This Caribbean-inspired rasta pasta recipe features a creamy and delicious sauce bursting with jerk seasoning flavor, sautéed bell peppers, and more! So easy to make and highly customizable!

creamy Rasta Pasta in yellow bowl with silver fork

Wowwww, and just like that, hello 2021! If you’re reading this, I want you to know that I’m happy you’re here. Yup, you made it, be proud. I think we all know how rough and challenging last year was for us all. Between the pandemic state of the world, the heightened systemic racism, and everything in between…sheesh. However, last year was also the biggest year in growth for my business. Truly grateful for that silver lining!

I’m also wildly grateful for you lovely readers who continue supporting me. When I started Butter Be Ready in 2016, I had no idea where it would go. I just knew that I loved cooking, baking, and had a penchant for photography. It goes without saying that being in the kitchen is a great form of therapy for me. Sometimes making a nice meal or a delicious baked good just helps to lighten the weight of it all. So, here we are in the new year keeping the train rolling. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for being on board with me.

Rasta Pasta with chicken in gray skillet on marble surface

Needless to say, I’m so happy to share this newest recipe with you. This creamy rasta pasta recipe honors Black culture and even more so, West-Indian/Caribbean culture. Both backgrounds are identifiers of mine; and food with ties to my own culture always hit different. Alrighty then, let’s get into this dish!

What Is Rasta Pasta?

Great question! So, rasta pasta is a very colorful and tasty pasta-based recipe that has a variety of components. The very name, Rasta, comes from *Jamaican Rastafarian* culture. Rastafari or Rastafarianism is a religion/lifestyle that developed in Jamaica during the 1930s. The colors that represent the Rastafari movement include red, green, and gold (where the bell peppers come in). Lastly, rasta pasta is nothing without jerk seasoning! This famous spice packs a little heat and a nice bold flavor, y’all.

Creamy Rasta Pasta Ingredients

(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card directly below.)

  • chicken breasts
  • jamaican jerk seasoning (typically already contains salt)
  • pasta: rigatoni or penne pasta works best!
  • bell peppers
  • onion (or scallions)
  • garlic cloves
  • shredded parmesan cheese
  • heavy whipping cream (or coconut milk/cream)
  • chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
  • butter
  • olive oil
  • fresh thyme sprigs
ingredients for Rasta Pasta on marble surface
bell peppers and onions in white dish

The one thing I love about rasta pasta is how completely versatile and adaptable it is. In Rastafarian culture, many folks are vegetarian or vegan. Therefore, this dish can be made without any animal protein or ingredients. For instance, you can very easily swap the butter for non-dairy butter and omit the heavy cream and replace with coconut milk/cream. In addition, you can use non-dairy cheese, too! Make it fit for you!

Looking For Other Protein Options?

Aside from chicken, this rasta pasta can be paired with other types of protein as well. This pasta dish will work great with salmon, shrimp, smoked sausage, and steak bites to name a few for you.

This crazy good pasta recipe is an easy weeknight-friendly situation that everyone is sure to enjoy. It mainly comes together in ONE PAN, it’s super creamy, and loaded with tons of flavorful elements!

More Delicious Recipes To Try

creamy Rasta Pasta with chicken in skillet

How To Make This Creamy Rasta Pasta (Video)

  1. Season chicken breasts with jerk seasoning and let marinate.
  2. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside.
  3. In a large skillet, melt butter/oil over medium-high heat.
  4. Sauté chicken breasts on both sides, then set aside.
  5. Add more butter/oil into skillet.
  6. Sauté peppers and onions together until soft.
  7. Add garlic and fresh thyme into same skillet.
  8. Pour in cream and stock. Sprinkle in more jerk seasoning.
  9. Stir together well and allow mixture to come up to a slight boil.
  10. Sprinkle in parmesan cheese and stir until melted.
  11. Add in cooked pasta and stir well to fully coat.

Seriously you guys, I am obsessed with this rasta pasta recipe! I’m extra biased when I say this but it is utter perfection, ha! Additionally, it is one of the easiest and just damn good recipes to make. If you’re new to Island flavors like jerk seasoning, you’re in for a lip-smacking treat. That jerk flavor hits beautifully all throughout this rasta pasta and is flavor-filled to the max. It’s a great recipe for all diets as you can customize it to fit your own liking. Soooo excited to finally share this one, hope y’all enjoy it just the same!

Rasta Pasta with chicken in yellow bowl with bottle of soda on the side

REMEMBER TO LEAVE A ⭐️STAR RATING⭐️AND TAG ME ON THE ‘GRAM IF YOU MAKE ANY OF MY RECIPES! I ALWAYS LOVE TO SEE IT WHEN YOU DO!

UNTIL NEXT TIME…LOVE AND BUTTER,

Q.

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creamy Rasta Pasta in yellow bowl with silver fork

Creamy Rasta Pasta (+Video!)

★★★★★ 5 from 9 reviews
  • Author: Quin Liburd
  • Prep Time: 10m
  • Cook Time: 30m
  • Total Time: 40m
  • Yield: 4-6 1x
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Caribbean
Print Recipe

Description

This Caribbean-inspired rasta pasta recipe features a creamy and delicious sauce bursting with jerk seasoning flavor, sautéed bell peppers, and more! So easy to make and highly customizable!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb boneless/skinless chicken breasts, sliced in half lengthwise
  • 2 tablespoons Jamaican jerk seasoning, divided
  • 1 lb rigatoni pasta, cooked and drained
  • 2 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 small green bell pepper, thinly sliced into strips
  • 1 small yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced into strips
  • 1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced into strips
  • 1/2 cup chopped white onion or scallions
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 4 fresh thyme sprigs, de-stemmed
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream, coconut milk/cream as alternate
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock
  • 1 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
  • Salt, to taste

Instructions

  1. Season the protein: Using a large plate or another vessel, season the chicken breast halves with 1 tablespoon of Jamaican jerk seasoning on both sides. Be sure to massage the seasoning into the protein very well. Then cover the plate/vessel with plastic wrap or lid and transfer into the refrigerator to marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour for best results.
  2. Cook the protein: In a large deep skillet/dutch oven over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil. Once butter/oil is sizzling, add in the chicken breast halves and cook on both sides, about 5-6 minutes each side or until the chicken is cooked through completely. Then transfer the cooked chicken to cleaned plate and set aside.
  3. Cook the pasta: Meanwhile, on a separate burner, cook the pasta according to your package directions. Then drain the pasta and set it aside while you make the sauce mixture.
  4. Sauté the aromatics: In the same skillet, add in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil. Once butter/oil is sizzling, add in the sliced bell peppers and onions, and sauté them together until peppers get soft and onions become translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Then add in garlic and fresh thyme, and continue cooking together for another 1-2 minutes.
  5. Add liquid components: Pour in the heavy cream and stock. Then sprinkle in remaining 1 tablespoon of jerk seasoning, and stir well to fully combine everything together. Allow the mixture to come up to a slight boil, about 2-3 minutes. Then stir in the parmesan cheese until melted through completely. The sauce should be nice and creamy at this point.
  6. Assemble rasta pasta: Add the cooked pasta into the sauce mixture. Carefully stir the pasta together to fully coat into the sauce. Taste the pasta and adjust seasoning to preference level by adding salt, if desired. To add the chicken: You can slice/cut the reserved cooked chicken breasts into pieces and mix it in with the pasta or keep it whole and serve it on the top/the side. Serve rasta pasta warm and garnish with more parmesan cheese, if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. Pasta will keep in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
  2. Please read the blog post in its entirety for more tips + tricks.

Keywords: jamaican, pasta, jerk, chicken