Rasta Pasta
Tuesday, December 16, 2025
"Spice, sun, rasta vibes -
let your taste buds catch di island vibes..."
☀️🏝️🌶️🍤
It's December, my body may be in Botswana, but my heart is in Jamaica. Anyway, I'll just vibe through this recipe. I first came across a Rasta Pasta recipe when one of my bestie's sent me a TikTok, and honestly, it's been on my mind ever
since. The vibrant colours, creamy sauce, and spicy notes looked
so irresistible that I couldn't stop thinking about recreating
it. I knew I wanted to put my own spin on it, and that's exactly
what I've done with this version using prawns and coconut
milk. Feel free to swap the prawns for chicken if you're not a prawns person, or switch the coconut milk to fresh cream.
My twist keeps the spirit of the dish alive while giving it a
tropical, seafood-forward flair. The coconut milk adds a subtle
sweetness and creaminess that pairs perfectly with the smoky,
spicy jerk seasoning. I love how the prawns char beautifully in
the pan, adding extra depth and flavour to every bite. It's
creamy, colourful, and has just the right amount of kick,
exactly the kind of comfort-meets-island meal I love to
make.
Rasta Pasta is inspired by Rastafarian culture, which is
celebrated for its vibrant colours, bold flavours, and
connection to nature. While this recipe isn't traditional, it
pays tribute to the colourful Caribbean culture and its love of
fresh, wholesome ingredients. The red, yellow, and green peppers
bring the "rasta colours" to the plate, and every forkful feels
like a little celebration of island life. ♥️💛💚
Traditionally, Rastafarians follow a vegetarian or vegan diet,
meaning this pasta would usually have no animal protein in it.
That's why you could easily swap the prawns for tofu or chickpeas,
or just keep it as a creamy, colourful pepper pasta.
What I love about this recipe is how playful and versatile it
is. You can make it creamy, spicy, or extra colourful depending
on your mood, and it's perfect for meal planning, making those
weeknight dinners or quick lunches less stressful. It's a fun
way to bring a taste of the Caribbean into your home without
needing a plane ticket, and it's become one of my go-to comfort
foods with a tropical twist.
TikTok
@spicyfusionkitchen Spice, sun, rasta vibes - let your taste buds catch di island vibes... 😎🌞🏝️🌶️🍤 Full Recipe on www.spicyfusionkitchen.com 🔗 Rasta Pasta is inspired by Rastafarian culture, which is celebrated for its vibrant colours, bold flavours, and connection to nature. While this recipe isn’t traditional (typically Rastafarians are vegetarian or vegan), but it pays tribute to the colourful Caribbean culture and its love of fresh, wholesome ingredients. So you could easily swap the prawns for tofu, chickpeas, or just keep it as a creamy colourful pepper pasta. The red, yellow, and green peppers bring the “rasta colours” to the plate, and every forkful feels like a little celebration of island life ❤️💛💚 #rastapasta #pasta #dinnerideas #prawns #foodtiktok ♬ Reggae Brasil - Big Big
Ingredients
Marinade
800g Prawns Meat (Cleaned and Deviened)
3 Tbsp Jerk Spice
1 Tbsp Paprika
1 - 2 tsp Chilli Flakes or Cayenne Pepper (adjust depending on your heat preference)
1 1/2 Tbsp Crushed Garlic
2 tsp Grated Ginger
2 Tbsp Lemon or Lime Juice
1 tsp Oil
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
Sauce
1 - 2 Tbsp Butter
1 Medium-Sized Purple Onion
1 tsp Crushed Garlic
1 Large Red Pepper
1 Large Green Pepper
1 Large Yellow Pepper
1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
1 tsp Jerk Spice
2 tsp Lime Juice
2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
400ml Coconut Milk
250g - 300g Penne Pasta
Garnish
1/4 Cup Sliced Spring Onions
1 tsp Dried Parsley
Method With Pictures
1. Add your prawns to a bowl. I used blanched prawn meat, but raw works
too. Make sure they're fully defrosted before marinating or frying so they
can char properly.
