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    BLANK » Recipe Index » Caribbean Dishes

    Vegan rasta pasta dish

    Last Updated January 2, 2023. Published February 14, 2019 By Charla 34 Comments

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    This Jamaican rasta pasta recipe is a one pan vegan Caribbean style pasta dish with a medley of bell peppers, seasoned with the infamous jerk marinade and cooked down in a creamy coconut sauce.

    Vegan rasta pasta dish

    vegan rasta pasta dish side shot

    If you are a big fan of all things pasta based then you are going to love this vegan pasta dish.

    This cuisine is brimming with heat and true island flavour.

    Best of all, it's a one pan dish that's so easy to bring together and great to prep ahead of time or in bulk to save yourself the hassle of being in the kitchen.

    Vegan rasta pasta dish

    Growing up I don't recall hearing about "rasta pasta" it definitely wasn't a recipe which my family were even aware of.

    Like so many other cuisines with time I guess they have evolved into a newer concept for the younger generation (not that I'm old, but ya know).

    I've made pasta dish a few times behind the scenes now to where I'm confident enough to share my recipe.

    It didn't take a lot of trial and error. Nor did it leave me with a great financial loss, which is a bonus.

    What is rasta pasta

    In short, it's a pasta based cuisine made with bell peppers - red, yellow (gold) and green. These Tri-colours represent the Rastafarian lifestyle.

    Typically you will find some jerk seasoning/paste, onions, scallion, cheese and cream to make the sauce.

    Since the title "rasta" is associated with the Rastafarian movement and rasta's don't eat meat (some eat small sized fish).

    This has sparked a debate as to whether meat should be included in the recipe.

    I've seen the following

    • Jerk chicken and shrimp pasta
    • Oxtail rasta pasta
    • Rasta pasta with shrimp

    The list goes on and on but my personal stance is to keep it as ital (meat free) by omitting the use of poultry.

    My recipe is vegan, gluten and very much foolproof similar to my vegan paella recipe.

    I've heard there is a restaurant in selling rasta pasta in Brooklyn. Apparently Footprints' rendition is amazing, let's see if I can surpass them with uber amounts of flavour.

    vegan rasta pasta dish

    The ingredients you will need

    • Bell peppers (Red, yellow and green)
    • Scallion
    • Garlic
    • Onion
    • Tomato
    • Pasta (brown rice or chickpea fusilli both are gluten free options)
    • Coconut milk
    • Jerk marinade
    • Turmeric
    • Thyme
    • Vegan cheese
    • Coconut oil
    • Water

    How to make Jamaican rasta pasta

    Boiling the pasta - You will want to add the pasta of your choice to some water and bring to the boil for roughly 7 minutes. This will par cook the pasta to firm (al dente) stage.

    Sauteing the base ingredients - add the coconut oil to the skillet. Then saute the garlic, onion and scallion just until they become soft and translucent.

    Steaming the bell peppers - I like my peppers on the soft side so what I do is add the peppers to the skillet, stir and then add about ¼ cup of warm water to the pan, cover for 10 minutes so the veggies are steamed and softened.

    Jerk marinade - this will yield your heat and flavour. I used 1 tablespoon which is a nice fiery heat, but not overpowering. If you don't care for spice, use 1 teaspoon instead. I also add the tomato during this stage as well.

    The vegan sauce recipe - it's made with coconut milk but I promise you won't be able to taste the coconut flavour because of the additional ingredients. I pour the coconut milk into the pan with the par cooked pasta and turmeric.

    The vegan cheese - the cheese should be the last thing to hit the pan and only needs a few minutes to melt and infused into the coconut milk.

    Garnish - Prior to serving I like to loosen up the leaves of some fresh thyme and sprinkle all over the cooked dish along with some black pepper.

    Vegan rasta pasta dish angled shot

    Can I freeze the pasta?

    Yes, any leftovers can be frozen and eaten at any given time.

    Do you have any other pasta recipes?

    Yes, you may like my Vegan Pasta Bake and my Vegan Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese recipe.

    Notes and tips

    • Prep the bell peppers ahead of time by chopping them the overnight
    • Only use a teaspoon of jerk marinade to lessen the spiciness.
    • Use chickpea fusilli pasta for a high protein option

    Step by step pictures

    vegan rasta pasta dish steps 1-2

    Bring the pasta (add 1 tablespoon of pink salt) to a boil for about 5-7 minutes and saute the onions, garlic and scallions until soft.

    vegan rasta pasta dish steps 3-4

    Add the bell peppers, water and steam the for 10 minutes (covered).

    vegan rasta pasta dish steps 5-6

    Add the tomatoes and jerk marinade to the skillet and stir.

    vegan rasta pasta dish

    Stir in the pasta and the turmeric into the rest of the ingredients.

    vegan rasta pasta dish

    Finally add the coconut milk and vegan cheese into the pan and stir.

