Vegetarian rasta pasta is a Caribbean-inspired creamy and spicy pasta dish from Jamaica packed full of flavours. Pasta tossed in a jerk-seasoned cream sauce along with sauteed crunchy mixed bell peppers. This creamy rasta pasta recipe gets ready in under 30 minutes and makes a perfect weeknight dinner.
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Are you a spice lover looking for an easy dinner for busy weeknights? Then you have to try this vegetarian rasta pasta recipe. This delicious pasta dish is super easy to prepare with a handful of ingredients.
If you love pasta, you have got to check out other delicious pasta dishes on the blog: carrot pasta, pink sauce pasta, hidden vegetable pasta, zucchini mushroom pasta and pumpkin pasta with spinach.
Why you will love it?
Beginners friendly
Made with a few ingredients
Any type of pasta shape and size works
What is jerk seasoning?
Jerk is a spicy and flavourful spice blend from Jamaican cuisine. Allspice, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon and a hot variety of peppers - scotch bonnet peppers are the key ingredients of this flavourful seasoning.
What is rasta pasta?
Italian pasta with a creamy sauce combined with super spicy Jamaican jerk seasonings creates a flavour-packed delicious creamy pasta. This pasta dish is called rasta pasta, not just because of the seasoning used, but also because the colorful bell peppers that represent rasta colours.
How to make rasta pasta sauce?
The creamy and spicy pasta dish is made with a handful of ingredients. First, rasta pasta sauce is prepared by combining cream and jerk seasoning with sauteed vegetables and cheese. I have used store-bought seasoning, but you could make your own homemade jerk seasoning if you prefer.
This creamy pasta dish not only saves time but takes away the stress of busy weeknight meal planning.
Ingredients
- Pasta: I've used penne pasta but feel free to use any pasta that you have on hand.
- Vegetables: Onion, garlic and mixed bell peppers (capsicum) - red, green and yellow are used here.
- Seasoning and Herbs: Salt, jerk seasoning and fresh parsley.
- Dairy Products: Double cream (heavy cream), cheddar cheese and butter.
Find the quantities and a short video in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
How to make vegetarian rasta pasta?
In a large pot, add water, salt and boil over medium-high heat.
Bring salted water to a rolling boil.
Add pasta and cook as per package instructions until al dente.
Save a glass of pasta water and then strain the pasta in a colander.
Meanwhile melt butter in a pan/ large skillet over medium heat.
Add onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves and cook for 5 - 7 minutes or until onion turns soft and translucent.
Add green bell peppers, red bell peppers and yellow peppers. Cook for a couple of minutes.
Now add cream, stir well and let it simmer for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
Add cheese and stir until well combined.
Now mix in jerk seasoning, salt and parsley.
Add the cooked pasta and mix well until pasta is well coated with the sauce.
Enjoy delicious Jamaican rasta pasta.
Substitutions and Variations
Garlic: Fresh garlic could be replaced with garlic granules or garlic powder.
Fresh Herbs: Parsley could be substituted with any other fresh herbs.
Cheese: You could use grated parmesan cheese or any other variety of cheese of your choice instead of cheddar and mozzarella cheese.
Leafy Vegetables: Fresh green leafy vegetables make a lovely addition. Add a handful of spinach or collard greens at the end of cooking pasta sauce, simmer for a minute, and switch the heat off.
Vegetables: Colourful vegetables make pasta healthier and more appealing for kids. Try adding carrots, green onions (spring onions), corn and peas.
Pasta: Any shape and size pasta could be used instead of penne pasta.
Storage
Freezer: If you make a big batch of rasta pasta sauce to use on busy days, divide it into desired portions. Store each portion in zip-lock bags or freezer-friendly airtight containers and keep them in the freezer. Ensure to allow the pasta sauce to cool before you transfer it to zip-lock bags/containers.
Consider freezing leftover pasta sauce if you don’t plan to finish it in 4-5 days.
Defrosting: Take out a portion from the freezer and keep it in the fridge to thaw a night before you plan to use it.
Fridge: Use the desired amount of rasta pasta sauce to toss the pasta. Store leftover sauce in the fridge for 4-5 days in a clean airtight container.
Reheat: take the desired amount of sauce into a bowl and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop and toss the pasta.
Serving Suggestions
Rasta pasta is a filling dish on its own. However, it goes well with various simple side dishes, such as sweet potato wedges, potato wedges, maple roasted carrots, or garlic herb roasted vegetables.
This delicious pasta dish goes well with colourful salads such as corn cucumber tomato salad, carrot lentil salad or a simple no mayo coleslaw.
