My rasta pasta has tricolor bell peppers in a creamy coconut sauce, and Jamaican jerk seasoning. It’s vegan and comes together in about 30 minutes, and retains the jerk-forward Jamaican character without leaning on shrimp or chicken.
What a Caribbean restaurant and multiple tests at home taught me
I had rasta pasta at a Caribbean restaurant, finished the plate and immediately started reverse-engineering it. I tested this a dozen times and realized it came down to two things – the jerk needs to bloom in oil, and the sauce needs coconut cream (not milk) to cling to the pasta.
The other thing those test rounds taught me is that the jerk brand actually matters. Listen, Walkerswood Mild Jerk Seasoning is the backbone. I’ve tested Grace, Tropical Sun, and a few American blends, but Walkerswood wins on the allspice-thyme-Scotch bonnet ratio, and mild is barely warm so kids can eat it. If you can’t find Walkerswood, Grace is next-best — slightly hotter, use a touch less. Generic American “jerk” blends skew sweet and I’d skip them.
I make my own homemade Jamaican jerk seasoning when I’m batch-cooking Caribbean for the week (great for tofu marinade + Jamaican bean patties).
Key ingredients and why they matter
Full ingredient list and detailed instructions in the recipe card.
- Tricolor bell peppers in ¼-inch strips, resembling the Rasta-flag. I use strips (instead of dices) because strips keep a little bite. Oh, and I slice on the diagonal so they’re long.
- I use full-fat coconut cream because cream clings to the pasta while milk thins and breaks. You can also refrigerate a full-fat milk can overnight and scoop the thick cream from the top! This is the common miss on most rasta pasta with coconut milk recipes.
- Grated vegan parmesan, or real Parmigiano-Reggiano for the dairy version. Of the vegan parms I’ve tested (Violife, Follow Your Heart, Miyoko’s) I have found that Violife melts most cleanly.
- Fresh thyme, not parsley, not cilantro. Thyme is what they use in Jamaica. Parsley is a fine backup. Cilantro is the wrong cuisine entirely.
- Homemade jerk seasoning: Though this seasoning is available in most grocery stores these days, it’s also super easy to make at home. To make it, mix 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon each of garlic powder and onion powder, 2 teaspoons of dried thyme, ground allspice, and ground ginger, and 1 teaspoon each of cayenne pepper, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, smoked paprika, ground cloves, and ground white pepper.
SHRUTHI’S TOP TIPS
Building the coconut jerk sauce
Three moves make or break this rasta pasta sauce:
- Bloom the jerk (30 seconds, non-negotiable in my humble opinon).
- Use cream, not milk. Scoop from a refrigerated can. Loosen in 2-tablespoon pasta-water increments. You can always add, can’t subtract!
- If the sauce breaks, it usually means you reduced too hard before the pasta went in. Pull the pan off the heat, add a splash of pasta water, and stir until it comes back together.
How to make vegan rasta pasta
Boil the penne 1 minute shy of package time. It finishes in the sauce — starting at al dente is the only way to avoid a mushy plate. Reserve some pasta water.
- Sauté the green onions and garlic in oil over medium-high for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Don’t let them brown — burnt garlic flattens everything downstream.
- Reduce to medium-low. Add the pepper strips and sauté 5–7 minutes, until softened but still holding color. If they go olive-gray, they went too long.
- Bloom the jerk seasoning for 30 seconds in the hot oil and peppers before any liquid goes in. This is the step most recipes skip and the reason most home versions taste flat.
- Add the coconut cream, stock, and salt. Simmer 3 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly. Stir in the vegan parmesan until melted, then toss in the drained pasta. Loosen with pasta water 2 tablespoons at a time until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Taste, adjust salt, garnish with thyme and green onions.
Serving suggestions
A cold hibiscus iced tea or ginger beer alongside is the Caribbean move. For dessert, Jamaican sweet potato pudding rounds out a proper Jamaican meal and leans into the same coconut-and-spice register. If you’re plating for company, go family-style and keep the tofu croutons on a separate tray so they stay crispy.
If you want to stretch this into a proper dinner, scatter crispy jerk-spiced tofu croutons on top. If you want more depth, start with my marinated tofu technique and apply the jerk rub after the marinade.
Storage and reheating suggestions
Fridge up to 3 days, airtight. If you’re making ahead, store the sauce and pasta separately and combine with a splash of pasta water when you reheat. Pasta that sits in sauce overnight loses the cling. Reheat in a skillet over medium; the microwave can break the coconut cream.
Rasta Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb penne rigate
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as avocado or vegetable
- ⅓ cup sliced green onions, about 4 stalks, plus more for serving
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 large bell peppers, 1 red, 1 yellow, 1 green, sliced into ¼-inch strips
- 2 tablespoons Jamaican jerk seasoning, such as Walkerswood Mild Jerk Seasoning
- ½ cup full-fat coconut cream
- ¼ cup low-sodium vegetable stock
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ⅓ cup grated vegan parmesan, or Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves or chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the penne according to package instructions until al dente (about 1 minute shy of package time). Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Add the green onions and garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds — don’t let the garlic brown.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the bell pepper strips and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened but still holding color, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Stir in the jerk seasoning and toast for 30 seconds to bloom the spices. Pour in the coconut cream and stock, add the kosher salt, and simmer gently for 3 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Add the vegan parmesan and stir until it melts into the sauce. Add the drained pasta and toss to coat, cooking another 2 to 3 minutes so the pasta absorbs the sauce. Add reserved pasta water 2 tablespoons at a time until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
- Taste and adjust salt. Garnish with fresh thyme and extra green onions. Serve hot.
Notes
- Mild jerk baseline. Serve hot sauce on the side for heat; kids can skip it.
- Coconut cream, not milk. Refrigerate a full-fat can overnight, open upside-down so the water pours off, scoop the thick cream.
- Al dente matters. Pasta finishes in the sauce.
- Dairy swap: ½ cup heavy cream + ⅓ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
- Tofu Croutons (+7g protein): Press 1 (14-oz) block extra-firm tofu 15 min, cube into ¾-inch pieces. Toss with 1 tbsp jerk seasoning + 1 tbsp oil. Pan-sear 3–4 min per side until golden. Scatter on top.
- Store in the fridge up to 3 days. Reheat with a splash of plant milk or stock over medium.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I didn’t have jerk seasoning so I used Cajun seasoning instead. It was amazing!! I found my new favorite recipe. Thank you!
Thank you so much for sharing! So happy you liked it.
10/10! Added garlic fire roasted tomatoes, and soy curls. Chefs kiss!
Thank you! Great idea to add both!
This recipe had just the right amount of spice for me. I made it with coconut cream and it was satisfying without being heavy.
Not having coconut cream on hand, we used the heavy cream. What a delightful recipe you shared with us. Soft pasta and so much flavor.
Thank you.
Using heavy cream makes it a lot more luscious!
It was super yummy and easy to make. The jerk seasoning was the best part! This pasta is going into our weekly rotation.