    More Jamaican recipes you may enjoy

    • Jamaican curry powder
    • Jamaican Jerk Seasoning
    • Jamaican steamed cabbage
    • Jamaican banana fritters
    • Jamaican rice and peas
    • Jamaican hot chocolate

    **Don't forget to comment below and star rate if you have tried my recipes. Let's be friends and engage on Facebook and Instagram I also like to pin on Pinterest, where you can find more amazing recipes.**

    Vegan rasta pasta dish square view

    Vegan rasta pasta dish

    Delicious Jamaican vegan rasta pasta dish - a true Caribbean, flavoursome one pan cuisine
    5 from 15 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Entree
    Cuisine: Jamaican
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 304kcal
    Author: Charla

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups of pasta rice brown or chickpea fusilli, heaping
    • 1 small onion chopped
    • 2 scallion sliced
    • 1 small tomato chopped
    • 3 garlic cloves chopped
    • 3 bell peppers - red yellow and green, all sliced
    • 1 can of full fat coconut milk
    • 1 tablespoon of jerk marinade/sauce vary depending on heat, see post
    • 1 teaspoon of turmeric
    • 1 cup of vegan cheese
    • 2 tablespoon of coconut oil
    • ¼ cup of warm water
    • Garnish
    • 3 sprigs of thyme
    • ½ teaspoon of black pepper

    Instructions

    • Bring the pasta to a boil for 5-7 minutes (with 1 tablespoon of pink salt), then drain/rinse in a colander and set side.
    • Meanwhile, on medium heat, melt the coconut oil and saute the onion, garlic and scallion until soft
    • Add all of the bell peppers to the pan, pour in the ¼ cup of water, reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet and allow to steam for 10 minutes.
    • Once steamed, increase the heat to medium and stir in the tomatoes and jerk marinade.
    • Add the pasta, turmeric and pour the coconut milk into the skillet and combine all of the ingredients together.
    • Allow the pasta to cook some more with the coconut milk for a further 3-4 minutes.
    • Finally stir in the vegan cheese and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes.
    • Garnish with thyme (loosen from stem to sprinkle) and black pepper.
    • Serve accordingly

    Notes

    • Prep the bell peppers ahead of time by chopping them the overnight
    • Only use a teaspoon of jerk marinade to lessen the spiciness.
    • Use chickpea fusilli pasta for a high protein option
    • Freeze any leftovers in a freezer friendly container

    Nutrition

    Calories: 304kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 358mg | Potassium: 293mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2890IU | Vitamin C: 117mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @ThatGirlCooksHealthy or tag #ThatGirlCooksHealthy!
    « Strawberries and whipped cream (vegan style)
    Vegan chickpea curry »
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    About Charla

    I'm Charla. Caribbean foodie & Certified Health Coach. Welcome to the heaven of gluten and dairy free recipes as well as modernised healthier alternatives to some of your favourite Caribbean recipes.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lesleen

      October 29, 2022 at 10:50 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is amazing!!!! So delicious, the jerk seasoning really made this pasta dish a number 1! Thank you Charla!!!

      Reply
      • Charla

        October 30, 2022 at 7:44 am

        Aww you are most welcome Lesleen, glad you liked the recipe 🙂

        Reply
    2. El

      May 20, 2022 at 12:36 am

      Will the flavor change to much if i dont include the onions or garlic my friend is allergic to both.

      Reply
      • Charla

        May 20, 2022 at 9:02 am

        Hi El, the results will still be just as tasty if you need to omit the onion and garlic due to allergies. Enjoy and thank you commenting 🙂

        Reply
    3. Jess

      April 18, 2022 at 5:55 am

      Very Very Delicious. Added some seasoning salt for desired taste and this was perfect. Really enjoyed this dish and look forward to trying more. Thank you

      Reply
      • Charla

        April 18, 2022 at 7:19 am

        Thank you Jess. You are so welcome!

        Reply
    4. Lauri M

      March 17, 2022 at 3:14 pm

      5 stars
      First thing I’ve gotten him to eat and not complain since we’ve gone gluten and dairy free! Are use gluten-free penne pasta and followed the recipe exactly and as usual with dismay as the plate approached him he had that look on his face. To my pleasant surprise after two bites I heard Yum! He had a stroke last February in 2021 and recovery has been difficult, we went gluten and dairy free to lessen the inflammation and expedite healing. Thank you so much, I finally got one for the win-win.

      Reply
      • Charla

        March 17, 2022 at 3:30 pm

        Hi Lauri. Thank you so so much for reaching out to me. I'm sorry to hear about the health issues that your loved one is facing. On a more positive note, I am very happy to hear that he loves this pasta dish. Gluten free cooking definitely takes some time to get used to but it can still be just as flavoursome with the right adaptations.

