Creamy Jerk Shrimp Rasta Pasta
Looking for a Caribbean style pasta? Make this Easy Shrimp Rasta Pasta recipe at home! This is a great recipe packed with island flavor, jerk shrimp and delicious sauteed peppers.
I got my first taste of jerk chicken and island flavors when my brother was married on a south Caribbean Island. But, I didn’t get a taste of Jamaican Rasta pasta until last year, when a local restaurant featured a spin on Rasta pasta as a special!
I loved the creamy sauce, colorful bell peppers and island flavor. This Jerk Shrimp Pasta is a very close reproduction of that delicious recipe I had! Because it’s so unique in flavor, this Jamaican spin on shrimp pasta (with fun Rasta colors) has become a favorite in our house.
I used ready-made jerk seasoning in this recipe. But, if you need to make your own Caribbean seasonings, you can use the recipe below to make Homemade Jerk Seasoning.
- 1.5 tablespoons dried minced onion
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons ground allspice
- 1.5 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Substitutions:
- Instead of 2 fresh garlic cloves, use 2 teaspoons of garlic powder.
- Substitute green bell peppers or yellow bell peppers for the orange and red bell peppers.
- Substitute cooked chicken breast (cubed or shredded) for the shrimp.
I chose to use cream cheese instead of heavy cream for the cream sauce since you only need a bit, and I know most of you keep cream cheese on hand!
Storage
This recipe will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days. I think it’s even more delicious the next day.
Reheat it gently. You may have to add a splash of water to help it loosen up.
Shrimp Rasta Pasta
Looking for a Caribbean style pasta? Make this Easy Shrimp Pasta recipe at home! This is a great recipe packed with island flavor, peppers and jerk shrimp.
Ingredients
- 2.5 tablespoons jerk seasoning, divided
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined
- 1 pound penne pasta
- 3 tablespoons butter, divided
For the sauce:
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
- 1 orange bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 5 green onions, chopped, reserve ¼ cup for garnish
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 cup fresh spinach
For garnish (optional):
- ½ cup grape tomatoes, halved or diced
- Remaining ¼ cup diced green onions
Instructions
- Prepare pasta to package instructions, cooking to al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
- In a medium mixing bowl, toss shrimp and 1.5 tablespoons of jerk seasoning to coat.
- To a large non-stick skillet, add 1 tablespoon of butter and heat over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until the shrimp starts to turn opaque.
- Transfer the shrimp to a bowl to rest while you make the sauce.
- To the same large skillet, add 2 tablespoons of butter to and heat over medium-high heat.
- Add bell pepper and onions. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until they start to soften. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, do not allow to burn.
- Add flour to the sauteed vegetables and stir vigorously to incorporate into the butter that is left in the skillet. Smooth any lumps out with a wooden spoon.
- Add milk, cream cheese, and 1 tablespoon of jerk seasoning. Allow to simmer over low heat for up to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thick and creamy. If the sauce gets too thick, add some reserved pasta water until the consistency is to your liking. I had to add about ¾ cup of pasta water.
- Add cooked shrimp, cooked pasta, parmesan cheese and fresh spinach. Stir well to combine, simmer on low for 1-2 additional minutes to allow the spinach to wilt slightly.
- Serve warm, garnish with fresh tomatoes and green onions.
Notes
Add extra heat to this recipe with ½ to 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Or, add a few tablespoons of diced scotch bonnet peppers to sauté with the peppers and onions for an authentic kick of heat.
If you'd like, you can substitute chicken broth for the reserved pasta water for additional flavor.
If you need to make this rasta pasta dairy free, substitute coconut milk for the milk and unsweetened coconut yogurt OR dairy free cream cheese for the cream cheese.
Nutrition Information
Yield 5 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 502Total Fat 22gSaturated Fat 12gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 245mgSodium 1297mgCarbohydrates 43gFiber 3gSugar 8gProtein 33g
The nutrition for this recipe is calculated by an app, and may be incorrect.
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