Rasta Pasta
Rasta pasta isn’t a dish that I grew up eating, and it wasn’t until my early twenties when I moved to New York when I first tried it at a small, hole in the wall, Jamaican spot in Brooklyn. The sauce is similar to alfredo, but made with coconut milk, and it has an assortment of veggies mixed in that just so happen to be representative of the Rasta colors, all of which add to the island flare of this dish.
Since I don’t live in New York anymore, and I didn’t want to rely on having to find another West Indian spot to get my fix, I figured I’d learn how to make my own version. I couldn’t find a recipe that best matched the original version I had fallen in love with, and the ones I did find used the packaged Knorr parm rosa seasoning, which also isn’t always readily available in grocery stores. I’m also not keen on using mystery seasonings filled with chemicals so….I think this version made with whole ingredients is a better option.
I love it, it’s super easy to make, holds up well for leftovers later in the week, and is such a crowd pleaser. It’s also incredibly interchangeable and allows for many substations. Feel free to add really any veggies you have in the fridge that you’re looking to use up.
Tips: This dish can easily be made vegan or dairy free! Instead of the parmesan cheese you can use nutritional yeast or a cornstarch slurry (1 tsp of cornstarch mixed in 2 tbsp water) which will still give it that creamy cheesy effect.
If you have an allergy to coconuts and are not vegan you can use heavy cream as a substitute. If you’re looking for another vegan alternative to coconut milk I would try cashew milk along with the slurry. I wouldn’t suggest using almond milk because there isn’t a substantial amount of fat that will give it the right consistency.
Total Cook Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
1/2 lb penne pasta
1 can of full fat coconut milk (or heavy cream if not vegan)
1/2 red bell pepper sliced
1/2 yellow bell pepper sliced
1/2 green bell pepper sliced
1/4 red onion sliced
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2-3 sprigs of thyme
¼ cup of parmesan cheese (or 1 tbsp of nutritional yeast)
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp jerk marinade
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp pepper
1 green onion or scallion chopped (garnish)
Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions, reserve 1 cup of pasta water, drain, and set aside.
In a large sauté pan melt coconut oil, add thyme and bell peppers, red onion, garlic, ginger and sauté for about 5 minutes.
Add jerk marinade, coconut milk (or heavy cream), tomato paste, and seasonings. Stir until combined.
Bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat, then let simmer until thickened. Taste sauce to judge if you would like to add more seasonings. .
Remove thyme stems, add pasta to sauce, and remove from heat. Add parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast and stir until combined.
If the sauce is too thick, add a small amount of the reserved pasta water and stir until combined.
Top with sliced green onions and serve immediately.