        Reply
    5. Anthony

      January 03, 2022 at 1:00 am

      This hits everytime!

      Reply
      • Charla

        January 03, 2022 at 7:52 am

        Thank you for your feedback Anthony!

        Reply
    6. Joanne Davies

      August 19, 2021 at 10:59 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious! My family loved this dish so much. I can’t wait to make it again. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Charla

        August 20, 2021 at 7:00 am

        Thank you so much Joanne for your wonderful feedback.

        Reply
    7. Kailee

      July 11, 2020 at 4:07 pm

      5 stars
      THIS IS THE BEST PASTA DISH! Will no doubt be a summer staple!

      Reply
      • Charla

        July 11, 2020 at 4:09 pm

        Thank you Kailee

        Reply
    8. Mia

      July 16, 2019 at 4:41 am

      What kind of vegan cheese do you use for this recipe?

      Reply
      • Charla

        July 16, 2019 at 1:30 pm

        I use Violife vegan cheese

        Reply
        • Lisa Ocasio

          October 09, 2020 at 6:52 pm

          Hi! What flavor of Violife did you use?

          Reply
          • Charla

            October 09, 2020 at 8:03 pm

            The original one but I've changed to using Applewood Vegan Smokey Cheese since I first uploaded this recipe.

            Reply
      • Kryssy

        December 07, 2020 at 11:20 pm

        I just made this and cannot believe how great this is! Best recipe for vegan Rasta Pasta I’ve found ( and I tried a few). For the cheese I used Good Planet Plant based Parmesan cheese.

        Reply
        • Charla

          December 07, 2020 at 11:27 pm

          Thank you Kryssy. I'm going to check out that plant based parsmesan cheese.

          Reply
    9. Maureen

      June 30, 2019 at 4:40 pm

      Can i serve this cold?

      Reply
      • Charla

        June 30, 2019 at 5:35 pm

        Yes you can!! Enjoy!!

        Reply
    10. Nisha

      April 30, 2019 at 8:20 pm

      5 stars
      Do you have a recipe for the jerk seasoning/marinade you used to make this?

      Reply
      • Charla

        May 01, 2019 at 10:27 am

        Hi Nisha. I haven't released my homemade version of the jerk marinade just yet. In terms of a brand that I recommend that you can purchase in the meanwhile timeWalkerswood Jamaican jerk seasoning is a good brand.

        Reply
        • Nisha

          May 01, 2019 at 3:46 pm

          Thank you Charla, looking forward to making it this weekend!

          Reply
          • Charla

            May 02, 2019 at 10:33 am

            That;s great news Nisha. Enjoy! You are more than welcome to drop me a line if you need any further assistance.

            Reply
    11. Steffi

      April 06, 2019 at 1:58 am

      What size can of coconut milk do you use? Here they cone in different sizes.

      Reply
      • Charla

        April 07, 2019 at 10:37 am

        400ml is the size I use which is a large can of coconut milk

        Reply
    12. Asha

      March 22, 2019 at 2:16 pm

      Can’t wait to try this recipe, and many others on your site! I just stumbled across it and wanted to let you know I love what you’re doing here- healthy food and Caribbean flavors. Great job!!

      Reply
      • Charla

        March 22, 2019 at 9:36 pm

        Aww thank you for stopping by and showing some love Asha. I hope you enjoy these healthy Caribbean recipes!

        Reply
    13. Liz

      February 15, 2019 at 5:39 pm

      This looks so good! I love pasta, and LOVE spicy. Your recipes are always easy to follow and look delicious; this one though really has me jazzed to try it. Thank you for sharing!!!

      Reply
      • Charla

        February 15, 2019 at 7:09 pm

        Thanks for the love Liz, I'm sure you will enjoy this rasta pasta dish!!

        Reply
        • Liz

          February 22, 2019 at 8:15 pm

          5 stars
          UPDATE:
          I just finished making and devouring this pasta. I don't normally cook, so it's kind of a big deal for me to both cook AND eat veggies without some kind of meltdown.

          IT'S SO GOOD CHARLA. I love this so much, thank you for making it easy for me to make some super good vegan food that I cannot wait to share with my friends.

          Many, many thanks!

          Reply
          • Charla

            February 22, 2019 at 10:30 pm

            It's my favourite vegan recipe right now. I'm so glad you liked it because I tested the recipe several times over before publishing it.

            Reply

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    I'm Charla. Caribbean foodie & Certified Health Coach. Welcome to the heaven of gluten and dairy free recipes as well as modernised healthier alternatives to some of your favourite Caribbean recipes. Learn more about me

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