2. Add jerk spice, paprika, chilli flakes or cayenne, crushed garlic,
grated ginger, lime or lemon juice, salt, black pepper and a little oil to
the prawns. Mix well and let them marinate for at least 15 minutes. You can
swap the prawns for chicken fillets if you prefer.
3. While the prawns marinate, slice the bell peppers into medium strips and
cut the purple onion into half moons. Keep the crushed garlic and grated
ginger ready.
4. Heat butter in a large pan over medium-high heat, then add the prawns.
Turn them every 1-2 minutes, so they cook evenly and begin to char. If any
liquid gathers in the pan, scoop it out and save it for later. Chicken
fillets will need about 15-20 minutes, depending on thickness.
5. Boil the pasta while the prawns cook, then set it aside.
6. After about 10 minutes, remove the prawns (blanched prawns cook faster
around 4 - 5 minutes). They're done when they turn pink, shrink slightly, and
curl into a "C" shape. Be careful not to overcook, or they'll turn
rubbery.
7. Using the same pan on medium-low heat, add the sliced onions, crushed
garlic and oil. Toss for 2 - 3 minutes.
8. Add the bell peppers and mix for 1 minute. Then add dried thyme, jerk
spice, lime or lemon juice and tomato paste. Let everything cook for 2-3
minutes; the peppers should remain slightly crunchy.
9. Pour in any liquid you saved from the prawns. If you didn't have any,
add pasta water or plain water (about 1 cup). Let it simmer on low heat for
2-3 minutes.
10. Stir in the coconut milk and let it gently simmer until it starts to
bubble and thicken, about 3 - 4 minutes. Don't let the sauce dry out.
11. When the sauce has thickened, add the cooked pasta and mix it in. Only
do this just before serving, so it stays saucy.
12. Add the prawns and toss them through the pasta. If using chicken, slice
it before adding.
13. Garnish with sliced spring onions and dried parsley. Serve hot. If the
sauce dries up a bit, add a bit more coconut milk or a splash of water to
make the pasta saucy again.
Method
- Add your prawns to a bowl. I used blanched prawn meat, but raw works too. Make sure they're fully defrosted before marinating or frying so they can char properly.
- Add jerk spice, paprika, chilli flakes or cayenne, crushed garlic, grated ginger, lime or lemon juice, salt, black pepper and a little oil to the prawns. Mix well and let them marinate for at least 15 minutes. You can swap the prawns for chicken fillets if you prefer.
- While the prawns marinate, slice the bell peppers into medium strips and cut the purple onion into half moons. Keep the crushed garlic and grated ginger ready. Also, boil the pasta and keep it aside for later.
- Heat butter in a large pan over medium-high heat, then add the prawns. Turn them every 1-2 minutes, so they cook evenly and begin to char. If any liquid gathers in the pan, scoop it out and save it for later. Chicken fillets will need about 15-20 minutes, depending on thickness.
- After about 10 minutes, remove the prawns (blanched prawns cook faster around 4 - 5 minutes). They're done when they turn pink, shrink slightly, and curl into a "C" shape. Be careful not to overcook, or they'll turn rubbery.
- Using the same pan on medium-low heat, add the sliced onions, crushed garlic and oil. Toss for 2 - 3 minutes.
- Add the bell peppers and mix for 1 minute. Then add dried thyme, jerk spice, lime or lemon juice and tomato paste. Let everything cook for 2-3 minutes; the peppers should remain slightly crunchy.
- Pour in any liquid you saved from the prawns. If you didn't have any, add pasta water or plain water (about 1 cup). Let it simmer on low heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in the coconut milk and let it gently simmer until it starts to bubble and thicken, about 3 - 4 minutes. Don't let the sauce dry out.
- When the sauce has thickened, add the cooked pasta and mix it in. Only do this just before serving, so it stays saucy.
- Add the prawns and toss them through the pasta. If using chicken, slice it before adding.
- Garnish with sliced spring onions and dried parsley. Serve hot. If the sauce dries up a bit, add a bit more coconut milk or a splash of water to make the pasta saucy again.
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