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Wooden spoon stirring Creamy Jamaican Shrimp Rasta Pasta.
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5 from 3 votes

Creamy Jamaican Shrimp Rasta Pasta

Creamy Jamaican Shrimp Rasta Pasta is a one-skillet dinner with cheesy, savory sauce and plump, juicy shrimp.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Main Course
Keyword: bell peppers, caribbean, classic, creamy, dinner, easy, food, healthy, homemade, indulge, Jamaican, jerk, lunch, natural, pasta, recipe, shrimp, weeknight meals
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 811kcal
Author: Shanika

Ingredients

RASTA PASTA:

  • 1 (16 oz.) package organic penne or rigatoni pasta (You can use your fave pasta shape/type; See Notes for GF option.)
  • 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 lbs. wild-caught colossal shrimp, deveined
  • 2 Tbsps unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 2 bell peppers, chopped (You can use red, yellow, or green; Feel free to mix the colors)

CREAMY SAUCE:

  • 2 Tbsps unsalted butter, for cooking
  • 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1-2 Tbsps organic all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups organic heavy cream
  • ½ cup chicken or seafood stock, low-sodium (You can also use vegetable stock, if desired)
  • 2 Tbsps white cooking wine
  • 1-2 Tbsps Jerk seasoning
  • 1 cup freshly-grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup shredded thick-cut mild cheddar

HOMEMADE JERK SEASONING:

  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 2 tsps cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt + black pepper
  • 2 tsps dried thyme
  • 2 tsps brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin

Instructions

BOIL THE PASTA:

  • To begin, cook pasta according to packaging. NOTE: penne pasta doesn’t take a long time to cook, usually 8-10 minutes (however, you should cook at 6-8 minutes or so—‘al dente’).

SEASON THE SHRIMP:

  • In a bowl, mix together the shrimp and salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, parsley, and garlic powder, until fully coated. Set aside.

SAUTE THE SHRIMP:

  • In a medium 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 Tbsps butter until melted. Add in the shrimp and cook on both sides (about 3-4 minutes), until pink and cook through. Once done, remove from skillet and set aside on a plate.

TO MAKE THE SAUCE:

  • In a large (12-inch) skillet, add the olive oil, butter, and minced garlic, sautéing until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add the jerk seasoning, and flour, stirring everything together. Whisk in the heavy cream, chicken or seafood stock, and white cooking wine until everything thickens and becomes smooth with no lumps visible. Add in the chopped bell peppers and stir to incorporate.
  • Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer for 4-5 minutes until it thickens more and the peppers become more tender. Stir in the grated parmesan and mild cheddar until they have melted and the sauce is even more creamy.
  • Add in the cooked drained pasta and stir until everything is well coated.
  • Remove from heat and serve immediately and garnish with chopped scallions, if desired.
  • Bon Appetit!

Notes

  • STORAGE: Any leftovers can be kept in a tightly sealed container and refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.
  • SPICES/HERBS: If desired, you can reduce the amounts slightly. Please know that this recipe is bold in flavor, so feel free to adjust based on your tastebuds.
  • GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: To make this dish GF, simply use Gluten-Free pasta and ensure that all other ingredients are GF-friendly. 
  • DAIRY-FREE + VEGAN OPTION: To make this sauce dairy-free, simply swap the heavy cream with full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream. And use your favorite dairy-free shredded cheese or nutritional yeast instead of parmesan. For a vegan version, see my Creamy Jamaican Rasta Pasta recipe!
  • PASTA: You can use any of your favorite pastas! Jumbo shells or long pastas like Pappardelle, Fettuccine, etc. work fine. However, I would recommend tossing with tongs to ensure that pasta is fully manageable and fully coated. Otherwise, the traditional penne or rigatoni pasta works perfectly too!

Nutrition

Calories: 811kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 73g | Saturated Fat: 42g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 200mg | Sodium: 1865mg | Potassium: 488mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 5891IU | Vitamin C: 79mg | Calcium: 554mg | Iron: 2mg