me to keep this recipe, so I printed it out. I love it!!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Yes! Thanks, Shalanda. It's so good, isn't it? We really love this recipe. BIG flavor. Glad you enjoyed it!
Jahmela says
Delicious with just the right amount of kick and spice thanks to the jerk seasoning mix(). I didn't even eat it the first night because i was still eating leftovers from Easter but my boys LOVED it. I didn't have red pepper flakes for the seasoning or fresh parmesan (used dehydrated) for the sauce. I marinated the shrimp in the jerk seasoning and olive oil for a bit and sauteed them in a separate pan, and didn't mix the fettuccini noodles in.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome! Thanks, Jahmela! I appreciate it. Glad you enjoyed the pasta.
Shanice Dale says
Made this recipe & used cream instead of coconut milk & cheddar instead of Parmesan. I was more than pleasantly surprised. Tasted absolutely delicious! I’m super happy with this recipe. Thank you so much!!
I definitely want to try it with chicken & blackened salmon next time! ;p
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great, Shanice! Glad you enjoyed it! We love this recipe.
Bernard says
Love this right here. This is my chosen go to meal during the lock in. They go great with a side of Goya plantains to reduce some of the heat. Thank you, thank you, and thank you. Delicious and very economical during these times.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thank you, Bernard! I appreciate it and am super happy you enjoy the recipe. Save some of those plantains for me!
Tim says
I first had this dish at a wonderful restaurant in Clearwater, FL. I was thrilled to find it and can’t wait to make it. I think it would also be fantastic this a nice piece of grilled fish with the jerk seasoning on top.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great, Tim! Yeah, it's very good. I love this one. Certainly tasty with grilled fish. Enjoy!!
Otha says
I actually smoked jerk chicken and shrimp and threw both in pot - it was superb!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
I think that would taste wonderful, Otha. Love it.
Kelly says
To say that Rastafarianism was/is a social movement is not entirely correct. It is a religion. Therefore, to make a dish like "rasta pasta with shrimp" would be equivalent to making halal pasta with pork or kosher pasta with rabbit. Some persons might find that offensive.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
While Ital focuses on natural foods and avoids additives, salt, pork and shellfish, it's really up to each particular Rastafarian to determine their own version of Ital, the style of food eaten by Rastafarians. You'll find some Rasta cooks using those ingredients.
Natali P King says
True, but if you are not a Rastafarian I can. And I'm gonna.
Chelea says
The family loved this! You're right about all the wonderful colors. We really loved it with the coconut milk but will try it with heavy cream the next time to see if it makes a difference.
Thanks a lot!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Chelea! I love to hear this!
Damien C. says
Had to make this right away. Another winner. All of those seasonings and flavors really sing together. Next time I will try it with chicken.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Damien! I appreciate it!
Dee says
You do realise that Rastafarian’s don’t eat shrimp?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Dee, yes, I mention in the post that is traditional a vegetarian dish, though it is great with shrimp or chicken.