Get yourself a heaping bowl of this extra creamy and flavorful vegan jerk pasta with sautéed veggies and classic Jamaican jerk seasoning heat. This ONE-POT recipe has zero fuss involved and is perfect for weeknight dinners!

close up of pasta in a black bowl

Have you ever had something to eat at a place that left you in your feels?

Like babe, it seriously had you thinking about said dish hours later!?! That was me a few weeks ago. You see, I happened to find myself in downtown Tampa to meet up with a friend for brunch. Aiming to avoid the downtown parking traffic, I ended up arriving a little too early so I wandered into some unfamiliar shops to kill some time.

picture of pasta ingredients in bowls with linen

Sometimes it’s a good thing to get lost and find new places because I stumbled into what I thought was a little food market but it led me to something else. At the back of the market, almost unseen, was this little vegan café with a real homey down to earth vibe.

I looked around and asked the clerk what was popular. Without thought, he quickly pointed to this creamy-looking noodle dish in their case. He said, “This vegan jerk pasta is quite a fan favorite but it has some heat.” And when he further explained the ingredients, mentioning jerk seasoning, I was sold…he clearly didn’t know of my affinity for all things jerk, ha!

I found a little corner in the café, sat down, and went to town. With every lip-smack and bite, I just knew I had to re-create my own version of that vegan jerk pasta. As a result, here we are, friends.

vegan jerk pasta in bowl with a fork in the middle

How To Make Vegan Jerk Pasta:

First things first, this vegan jerk pasta recipe is all made in one pot which makes it super easy for the cooking and clean-up process! Using a large stock pot or dutch oven, cook pasta according to directions, al dente. My recipe calls for cavatappi pasta but feel free to use any kind of a short pasta noodle such as elbow, penne, rigatoni, etc.

Once pasta is cooked, drain pasta, set aside, and return pot to stove. With heat on medium-low, add olive oil, minced garlic, and onions. Sauté together until fragrant and then add vegetables and jerk seasoning. Lastly, add pasta, coconut cream, and tomatoes. And boom, you have vegan jerk pasta!

close up shot of jerk seasoning and pasta

A Few Notes On This Pasta Recipe:

One of the things I love about this recipe is how versatile it is. You can enjoy this dish either warm or cold (like a cold pasta salad type of situation). In addition, if keeping things strictly vegan isn’t your thing, you can also add your choice of protein- i.e grilled chicken, steak, salmon, or shrimp!

As I previously mentioned, I personally love jerk seasoning and the subtle heat it brings. Although jerk is typically a bit heat intensive, it balances well with the rest of the ingredients and against the creaminess of the coconut cream. The island flavors really do hit beautifully in this here dish.

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.

overhead shot of pasta in bowl with a fork on the side of bowl
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close up of pasta in a black bowl

Creamy Vegan Jerk Pasta

★★★★★ 5 from 5 reviews
  • Author: Quin Liburd
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 6-8 1x
  • Category: Main Dishes
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Caribbean
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Description

Get yourself a heaping bowl of this extra creamy and flavorful vegan jerk pasta with sautéed veggies and classic Jamaican jerk seasoning heat. This ONE-POT recipe has zero fuss involved and is perfect for weeknight dinners!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb Cavatappi pasta
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 small red onion, chopped
  • 1 small yellow bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 small orange bell pepper, chopped
  • 4–6 stalks of celery hearts, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 3 tablespoons Jamaican jerk seasoning
  • 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1 (14 oz) can coconut cream
  • *Optional*: garnish pasta with fresh herbs like dill, chives, or thyme

Instructions

  1. Using a large stock pot or dutch oven, cook pasta according to package directions, al dente. Once done, drain pasta and set aside. All water should be removed from pot, then return pot back to stove.
  2. On medium-low heat, add in olive oil, minced garlic, and onions. Stir and let sauté until fragrant;  onions will become almost translucent. 
  3. Add in bell peppers, celery, carrots, jerk seasoning, and mix well until everything is combined. Let vegetables cook for about 5 minutes while stirring throughout.
  4. Toss in cooked pasta, coconut cream, tomatoes, and mix pasta until combined and pasta is fully coated in cream. Serve pasta in bowls and garnish with fresh herbs, if desired.

Notes

  1. You can add a tablespoon of jerk seasoning at a time and taste as you go for preference.
  2. Pasta can be eaten warm or cold and stores well in fridge for up to one week.

Keywords: pasta, dinner, vegan