A glass of sweet drinks such as mango lassi, rose lassi or mango lemonade helps tackle the spiciness of the pasta.
Tips and Tricks
Bell Peppers: If you like bell peppers with a slightly crunchy texture, saute them in a little oil, take it out and then saute onion and the rest of the ingredients. Add sauteed peppers at the end along with seasoning. This way peppers don't lose crunchiness.
Jerk seasoning: It is spicy, so adjust it based on your taste preference.
Pasta: Cook pasta according to instructions on the package just until al dente, do not overcook it.
Pasta water: Save pasta water to use while cooking the veggie rasta pasta sauce just in case.
Once the pasta is cooked, drain the water and add cold water over the pasta in the colander to prevent it from cooking further and sticking to each other.
Adjust the sauce based on your texture preference. Add more sauce if you like your pasta to be wet. Add less sauce if you like a bit of dry and crunchy pasta.
FAQ
You can prepare vegan rasta pasta sauce by replacing cream with canned coconut milk and cheese with plant-based cheese such as vegan parmesan. Full-fat coconut milk is a great option to get that creamy texture. The dairy-free rasta pasta in a creamy coconut sauce makes an absolutely lovely dish.
The rest of the ingredients and cooking procedure remain the same.
You can store leftover rasta pasta (pasta with sauce) in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat rasta pasta in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stovetop. You may have to add cream, coconut milk or stock to loosen up the pasta.
Well, it depends on how much jerk seasoning you use and your personal spice tolerance level. For my family, this is not fiery spicy but rather medium spice.
It was created by chef Lorraine in Negril, Jamaica in 1985.
KEEP IN TOUCH
Do let me know if you make this Jamaica rasta pasta. If you like this recipe kindly consider rating it using stars in the comment section or on the recipe card to help more people find this recipe online. You can stay up to date by following me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram or subscribing to my Youtube channel. Or why not subscribe to my blog and get simple recipes straight to your inbox
📖 Recipe Card
Easy Vegetarian Rasta Pasta Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Colander
- 1 Spoon (Wooden/Steel)
Ingredients
1 Cup = 250ml ; 1 Tablespoon = 15ml ; 1 Teaspoon = 5ml
- 250 gms (or) 2½ Cups Penne Pasta
- Water to cook pasta
- 15 gms (or) 1 Tablespoon Butter
- 125 gms (or) 1 Cup Onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic finely chopped/minced
- 62 gms (or) ½ Cup Green pepper (green capsicum) washed, deseeded and sliced
- 51 gms (or) ⅓ Cup Yellow pepper (yellow capsicum) washed, deseeded and sliced
- 65 gms (or) ½ Cup Red pepper (red capsicum) washed, deseeded and sliced
- 225 ml Double cream (heavy cream)
- Salt as required
- 1 Teaspoon Jerk seasoning adjust to taste
- handful Fresh Parsley finely chopped
- 40 gms Cheese (mozarella and cheddar) grated
Instructions
- In a large pot, add water, salt and boil over medium-high heat.Water, Salt
- Bring salted water to a rolling boil.
- Add pasta and cook as per package instructions until al dente.250 gms (or) 2½ Cups Penne Pasta
- Save a glass of pasta water and then strain the pasta in a colander.
- Meanwhile melt butter in a pan/ large skillet over medium heat.15 gms (or) 1 Tablespoon Butter
- Add onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves and cook for 5 - 7 minutes or until onion turns soft and translucent.125 gms (or) 1 Cup Onion, 2 cloves Garlic
- Add green bell peppers, red bell peppers and yellow peppers. Cook for a couple of minutes.62 gms (or) ½ Cup Green pepper (green capsicum), 51 gms (or) ⅓ Cup Yellow pepper (yellow capsicum), 65 gms (or) ½ Cup Red pepper (red capsicum)
- Now add cream, stir well and let it simmer for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens.225 ml Double cream (heavy cream)
- Add cheese and stir until well combined.40 gms Cheese (mozarella and cheddar)
- Now mix in jerk seasoning, salt and parsley.Salt, 1 Teaspoon Jerk seasoning, handful Fresh Parsley
- Add the cooked pasta and mix well until pasta is well coated with the sauce.
- Enjoy delicious Jamaican rasta pasta.
Notes
Nutrition
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Pairing
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Welcome to Flavours Treat. I share vegetarian recipes made with wholesome, mostly healthy and fresh ingredients. Every recipe has easy-to-follow instructions with process shots (detailed step-wise pictures), a short video and lots of tips to help your cooking journey. Read more
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